①In the event that a worker files a report to their employer on the pregnancy or childbirth of that worker herself or that worker's spouse or any other fact specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as being equivalent thereto, the employer must inform that worker of the childcare leave systems and other matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as prescribed by Order of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and conduct interviews with that worker or take other measures specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to confirm the intention of that worker in the application for childcare leave.

②In taking the measures set forth in the preceding paragraph, employers must, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, confirm the intention of the worker regarding conditions of employment specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as conducive to improving circumstances, arising or expected to arise on or after the date of birth of the child pertaining to the report under the provisions of the same paragraph due to the physical or mental condition of the child or the family circumstances relating to childcare of the worker who filed the report, that constitute an impediment to the worker's balance between working life and family life.

③In determining the conditions of employment for a worker whose intention has been confirmed pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, employers must give consideration to that intention.

④When a worker reports to the employer that an applicable family member has come to require caregiving by the worker, the employer must, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, inform the worker of the system for caregiver leave, systems or measures specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as conducive to balancing work and caregiving (hereinafter referred to as "systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving" in this Article and Article 22, paragraph (4)), and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and must conduct interviews or take other measures specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in order to confirm the intention of the worker regarding an application for caregiver leave and an application relating to the use of systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving (referred to as "application for systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving" in the same paragraph).

⑤When a worker reaches the beginning of a period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as appropriate and effective for informing the worker of the system for caregiver leave, systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving, and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, in order to deepen the worker's understanding of and interest in the utilization of the system for caregiver leave and systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving, such as the fiscal year containing the day on which the worker reaches 40 years of age, the employer must, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, inform the worker of those particulars within that period.

⑥Employers must not dismiss or otherwise treat a worker disadvantageously on the grounds that the worker has filed an application under the provisions of paragraph (1) or (4), or because of the content of an intention confirmed under the provisions of paragraph (2).

①Beyond what is provided for in paragraph (1), paragraph (4) and paragraph (5) of the preceding Article, employers must, with regard to childcare leave and caregiver leave, endeavor to specify the following particulars in advance and take measures to make them known to workers (including informing any worker who becomes pregnant or whose spouse becomes pregnant, or who gives birth or whose spouse gives birth, or who takes care of an applicable family member, at the time of learning about that fact):

②As prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, employers must, in cases where a worker files an application for childcare leave or an application for caregiver leave, endeavor to clearly notify the worker of the treatment for that worker concerning the particulars listed in all items of the preceding paragraph.

①An employer must, for the purpose of smooth implementation of application for childcare leave, take any of the following measures:

②Employers must take one of the measures set forth in the following items in order to ensure that applications for caregiver leave are made smoothly.

③Beyond what is provided for in the preceding two paragraphs, employers must, for the purpose of smooth implementation of applications for childcare leave, applications for caregiver leave, and smooth return to work in following the childcare leave and caregiver leave, endeavor to take necessary measures with regard to the assignment of workers and other employment management at a place of business where workers who take childcare leave or caregiver leave are employed, and the development and improvement of the vocational ability of workers who are taking childcare leave or caregiver leave.

④Employers must take one of the measures set forth in the following items in order to ensure that applications for systems, etc. for balancing work and caregiving are made smoothly.

An employer with over 300 continuously employed workers must publicly announce information that is specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as on the status of childcare leave taken by workers employed by that employer at least once a year, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

①Employers must, with regard to an employed worker who takes care of a child under three years of age, but who does not take childcare leave (excluding workers specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as workers whose scheduled working hours per day are short), take measures to shorten scheduled working hours that make it easier for the worker to take care of the child while continuing working (referred to as "measures to shorten prescribed working hours for childcare" hereinafter in this Article and Article 23-3, paragraph (1), item (iii)), upon application from the worker, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; provided, however, that this does not apply to workers who fall under any of the following items and who are set forth as persons for whom measures to shorten prescribed working hours for childcare are not taken under a written agreement between the employer and either a labor union, if any, organized by a majority of workers at the place of business where the worker is employed or between the employer and a person who represents the majority of the workers when there is no labor union organized by the majority of workers at the place of business where the worker is employed:

②Employers must, if they decide not to take measures to shorten prescribed working hours for childcare with regard to an employed worker set forth in item (iii) of the same paragraph who takes care of a child under three years of age pursuant to the provisions of the proviso of the preceding paragraph, take measures equivalent to the system of childcare leave for the worker, or one of the measures set forth in the following items, upon application from the worker, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

③Employers must, with regard to an employee who take care of applicable family member requiring caregiving but has not taken caregiver leave, take measures to shorten prescribed working hours for the period of at least three consecutive years or other measures to make it easier for the worker to take care of the applicable family member requiring caregiving while continuing working (referred to as "measures to shorten prescribed working hours for caregivers" in this Article and Article 24, paragraph (3)), upon application from the worker, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; provided, however, that this does not apply to workers who fall under any of the following items and who are set forth as persons for whom measures to shorten prescribed working hours for caregivers are not taken under a written agreement between the employer and either a labor union, if any, organized by a majority of workers at the place of business where the worker is employed or between the employer and a person who represents the majority of these workers when there is no labor union organized by the majority of workers at the place of business where the worker is employed.

④The period referred to in the main clause of the preceding paragraph starts from the day requested by the worker as the day for starting the use of the measures to shorten prescribed working hours for caregivers.

Employers must not dismiss or otherwise treat a worker disadvantageously on the grounds that the worker files an application pursuant to the provisions of the preceding Article or that measures are taken for the worker pursuant to the provisions of the same Article.