育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)

いくじきゅうか
noun
parental leave; childcare leave
colloquiallegal
1. parental leave; childcare leave
Leave taken from work to care for a young child, available to both mothers and fathers under Japanese law.
夫(おっと)も育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)を取(と)ることにした。
My husband decided to take parental leave too.
育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)は最長(さいちょう)1年間(ねんかん)取得(しゅとく)できる。
Parental leave can be taken for up to one year.
男性(だんせい)の育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)取得率(しゅとくりつ)が上(あ)がっている。
The rate of men taking parental leave is increasing.
育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)を取(と)りたいが、職場(しょくば)の雰囲気(ふんいき)で言(い)い出(だ)しにくい。
I want to take parental leave, but the workplace atmosphere makes it hard to speak up.
育児休暇(いくじきゅうか)から復帰(ふっき)した後(あと)、時短勤務(じたんきんむ)に切(き)り替(か)えた。
After returning from parental leave, I switched to reduced working hours.

Composition: 育児(いくじ) (childcare) + 休暇(きゅうか) (leave, vacation).

Legal name: 育児(いくじ)・介護休業法(かいごきゅうぎょうほう) (Childcare and Caregiver Leave Act) officially calls it 育児休業(いくじきゅうぎょう).

Abbreviation: 育休(いくきゅう) (colloquial).

JAPAN'S system

  • Available until child is 1 year old (extendable to 2 years in some cases)
  • Both parents can take leave
  • Partial wage replacement through employment insurance
  • Job protection during leave period

Related leave types

Current trends

  • Government promoting "イクメン" (hands-on fathers)
  • Increasing male participation in childcare
  • Corporate culture slowly changing

Related Words

Related: 産休(さんきゅう) (maternity leave)
Related: 介護休暇(かいごきゅうか) (family care leave)
Related: イクメン (hands-on father)
Related: ワークライフバランス (work-life balance)
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Added 2026.1.19 8:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
07000/07143_ikujikyuuka