Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act

• It lists the working conditions an employer must set out for a worker when concluding a labor contract, including the contract period, the place of work and duties, working hours, days off, wages, and the grounds for leaving the job, dismissal included.(Art. 5(1), Labor Standards Act Art. 15(1)) (the provisions it rests on)
• It sets further matters an overtime agreement under Article 36 of the Act (a 36協定) must contain, such as how long the agreement is valid and the premium rate for work beyond the limit hours.(Art. 17(1)) (the provisions it rests on)
• It prescribes the forms on which notices and applications are filed, and carries appended tables such as the list of occupational diseases (別表第一の二).(Art. 16(1), Form No. 9, Art. 34(1), Form No. 14, Art. 35(1), Appended Table 1-2) (the provisions it rests on)

• 1 April 2026

  The text on this site

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, etc.

  労働者災害補償保険法施行規則等の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 57 of 2026The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 June 2025

  Ministerial Order on the Arrangement of Ministerial Orders Related to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare upon the Enforcement of the Act Partially Amending the Penal Code, etc. and the Act on the Arrangement of Related Acts upon the Enforcement of the Act Partially Amending the Penal Code, etc.

  刑法等の一部を改正する法律及び刑法等の一部を改正する法律の施行に伴う関係法律の整理等に関する法律の施行に伴う厚生労働省関係省令の整理等に関する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 62 of 2025The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 May 2025

  Ministerial Order on the Arrangement of Ministerial Orders Related to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare upon the Partial Enforcement of the Act Partially Amending the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and the Act on Investment Trusts and Investment Corporations

  金融商品取引法及び投資信託及び投資法人に関する法律の一部を改正する法律の一部の施行に伴う厚生労働省関係省令の整備に関する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 58 of 2025The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 January 2025

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Pneumoconiosis Act, etc.

  じん肺法施行規則等の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 45 of 2024The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 April 2024

  Ministerial Order on the Arrangement of Ministerial Orders Related to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare upon the Enforcement of the Act on Support for Women Facing Difficult Problems

  困難な問題を抱える女性への支援に関する法律の施行に伴う厚生労働省関係省令の整備に関する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 68 of 2023The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 April 2024

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act and the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act on Special Measures for Improvement of Working Hours Arrangements

  労働基準法施行規則及び労働時間等の設定の改善に関する特別措置法施行規則の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 39 of 2023The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 April 2024

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act

  労働基準法施行規則の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 34 of 2023The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 April 2024

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act

  労働基準法施行規則の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 14 of 2023The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 1 April 2024

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act

  労働基準法施行規則の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 5 of 2022The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

• 27 December 2023

  Ministerial Order Partially Amending Ministerial Orders Related to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Order to Advance Regulatory Reforms That Are Meant to Help Form a Digital Society

  デジタル社会の形成を図るための規制改革を推進するための厚生労働省関係省令の一部を改正する省令

  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order No. 165 of 2023The text after this amendment, on e-Gov

All 26 amendments already in force

• Businesses that ordinarily employ fewer than 10 workers in commerce and barbering, entertainment other than film production, health and hygiene, and hotels, restaurants, hospitality and amusement may have workers work up to 44 hours a week, and 8 hours a day, instead of the Act's 40-hour week. This does not apply to workers under 18, or where the business uses the one-year or one-week variable working-hours system or flextime with a settlement period over one month.(Art. 25-2(1), Art. 25-2(4), Labor Standards Act Art. 40(1), Labor Standards Act Art. 32(1), Labor Standards Act Art. 60(1), Labor Standards Act Appended Table 1(viii), Labor Standards Act Appended Table 1(x), Labor Standards Act Appended Table 1(xiii), Labor Standards Act Appended Table 1(xiv)) (the provisions it rests on)
• Intermittent night or day duty may be worked outside the Act's limits on working hours once the Labor Standards Inspection Office has given permission.(Art. 23(1)) (the provisions it rests on)
• In transport, commerce, finance and advertising, entertainment, post and telecommunications, health, hotels and restaurants, and government offices, breaks need not be given to all workers at the same time.(Art. 31(1)) (the provisions it rests on)
• Crews on long-distance trains, vehicles, ships and aircraft, and some postal workers, may be given no break.(Art. 32(1)) (the provisions it rests on)
• Police officers, firefighters, full-time volunteer firefighters, assistant paramedics (准救急隊員), staff who live with the children in children's self-reliance support facilities, infant homes, children's homes and residential facilities for disabled children, and a home-based childcare worker (家庭的保育者) caring alone for a child in the child's home are not guaranteed free use of their breaks. An employer of such staff in infant homes, children's homes or residential facilities for disabled children needs the local Labor Standards Inspection Office head's permission in advance.(Art. 33(1), Art. 33(1)(i), Art. 33(1)(ii), Art. 33(1)(iii), Art. 33(2), Labor Standards Act Art. 34(3)) (the provisions it rests on)

• Its duties are enforced through the Labor Standards Act. For example, failing to set out the working conditions listed in Article 5 of this Ministerial Order is a breach of Article 15(1) of the Act, which Article 120 of the Act punishes with a fine.(Art. 5(1), Labor Standards Act Art. 15(1), Labor Standards Act Art. 120(1)(i)) (the provisions it rests on)