How to Write a Leave of Absence Request in Japan: Template, Documents and Timing

A leave of absence request (kyushoku-todoke) has no statutory format. It works provided it covers four things: the start date and expected duration, the reason, your contact details, and your name. Most employers have their own form, so checking with HR comes first.

This article covers how to write one, a template you can adapt, the documents that go with it, and when to submit.

Check for a Company Form Before Writing Your Own

Unlike a resignation letter, a leave request has no established form. What most employers do instead is keep their own template alongside the work rules. Writing one from scratch can simply mean being asked to resubmit on the designated form.

Redoing paperwork repeatedly while unwell is a real burden, so ask in your first message whether a form exists. If there is none, write it up as follows.

The Four Items to Include

1. Start date and expected duration: Align this with the treatment period on your medical certificate. Adding "expected" leaves room for an extension.
2. Reason for the leave: You do not need to state a detailed diagnosis. More on this below.
3. Contact details during the leave: Your address and phone number, plus the channel you find easiest to be reached on.
4. Date of submission and your name: Include your department. Whether a seal is required follows your employer's practice.

How Much to Say About the Reason

This is where people hesitate most. Something along the lines of "due to illness" or "as treatment is required on medical advice" is enough. The specific diagnosis appears on the medical certificate, so there is no need to repeat it on the request form.

The request may be seen by people beyond HR, so keeping sensitive detail out of it is the safer course.

A Template

A simple structure is entirely adequate.

Request for Leave of Absence

I write to request a leave of absence as set out below, as I need to concentrate on treatment for an illness.

• Period of leave (expected): from [date] to [date]
• Reason: illness (details as per the attached medical certificate)
• Contact details during leave: address, telephone number, email address

I will handle the handover of my work as directed. I apologise for the inconvenience and would be grateful for your consideration.

Documents to Submit Alongside It

The request alone does not complete the process, so prepare the following as well.

• Medical certificate: Ask your treating physician for one stating that treatment is required and how long it is expected to take. A documentation fee usually applies.
• Application for the injury and sickness allowance: A separate process from the leave request, but since payment takes time to come through, moving early is worthwhile.

When and Where to Submit

Unlike a resignation letter, there is no statutory deadline for a leave request. In practice the sequence runs as follows.

1. Consult your treating physician and obtain a medical certificate
2. Raise it verbally with your manager or HR, and confirm the form and the procedure
3. Submit the request together with the medical certificate

Whether you go through your manager or straight to HR varies. Where the cause of your ill health lies in the workplace itself, there is nothing wrong with approaching HR or the occupational physician directly. No rule requires you to go through your manager.

Things to Confirm at the Same Time

Submitting the paperwork is your last good opportunity to settle the terms of your leave in one go. Get these three in writing.

1. The expiry date of the leave period: Most work rules provide that failing to return by the end of the period results in resignation or dismissal.
2. The amount and payment method for social insurance contributions: These keep accruing even on unpaid leave.
3. How often and by what means you will be in contact: Agreeing something like a monthly email update makes it easier on both sides.

Common Questions About Leave Requests

Handwritten or typed?

Either is fine unless your employer specifies otherwise. Unlike resignation letters there is no handwriting convention here, and there is no need to push yourself when you are unwell.

Can I take leave without a medical certificate?

For leave on grounds of illness, virtually every employer requires one. A physician's opinion is also needed to claim the injury and sickness allowance, so either way seeing a doctor is the starting point.

Does submitting a leave request mean I am resigning?

Leave keeps you employed while releasing you from the duty to work; it is not resignation. That said, submitting a resignation letter by mistake cannot be undone, so always check the title on the document.

How do I extend the period?

Obtain a fresh medical certificate from your treating physician and apply for an extension. If you are approaching the maximum leave period, discuss with HR early what happens once that limit is reached.

Summary: The Checking Matters More Than the Wording

The request itself is a simple document: period, reason, contact details. What deserves your effort is less the wording than establishing whether your employer has a form, and confirming the three items above when you submit. Revisiting the terms once treatment is under way is a heavy burden, so settle them at this point.

The template above is a general one. Procedures and required documents vary with your employer's work rules, so confirm with your HR department before submitting.