Maternity Allowance Calculator (Japan Shussan Teatekin)
Enter your average standard monthly remuneration and the number of pre/post-natal leave days to estimate the maternity allowance (shussan teatekin) paid by Japanese health insurance. Supports the 42-day (98-day for multiple births) pre-natal and 56-day post-natal caps.
What the maternity allowance covers
Japan's maternity allowance, known as shussan teatekin, replaces part of your income while you are away from work around childbirth. It is paid by your employer's health insurance plan at roughly two thirds of your usual daily wage, for up to 42 days before the due date and 56 days after the birth. This calculator estimates the total from your average standard monthly remuneration and the number of leave days you actually take.
Two limits shape the result. The pre-natal period is capped at 42 days, or 98 days for a multiple pregnancy, and the post-natal period at 56 days. Days beyond those caps do not increase the payment. The estimate here also assumes you receive no salary during leave; if your employer continues paying you, the allowance may be reduced or withheld accordingly.
How to estimate your allowance
- Enter your standard monthly remuneration Use the average over the last 12 months. This figure is not on your pay slip — check the determination notice from your employer or insurer.
- Enter your leave days Give the pre-natal and post-natal days separately. If the birth is later than the due date, those extra days count as pre-natal leave.
- Tick multiple pregnancy if it applies For twins or more, the pre-natal cap rises from 42 to 98 days, which can substantially change the total.
- Review the breakdown The daily rate and the pre- and post-natal portions are shown separately, with a note where a cap has been applied.
Tips for getting more out of it
- Your standard monthly remuneration isn't shown on your pay stub — check the "standard monthly remuneration determination notice" issued by your employer or health insurance union if you're unsure of the figure.
- Pre-natal leave is optional and taken at the employee's request, but the 56 days after birth are a mandatory work prohibition under the Labor Standards Act, so the post-natal portion is normally paid in full.
- If the birth occurs later than the due date, the extra days are added to the pre-natal leave period, so your actual pre-natal days can exceed 42.
- The childcare leave benefit (paid by employment insurance during childcare leave) is a separate, later-stage benefit that follows the maternity allowance — consider estimating that as well once maternity leave ends.
When this calculator is useful
Planning your household budget for leave
Knowing roughly what will arrive, and when, lets you work out how much savings you need to bridge the gap between your last salary and the first payment.
Deciding when to start pre-natal leave
Compare totals for different start dates to see how many paid days you would gain or lose, alongside how you actually feel about working.
Checking the amount you received
If a payment has already arrived, compare it against this estimate. A large gap is worth raising with your insurer or HR department.
Understanding benefits as a foreign employee in Japan
The scheme applies to anyone enrolled in employer health insurance regardless of nationality. This gives you a concrete figure before speaking to HR.
Terms used on this page
- Standard monthly remuneration
- A banded figure derived from your pay, used to calculate social insurance premiums and benefits. It does not appear on a normal pay slip.
- Shussan teatekin
- The maternity allowance itself — an income-replacement benefit paid by health insurance during maternity leave.
- Pre-natal leave
- Leave taken before the birth at the employee's request, eligible for up to 42 days, or 98 for a multiple pregnancy.
- Post-natal leave
- The 56 days following the birth. Working during most of this period is prohibited by law, so it is normally paid in full.
- Employer health insurance
- Coverage through a company plan or the Japan Health Insurance Association. National Health Insurance members are not eligible for this allowance.
- Childcare leave benefit
- A separate payment from employment insurance that begins after maternity leave ends, covering the childcare leave period.
FAQ
Side Note — Why is the maternity allowance rate exactly two-thirds?
The two-thirds rate for the maternity allowance mirrors the sickness allowance (shobyo teatekin), another benefit paid under the same Health Insurance Act framework for employees unable to work due to illness or injury. Childbirth is not an illness, but the underlying idea of replacing a portion of lost income during an inability to work is shared with the sickness allowance, so the same rate was adopted.
The 42 pre-natal and 56 post-natal days match the leave periods defined by the Labor Standards Act. That law makes the 8 weeks (56 days) after birth a mandatory work prohibition, while the 6 weeks (42 days) before birth is leave taken only at the employee's request — the maternity allowance's eligible period was designed to align with these legally defined leave periods.
The extended 98-day pre-natal cap for multiple pregnancies reflects the greater physical burden of carrying more than one fetus. Because multiple pregnancies more often require closer monitoring and earlier leave, the law grants a longer eligible leave period than for a single pregnancy.