Legal guidance for foreign employers hiring or managing employees in
Japan. Covers employment contracts, labor law risks, termination
procedures, and best practices for compliance.
Managing an underperforming employee in Japan? Learn what documentation Japanese courts actually require before a performance dismissal, how to design a PIP that helps rather than hurts, and what steps to take before the situation reaches a formal endpoint.
Planning to move an employee between entities within your Japan group? Learn the difference between secondment and transfer of employment, when individual consent is required, and how to avoid an ineffective transfer.
Updated your work rules and assumed your global harassment policy covers Japan? It likely does not. This article explains what Japan’s power harassment prevention law actually requires, the company and director-level liability that follows a mishandled complaint, and what your board needs to review and sign off on.
Planning a secondment to Japan? The employment law, tax, and visa implications are more complex than most HQ teams expect. This article explains who Japanese law treats as the employer, how salary structure can trigger PE risk, and what your secondment agreement actually needs to say — with a practical checklist for both HQ and the Japan entity.
Using your HQ employment template in Japan? The non-compete and IP assignment clauses may not work the way you expect. This article covers the five factors Japanese courts use to assess non-compete enforceability, the Patent Act rules on employee invention ownership, and what your contract actually needs to protect the company’s IP.
Is your use of fixed-term contracts in Japan creating hidden legal risk? Learn when non-renewals can be treated as dismissals, how the 5-year conversion rule works, and what foreign employers should check before their next renewal decision.
How should foreign companies conduct workplace investigations in Japan? Learn the key legal risks, suspension rules, and disciplinary considerations under Japanese employment law.
Social insurance enrollment in Japan is mandatory for many employers, but the rules on who must enroll and when are often misunderstood. This guide explains employer obligations, employee coverage, and timing requirements foreign companies should understand.
