For dads in Japan
Money you get when your baby is born in Japan
Checked: ・ Written by: Hiroshi editorial team ・ No health content (numbers checked against official sources) ・ Editorial policy (JA)
National money for a first baby: a 500,000 yen childbirth grant※ and a 100,000 yen pregnancy support payment※. Then 15,000 yen a month in child allowance※, plus leave pay for whoever takes leave.
Three stages: pregnancy support cash from the ward, the childbirth lump sum at the birth, then child allowance and (if you take leave) the leave benefit.
Example: mom employed at 300,000 yen a month, baby born in December
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Childbirth lump-sum grant | 500,000 yen |
| Pregnancy support payment | 100,000 yen |
| Maternity allowance (mom, employee) | 653,366 yen |
| Child allowance (first payment) | 15,000 yen |
Total about 1,268,366 yen, before any paternity leave pay. The grant mostly goes to the hospital bill: with direct payment the hospital receives it, and you get any difference※.
Each payment
- Maternity allowance (mom on employee health insurance): for unpaid leave from 42 days before to 56 days after the birth※.
- Child allowance: paid in even months for the previous two※. See child allowance.
- Leave pay: 67% of wages for 180 days※, plus a 13% top-up for up to 28 days if both parents take leave※. See paternity leave.
- Ward-only gifts: some Tokyo wards add their own. See Tokyo wards. The Hiroshi app has paperwork sets for Setagaya, Minato, Shibuya and Meguro※.
Start the paperwork in pregnancy; after the birth, follow the first two weeks.
In 2 minutes
Birth money calculator (Japanese)Once a week, by email
Every week, in the app
Join the beta (TestFlight, free)Sources and check dates
- Childbirth lump-sum grant: 500,000 yen per baby (claim within 2 years); can be paid directly to the hospital.
世田谷区 出産育児一時金(国民健康保険の保険者として) - With direct payment, the hospital receives the grant; if the bill is lower, you get the difference.
出産育児一時金｜出産育児一時金・出産手当金｜給付と手続き｜協会けんぽ - Pregnancy support payment: (number of babies + 1) x 50,000 yen from your city/ward, in two parts.
子ども・子育て支援法 第10条の12・第10条の14 - Maternity allowance (employee health insurance) covers unpaid leave from 42 days before the birth (98 for multiples) to 56 days after.
出産手当金｜出産育児一時金・出産手当金｜給付と手続き｜協会けんぽ - Child allowance: 15,000 yen a month under age 3; 10,000 yen from 3 to high-school age; 30,000 yen from the third child.
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - Paid six times a year in even months, each time for the two months before.
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - Postnatal leave support benefit: an extra 13% of wages for up to 28 days, if the dad takes 14+ days within 8 weeks of the birth and (in principle) the mom also takes 14+ days.
厚労省 育児休業給付 シミュレーター FAQ - Childcare leave benefit: 67% of wages for the first 180 days, 50% after that. Days on postpartum paternity leave count toward the 180.
厚生労働省 育児休業等給付の内容と支給申請手続(2026年8月1日改訂版) - The Hiroshi app has ward paperwork sets for Setagaya, Minato, Shibuya and Meguro plus Tokyo-wide (other areas: national steps only).
app/src/content/data/forms.json・cities.json