At a joint meeting of the Japan Business Federation, Kyodo Printing and East Japan Railway introduced initiatives supporting employees in balancing work and childcare. Kyodo Printing introduced its life support program in 2023, while East Japan Railway has expanded the flexibility of childcare support leave and reduced working hours.
A joint meeting of the Japan Business Federation’s Labor Law Committee and Working Group on Labor Management Issues was held in Tokyo on 9 September. Representatives responsible for human resources strategies at Kyodo Printing and East Japan Railway introduced initiatives for helping employees balance work and childcare. The companies emphasized dialogue in designing their programs, positioned them as safety nets and explicitly stated the no-work, no-pay principle.
Kyodo Printing introduced its life support program for childcare and fertility treatment in January 2023. Eligible employees are those undergoing fertility treatment and those raising a child under 18 who is not attending school. They can choose up to 2 years of leave or up to 3 years of reduced working hours. The program is intended to support continued employment and ensure fairness. Users reported reduced anxiety about their children’s future and avoided career constraints.
East Japan Railway, whose initiatives are based on health management and DEI, expanded childcare support leave so it can be used until a child graduates from elementary school and established a system allowing employees to choose reduced or full-time working hours on a daily basis. It also strengthened support for employees raising children with intractable diseases or disabilities, continuing to hold networking meetings for those directly affected as a forum for information exchange and promoting understanding among managers and colleagues through internal newsletters and other channels.