News Tsukuba to pay incentives to companies promoting paternal leave

The Municipality of Tsukuba has announced that it will offer incentives to small- and medium-sized businesses in the city whose male employees take childcare leave. The initiative, designed to encourage men to take the time off, is the first in Ibaraki Prefecture, and Tsukuba will begin accepting applications for the program on 15 November.

The requirements are that a male Tsukuba resident working for a small- or medium-sized company with an office in the city takes at least 14 days of childcare leave starting on or after 1 October, and works for at least one month after returning to the job. Incentives will be paid according to the number of days of paternity leave: 100,000 JPY (about USD 660) for 14 to 27 days, 200,000 JPY for 28 to 55 days, 300,000 JPY for 56 to 83 days, and 400,000 JPY for 84 days or more per employee. If a substitute worker is secured, 50% of the cost will be added to the total, up to a maximum of 100,000 JPY. The application period is until 15 March 2024.

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Tsukuba Mayor Tatsuo Igarashi told a press conference, "The smaller the company, the less likely the culture will treat men taking childcare leave as a given. We hope that by providing support as a government, companies will understand this and allow male employees to take leave without worrying that they will cause trouble for others."