JAPAN MULLS FLEXIBLE PATERNITY LEAVE RIGHT AFTER CHILDBIRTH

Japan is planning to introduce a more flexible paternity leave system that can be taken soon after childbirth to raise the persistently low rate of men taking such leave and lessen the burden on their partners, officials said, Kyodo news agency reported.

The government is set to submit a bill to revise the law on child care leave to a parliament session convening in January.

It would allow fathers to take a total of four weeks off within eight weeks of childbirth and give shorter prior notice of their absence to their employers.

Although Japan leads the world in paid-leave provisions for fathers, according to UN Children's Fund data, only 7.48 percent took child care leave in fiscal 2019.

Japan's male-centered corporate culture, which favors those who put work before family, is blamed as a deterrent factor.

The government, which has been struggling with the country's declining birth rate, aims to increase the overall ratio of men taking paternity leave to 30 percent by 2025. It is considering making it mandatory for employers to encourage all employees to take the leave.

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