Quitting a Job in Japan: The Steps, in Order
Japan Work, Labeled · No. 01 — Quitting a Job in Japan: The Steps, in Order
You are leaving a job in Japan. The law sets one notice period, your work rules imply another — and nobody lists what happens next. Resigning, in order: the steps, the law separated from the custom, and the deadlines after your last day.
What's inside
- Law vs. custom: 2 weeks (Civil Code Art. 627) against the roughly one month most work rules ask
- 7 documents you give and receive; a 7-item handover checklist; a worked timeline
- 4 conversation lines in English and Japanese, plus a filled-in resignation letter in Japanese
- Deadlines after your last day: insurance in 14 or 20 days, final pay
Format
PDF, 8 pages. Last checked: November 2026.
Who this is for
People resigning from a Japanese company.
Not for: dismissal or layoffs — different rules.
What this guide does not cover
Dismissal and layoffs; fixed-term contracts in detail; your specific contract. Not legal advice.
How the labels work
Claims are labeled Known (checked against official sources), My read (the author's interpretation), or Don't know (it varies — the guide says how to check).
By One View From Japan — a Japanese data professional based in Japan. Japan from the inside, with the guesses labeled.
Drafted with AI assistance; every claim and figure reviewed by the author.
Questions: riku-muse@muse.ai
FAQ
Q: Is this legal advice?
A: No — general information, sources named; labor bureau consultations are free.
Q: I'm on a fixed-term contract. Does it apply?
A: Partly; the sequence assumes an indefinite-term contract.
