Hiring in Japan involves more than finding the right candidate and agreeing on a salary. The Labor Standards Act (労働基準法), social insurance laws, and employment insurance rules create a web of obligations that activate the moment an employment relationship begins.
MmowW's Employment Rule Checker guides you through these obligations step by step, so you know exactly what to prepare before making your first offer.
Input your company type (KK or GK), number of existing employees (if any), and industry. Certain industries have additional employment regulations.
Select the employment type: full-time regular employee, part-time employee, fixed-term contract, or other arrangement. Each type triggers different obligations.
Specify planned working hours, days, and compensation structure. The tool determines whether the position triggers social insurance enrollment thresholds and overtime agreement requirements.
The checker generates a complete list of requirements:
Before hiring:
Within days of hiring:
Ongoing obligations:
Use the checklist to prepare documents and registrations in the correct order before the employee's start date.
Use our free tool to check your compliance instantly.
Try it free →SaaS company hiring its first remote engineer: The checker identifies that even remote employees require the full set of employment obligations — social insurance, labor insurance, written employment contract, and tax withholding. Remote work does not exempt the employer from any standard obligations.
Retail shop hiring three part-time employees at 20 hours per week: At 20 hours per week (below the typical three-quarter threshold of regular hours), these employees may not require social insurance enrollment. The checker clarifies the specific threshold and confirms which obligations apply at these hours.
Company hiring a fixed-term contract worker for 6 months: Fixed-term contracts have specific rules under the Labor Standards Act and the Labor Contracts Act (労働契約法). The checker notes the contract duration limits, renewal rules, and conversion-to-permanent-employment provisions.
Q: Does the checker cover foreign employee hiring requirements?
A: The employment obligations covered by the checker (social insurance, labor standards, employment contract) apply equally to Japanese and foreign employees. However, hiring foreign nationals involves additional requirements under the Immigration Control Act — specifically, the employee must have a visa status that permits the intended work. This is an immigration matter rather than an employment law matter.
Q: What if I am hiring my co-founder as an employee?
A: If your co-founder is appointed as a director (取締役), they are an officer, not an employee, and most Labor Standards Act provisions do not apply to them. If they are hired in an employee capacity (not as a director), standard employment obligations apply. The checker helps you distinguish between officer and employee status.
Q: Can I use the checker after I have already hired someone?
A: Yes. If you have already hired and want to verify that all obligations have been met, the checker serves as a compliance audit tool. Any gaps identified can be addressed retroactively.
Know every hiring obligation before the first day:
Use the Employment Rule Checker →
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