How Many Days of Unemployment Benefit Do You Get in Japan? Voluntary vs Employer-Initiated
The number of days you can receive Japan's unemployment benefit (the basic allowance under employment insurance) is called the scheduled benefit days, and it ranges from 90 days up to 360. It depends on your reason for leaving, your age when you left and how long you were covered by employment insurance, and for the same person it can more than double between voluntary and employer-initiated separation. This article covers the benefit-day tables, the specific cases that count as employer-initiated (specified qualified recipient), how coverage periods are counted, and how the days change the total.
Benefit days for voluntary resignation, mandatory retirement and contract expiry
For "general leavers", such as those who resign voluntarily, reach mandatory retirement or finish a contract they chose not to renew, the days depend only on how long they were covered by employment insurance (the calculation base period), regardless of age.
| Employment insurance coverage | Under 10 years | 10 to under 20 years | 20 years or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled benefit days | 90 days | 120 days | 150 days |
Even with less than 1 year of coverage, you qualify for 90 days if you have 12 or more insured months in total within the 2 years before leaving. Voluntary leavers with a justified reason such as illness, caregiving or relocation (specified reason leavers) also follow this table for days, but they have no benefit restriction.
Benefit days for employer-initiated separation (specified qualified recipients)
"Specified qualified recipients", who were forced to leave by bankruptcy, dismissal and the like, have their days set by both age and coverage period. Those aged 45 to under 60, who tend to find re-employment hardest, get the most generous treatment, up to 330 days.
| Age when leaving | Under 1 year | 1 to under 5 years | 5 to under 10 years | 10 to under 20 years | 20 years or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | 90 days | 90 days | 120 days | 180 days | — |
| 30 to under 35 | 90 days | 120 days | 180 days | 210 days | 240 days |
| 35 to under 45 | 90 days | 150 days | 180 days | 240 days | 270 days |
| 45 to under 60 | 90 days | 180 days | 240 days | 270 days | 330 days |
| 60 to under 65 | 90 days | 150 days | 180 days | 210 days | 240 days |
Workers whose contract wasn't renewed even though they wanted it to be (specified reason leavers) also get the days in this table if they leave by March 31, 2027. People with difficulty finding work, such as holders of a disability certificate, follow a separate table: 150 days with under 1 year of coverage, and with 1 year or more, 300 days if under 45 and 360 days if 45 to under 65.
What counts as employer-initiated?
Whether you're a specified qualified recipient isn't decided solely by the reason your company wrote on the separation certificate. Hello Work judges it from your own statement and supporting materials. Even if you submitted a resignation letter, the following circumstances may lead to you being treated as employer-initiated.
- Bankruptcy, closure of the workplace, mass departures of 30 or more people in a month, etc.
- Dismissal (except dismissal for a grave reason attributable to you)
- The company encouraged you to resign (encouraged resignation; conditions apply if you accepted a voluntary retirement offer)
- In the 6 months just before leaving, overtime above 45 hours a month for 3 or more consecutive months (also over 100 hours in any 1 month, or an average above 80 hours across 2 to 6 months)
- More than one-third of your wages went unpaid for 2 or more months
- Your wages fell, or were set to fall, below 85% of what they had been
- Power harassment, sexual harassment or similar from a boss or coworkers
- Working conditions differed markedly from those shown when you were hired
- A fixed-term contract renewed continuously for 3 or more years was not renewed
How the coverage period (calculation base period) is counted
The coverage period that sets your days is the time you were covered by employment insurance at your current company. However, your previous company's period can be added if both of the following are met.
- The gap between leaving your previous company and joining employment insurance at your current one is within 1 year
- You did not receive the basic allowance, reemployment allowance or similar when you left your previous company
If you received unemployment benefit when you left your previous company, the coverage period resets and only the time since joining your current company counts. Leaving just before the 10-year or 20-year line changes your days, so if you're close, check your hire date on your employment insurance card or separation certificate.
How much the days change the total
These are totals for a 300,000-yen monthly salary (basic daily allowance of 6,207 yen, under age 60). Both the days and the total differ greatly between voluntary and employer-initiated separation.
| Age / coverage | Voluntary | Employer-initiated | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25, 3 years | 90 days, 558,630 yen | 90 days, 558,630 yen | 0 yen |
| 35, 5 years | 90 days, 558,630 yen | 180 days, 1,117,260 yen | 558,630 yen |
| 35, 10 years | 120 days, 744,840 yen | 240 days, 1,489,680 yen | 744,840 yen |
| 45, 20 years | 150 days, 931,050 yen | 330 days, 2,048,310 yen | 1,117,260 yen |
For people with 330 or 360 scheduled days, the benefit period (in principle, 1 year from the day after leaving) extends by 30 and 60 days respectively. Even so, filing late can leave you unable to receive everything within the period, so go to Hello Work early. For the daily amount, see how much unemployment benefit you get. If you find a job with days left over, see how much the reemployment allowance is.
FAQ
- How many days of unemployment benefit do I get after quitting voluntarily?
- 90 days with under 10 years of employment insurance coverage, 120 days with 10 to under 20 years, and 150 days with 20 years or more. For voluntary resignation, age doesn't change the days. With a justified reason such as illness or caregiving, the days are the same but there's no benefit restriction.
- If I leave after encouraged resignation, is it employer-initiated?
- If the company encouraged you to resign and you agreed, you're a specified qualified recipient (employer-initiated), even if you submitted a resignation letter. If your separation certificate says voluntary, explain the situation at Hello Work and show emails or meeting records that prove the encouragement.
- How many days do I get if my fixed-term contract wasn't renewed?
- If you wanted renewal but didn't get it, you're a specified reason leaver and, if you leave by March 31, 2027, you get the same days as employer-initiated separation (90 to 330 days by age and coverage). If the contract had been renewed for 3 or more years, you're a specified qualified recipient. If you chose not to renew, you're a general leaver with 90 to 150 days.
- Can I add the coverage period from my previous company?
- Yes, if the gap between leaving your previous company and joining your current one is within 1 year and you didn't receive the basic allowance or reemployment allowance when you last left. If you did, only the time since joining your current company counts.
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