The date on which this Act comes into effect is specified by Imperial Ordinance.

The Factory Act, the Minimum Age of Industrial Workers Act, the workers' Accident Relief Act, the Shops Act, the Act Prohibiting the Manufacture of Yellow Phosphorus Matches and Act No. 87 of 1939 are repealed.

With regard to accident compensation in the case where a worker was injured, contracted a disease or died in the course of employment before this Act comes into effect, the provisions of the former Act concerning relief remain applicable.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 32, paragraph (1) (excluding the case where they are applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of Article 60, paragraph (2)) to a business of a size not exceeding that specified by order or a business in a type of industry specified by order, until March 31, 1997, the term "40 hours" in Article 32, paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "the hours specified by order within the range of more than 40 hours and not more than 44 hours".

②The order under Article 32, paragraph (1) as applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph is to be specified in consideration of the welfare of workers, trends in working hours and other circumstances.

③In the case where the order under Article 32, paragraph (1) as applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) is enacted or amended, that order may specify transitional measures (including transitional measures concerning penal provisions) to the effect that, with regard to a business of a size not exceeding a certain size or a business in a certain type of industry, the rules prior to the enactment or amendment of that order are followed, limited to a certain period.

④When the Minister of Labour intends to draft the enactment or amendment of the order under Article 32, paragraph (1) as applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the Minister must hear the opinions of the Central Labor Standards Council in advance.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 32-4, paragraph (1) to the businesses prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article while the provisions of that paragraph apply, the phrase "if the employer has specified the following matters, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 32, under that agreement" in the part of Article 32-4, paragraph (1) other than the items is deemed to be replaced with "the following matters and"; the phrase "working hours do not exceed 40 hours" is deemed to be replaced with "working hours are to be not more than 40 hours (or, for a business of a size not exceeding that specified by order, the hours specified by order within the range of more than 40 hours and not more than 42 hours), and has specified that, if the employer has had a worker work beyond those hours, premium wages are paid for the work during the excess hours (excluding hours to which the provisions of Article 37, paragraph (1) apply) in accordance with the provisions of that Article, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 32, the average working hours per week over that period do not exceed the working hours under paragraph (1) of that Article"; the phrase "may have the worker work" is deemed to be replaced with "may have the worker work. In this case, if the employer has had a worker work more than 40 hours per week on average over that period (or, for a business of a size not exceeding that specified by the order referred to in the preceding sentence, the hours specified by the order referred to in the preceding sentence), the employer must pay premium wages for the work during the excess hours (excluding hours to which the provisions of Article 37, paragraph (1) apply) in accordance with the provisions of Article 37"; and the term "40 hours" in item (ii) of that paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "the working hours under Article 32, paragraph (1)".

②With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 32-5, paragraph (1) to the businesses prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article while the provisions of that paragraph apply, the phrase "there is an agreement" in Article 32-5, paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "has specified by an agreement that the working hours per week are to be not more than 40 hours (or, for a business of a size not exceeding that specified by order, the hours specified by order within the range of more than 40 hours and not more than 42 hours) and that, if the employer has had a worker work beyond those hours, premium wages are paid for the work during the excess hours (excluding hours to which the provisions of Article 37, paragraph (1) apply) in accordance with the provisions of that Article"; the phrase "per day" is deemed to be replaced with "per day, within the range not exceeding the working hours under paragraph (1) of that Article per week"; and the phrase "may have the worker work" is deemed to be replaced with "may have the worker work. In this case, if the employer has had a worker work more than 40 hours per week (or, for a business of a size not exceeding that specified by the order referred to in the preceding sentence, the hours specified by the order referred to in the preceding sentence), the employer must pay premium wages for the work during the excess hours (excluding hours to which the provisions of Article 37, paragraph (1) apply) in accordance with the provisions of Article 37".

③The provisions of paragraph (4) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the orders under Article 32-4, paragraph (1) and Article 32-5, paragraph (1) (limited to the part whose terms are replaced pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2)) as applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs.

