Society
Japan Hits 50% Target for Men Taking Paternity Leave, but Small Firms Need Support
Japan's health ministry survey shows 50.9% of male employees at private firms took childcare leave in fiscal 2025, meeting the government's 50% target and marking a record high. The rate rose 10.4 points year on year, the second straight year of double-digit growth. Small and medium-sized enterprises, however, still struggle to facilitate leave for male workers and need more support.