Employment contracts in Japan generally define the relationship between the employee, the job and the company. In Japan, an employment contract must clearly state the period of the labor contract, the workplace, job duties, the existence of overtime, the start and end time as well as days off, the wage and rules regarding dismissal. It is the duty of the employee to check the contract before signing to ensure that he or she agrees with all the terms. Therefore, it is important to have the contract translated if it is in a language that the employee cannot read.
Employment contracts in Japan are usually contracted for periods under 3 years, unless the contract is without a definite period or for a specific project or requires specialized knowledge or skills. Normally, an employee is free to resign at any time after fulfilling the first year of his or her contract by submitting a notice of resignation in advance.
If you have any questions about employment contracts in Japan, please contact our office for a legal consultation.