Kurumin is awarded by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, through the prefectural labour bureaus, to employers that complete an action plan under the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and meet a set of criteria. The law has been extended to 31 March 2035. There are three tiers: Try Kurumin, Kurumin and Platinum Kurumin. A separate Plus mark can be added at any tier for support with fertility treatment.
The criteria were raised for applications from 1 April 2025, and the thresholds that matter most are for men taking childcare leave:
- Try Kurumin: at least 10% of eligible men (previously 7%), or 20% counting company childcare leave days.
- Kurumin: at least 30% (previously 10%), or 50% on the wider measure.
- Platinum Kurumin: at least 50% (previously 30%), or 70% on the wider measure.
All tiers also require at least 75% of women, now including fixed-term women, to take childcare leave. Kurumin and Platinum add a working hours test: average monthly overtime and holiday work below 30 hours for all full-time staff, or below 45 hours for full-time staff aged 25 to 39. Applications under the old standards are accepted until 31 March 2027. Platinum Kurumin holders publish their results annually instead of filing new plans.
For context, the government's Basic Survey on Equal Employment found that 50.9% of eligible men took childcare leave in fiscal 2025.
What it means for a foreign employer
- The new bar is reachable but not automatic. Thirty percent male uptake is below the national average now, but a small Japan entity with a few eligible fathers per year can miss it on one person's decision.
- The overtime test is the harder one. Sales and client-service teams often fail on hours, not leave.
- It pays. Certified employers get extra points in central government procurement and can qualify for an enhanced rate under the wage-increase tax credit, with the tier required depending on company size.
- Candidates with young families check it. Male candidates now ask about paternity leave in interviews. A mark answers the question before it is asked.
Sources
- Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, as amended 2024; criteria in force 1 April 2025.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Kurumin certification guide (2025 revision).
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Equal Employment, fiscal 2025, published 31 July 2026.