What are the laws regarding working hours in Japan?

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Employers in Japan must provide at least 45 minutes of break time for work days that last over 6 hours and at least 1 hour of break time for a work day lasting longer than 8 hours.

In general, working hours for companies in Japan should be 40 hours per week and employers shall not force employees to work more than 8 hours per day. Companies with less than 10 employees are allowed an exception to this rule that extends their workweek to 44 hours. In practice however, Japanese employees routinely work longer hours. Any additional overtime hours should be compensated at a rate 25% to 50% higher than the normal salary but there are exceptions to his rule as well.

If you have any questions about working condition laws in Japan, please contact our office for a legal consultation.