In establishing the standards under Article 36, paragraph (2), in view of the fact that, on and after April 1, 1999, the provisions of paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) of Article 64-2 have ceased to apply to women aged 18 years or older who do not fall under the persons specified by the order prescribed in paragraph (4) of that Article prior to the amendment by the provisions of Article 4 of the Act on the Arrangement of Relevant Acts of the Ministry of Labour for Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment (Act No. 92 of 1997), and in consideration of the effect that significant changes in the working lives of workers who, among those women, raise children or provide care for family members (limited to those specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; hereinafter referred to as "specified workers" in this Article) have on their family lives, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is to establish, for the period specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the standards for the limit on the extension of working hours to be specified in the agreement under Article 36, paragraph (1) with regard to specified workers (limited to those who have requested the employer to shorten their overtime work) separately from, and as shorter than, the standards for the limit on the extension of working hours to be specified in the agreement under that paragraph with regard to persons other than those specified workers. In this case, the standards for the limit on the extension of working hours per year must not exceed 150 hours.

With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 39 to a business that regularly employs 300 or fewer workers, the term "10 working days" in paragraph (1) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "6 working days" until March 31, 1991, and the term "10 working days" in that paragraph is deemed to be replaced with "8 working days" from April 1, 1991 until March 31, 1994.

③The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs do not apply to the minors prescribed in Article 72.

An employer must ensure that it does not reduce the wages of, or otherwise treat disadvantageously, a worker who has taken paid leave under the provisions of Article 39, paragraphs (1) through (4).

A worker who has concluded a labor contract with a fixed term (excluding one that specifies the period necessary for the completion of a certain business, and limited to one whose term exceeds one year) (excluding the workers prescribed in the items of Article 14, paragraph (1)) may, until the measures prescribed in Article 3 of the Supplementary Provisions of the Act Partially Amending the Labor Standards Act (Act No. 104 of 2003) are taken, resign at any time on or after the day on which one year has elapsed from the first day of the term of that labor contract by notifying the employer, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 628 of the Civil Code.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 36 to the business of constructing structures (limited to the business of restoration and reconstruction in times of disaster) and other businesses specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as businesses related thereto, for the time being, the phrase "hours (limited to within the range of less than 100 hours, including the hours agreed upon with regard to paragraph (2), item (iv))" in paragraph (5) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "hours", and the phrase "that item" is deemed to be replaced with "paragraph (2), item (iv)", and the provisions of paragraph (6) of that Article (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) do not apply.

②Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, with regard to the business of constructing structures and other businesses specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as businesses related thereto, until March 31, 2024 (or, with regard to an agreement under Article 36, paragraph (1) that specifies a period including that day and the following day, until the day on which one year elapses counting from the first day of the period specified in that agreement), the phrase "one month and" in paragraph (2), item (iv) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "a period of more than one day and not more than three months specified by the employer and the labor union or the person representing a majority of the workers who conclude the agreement under the preceding paragraph, and", and the provisions of paragraphs (3) through (5) and paragraph (6) (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) of that Article do not apply.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 36 to the work of general passenger vehicle transportation business (meaning the general passenger vehicle transportation business prescribed in Article 3, item (i), (c) of the Road Transportation Act (Act No. 183 of 1951)), the work of motor truck transportation business (meaning the motor truck transportation business prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Motor Truck Transportation Business Act (Act No. 83 of 1989)) and other work of driving motor vehicles specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, for the time being, the phrase "may specify hours (limited to within the range of less than 100 hours, including the hours agreed upon with regard to paragraph (2), item (iv)) and the hours for which working hours may be extended and the worker may be made to work per year (limited to within the range not exceeding 720 hours, including the hours agreed upon with regard to that item). In this case, the agreement under paragraph (1) must also specify the number of months (limited to not more than six months per year) in which the hours for which working hours are extended and the worker is made to work in the applicable period under paragraph (2), item (ii) may exceed 45 hours per month (or 42 hours per month, in the case where the worker is made to work pursuant to the provisions of Article 32-4 with a period exceeding three months specified as the applicable period under paragraph (1), item (ii) of that Article)" in paragraph (5) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "may specify hours and the hours for which working hours may be extended and the worker may be made to work per year (limited to within the range not exceeding 960 hours, including the hours agreed upon with regard to paragraph (2), item (iv))", and the provisions of paragraph (6) of that Article (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) do not apply.

②Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, with regard to the work prescribed in that paragraph, until March 31, 2024 (or, with regard to an agreement under Article 36, paragraph (1) that specifies a period including that day and the following day, until the day on which one year elapses counting from the first day of the period specified in that agreement), the phrase "one month and" in paragraph (2), item (iv) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "a period of more than one day and not more than three months specified by the employer and the labor union or the person representing a majority of the workers who conclude the agreement under the preceding paragraph, and", and the provisions of paragraphs (3) through (5) and paragraph (6) (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) of that Article do not apply.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 36 to physicians engaged in medical practice (limited to those specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as persons necessary for securing the system for providing medical care), for the time being, the phrase "for each of the periods of one day, one month and one year in" in paragraph (2), item (iv) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "in", the phrase "limit hours" in paragraph (3) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "limit hours and the hours specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in consideration of the health and welfare of workers", and the provisions of paragraph (5) and paragraph (6) (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) of that Article do not apply.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, in addition to the matters set forth in the items of Article 36, paragraph (2), the agreement under paragraph (1) of that Article may specify, for the case where it is necessary to have workers work temporarily beyond the hours specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare under paragraph (3) of that Article as applied with the replacement of terms pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph due to a substantial increase in the volume of work that cannot normally be foreseen at the workplace or other such circumstances, the hours for which workers may be made to work beyond the hours agreed upon with regard to paragraph (2), item (iv) of that Article (limited to within the range not exceeding the hours and the number of months prescribed in paragraph (5) of that Article and the hours specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in consideration of the health and welfare of workers, including the hours agreed upon with regard to that item) and other matters specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

③In the case referred to in paragraph (1), even if an employer extends working hours and has a worker work, or has a worker work on days off, as provided for in the agreement under Article 36, paragraph (1), the employer must not have the worker work beyond the requirements prescribed in paragraph (6) of that Article and the hours specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in consideration of the health and welfare of workers.

④Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding three paragraphs, with regard to physicians engaged in medical practice, until March 31, 2024 (or, with regard to an agreement under Article 36, paragraph (1) that specifies a period including that day and the following day, until the day on which one year elapses counting from the first day of the period specified in that agreement), the phrase "one month and" in paragraph (2), item (iv) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "a period of more than one day and not more than three months specified by the employer and the labor union or the person representing a majority of the workers who conclude the agreement under the preceding paragraph, and", and the provisions of paragraphs (3) through (5) and paragraph (6) (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) of that Article do not apply.

⑤A person who violates the provisions of paragraph (3) is punished by imprisonment for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than 300,000 yen.

With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 36 to the business of manufacturing sugar in Kagoshima Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture, until March 31, 2024 (or, with regard to an agreement under paragraph (1) of that Article that specifies a period including that day and the following day, until the day on which one year elapses counting from the first day of the period specified in that agreement), the phrase "hours (limited to within the range of less than 100 hours, including the hours agreed upon with regard to paragraph (2), item (iv))" in paragraph (5) of that Article is deemed to be replaced with "hours", and the phrase "that item" is deemed to be replaced with "paragraph (2), item (iv)", and the provisions of paragraph (6) of that Article (limited to the parts related to item (ii) and item (iii)) do not apply.

①With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 109, for the time being, the term "five years" in that Article is deemed to be replaced with "three years".

②With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 114, for the time being, the term "five years" in the proviso to that Article is deemed to be replaced with "three years".

③With regard to the application of the provisions of Article 115, for the time being, the phrase "a claim for wages, for five years from the time when it becomes exercisable" in that Article is deemed to be replaced with "a claim for retirement allowances, for five years from the time when it becomes exercisable, and a claim for wages (excluding retirement allowances) under the provisions of this Act, for three years from the time when it becomes exercisable".