What supports your life after leaving a company is "unemployment insurance (unemployment benefits)." However, not everyone automatically receives it: there are conditions, and the amount and duration vary with your reason for leaving, your age, and how long you were enrolled in employment insurance. This article is a complete guide to the eligibility conditions, amount, duration, and application method for unemployment insurance, reflecting the April 2025 legal revision and the latest amounts (revised August 2025).
* This article summarizes the outline of the system. The upper and lower limits of the amount are revised on August 1 each year, and your individual benefit amount and number of benefit days are determined by Hello Work. When you actually apply, always check the latest information at Hello Work.
What is unemployment insurance (unemployment benefits)?
"Unemployment insurance" and "unemployment benefits" are common names; the official term is the "basic allowance" of employment insurance. It is a public benefit system that helps people who are willing and able to work but cannot find a job stabilize their lives until re-employment and focus on their job search.
When a person who was enrolled in employment insurance leaves their job and meets certain conditions, they can receive the basic allowance through procedures at Hello Work.
Eligibility conditions for unemployment insurance
To receive the basic allowance, you must meet both of the following.
1. Condition on the employment insurance insured period
General leavers (personal reasons, etc.): an insured period totaling 12 months or more within the 2 years before the date of leaving.
Company reasons, etc. (specified recipient qualification holders / specified-reason leavers): an insured period totaling 6 months or more within the 1 year before the date of leaving.
The insured period is counted in one-month blocks from the date of leaving, and a month counts as one month if it has 11 or more days that formed the basis for wage payment (or 80 or more hours of work forming the basis for wages).
2. Being in a "state of unemployment"
A "state of unemployment" means being unable to find a job despite active intention to work, the ability to start work at any time, and actual job-search activity. You must register your job search at Hello Work and actually carry out job-search activities.
Cases where you cannot receive unemployment insurance
When you cannot start work immediately due to illness or injury
When you cannot start work immediately due to pregnancy, childbirth, or childcare
When you plan to rest for a while after leaving and have no intention to work
When your next job is already decided, or you have started your own business
When you cannot carry out job-search activities because you are devoting yourself to housework or study
If you cannot work immediately due to illness, childbirth, and so on, there is a system that lets you apply to extend the benefit period.
How much you receive
The total you can receive is determined by "daily basic allowance × prescribed number of benefit days." The daily basic allowance, the per-day amount, is calculated as follows.
Find the daily wage: the total wages paid in the 6 months before leaving (excluding bonuses) ÷ 180.
Apply the benefit rate: daily wage × benefit rate (in principle 50–80%; 45–80% for ages 60–64) = daily basic allowance.
The benefit rate is higher for people with lower wages and lower for people with higher wages. The lower your pay while employed, the higher the proportion of compensation relative to your take-home.
Upper limits of the daily basic allowance (from August 1, 2025)
Age 29 and under: 7,255 yen
Ages 30–44: 8,055 yen
Ages 45–59: 8,870 yen
Ages 60–64: 7,623 yen
The lower limit of the daily basic allowance, regardless of age, is 2,411 yen. These upper and lower limits are revised on August 1 each year, with the next revision scheduled for August 1, 2026. Always check the latest amounts at Hello Work.
Benefit calculation example
Example: age 45, with total wages of 1.8 million yen in the 6 months before leaving. The daily wage is 1.8 million yen ÷ 180 = 10,000 yen. Assuming a benefit rate of about 60%, the daily basic allowance is about 6,000 yen. If the prescribed number of benefit days is 150, the total is 6,000 yen × 150 days = about 900,000 yen as a guideline.
Because the actual benefit rate is set in detail according to the daily wage, the exact amount is calculated by Hello Work.
Duration | number of benefit days
The maximum number of days you can receive is called the "prescribed number of benefit days," determined by three factors: the reason for leaving, age, and the employment insurance insured period. Unavoidable departures such as bankruptcy or dismissal (company reasons) are set more generously than personal reasons.
For personal reasons, mandatory-age retirement, etc.
Regardless of age, it is as follows according to the insured period.
Less than 10 years: 90 days
10 to less than 20 years: 120 days
20 years or more: 150 days
For company reasons, etc. (specified recipient qualification holders / specified-reason leavers)
This is divided in detail by age and insured period (insured period order: less than 1 year / 1 to less than 5 years / 5 to less than 10 years / 10 to less than 20 years / 20 years or more).
Under 30: 90 days / 90 days / 120 days / 180 days / —
Ages 30–34: 90 days / 120 days / 180 days / 210 days / 240 days
Ages 35–44: 90 days / 150 days / 180 days / 240 days / 270 days
Ages 45–59: 90 days / 180 days / 240 days / 270 days / 330 days
Ages 60–64: 90 days / 150 days / 180 days / 210 days / 240 days
Whether the departure is for company reasons or personal reasons greatly changes the number of benefit days and when payment begins. Because the difference in the reason for leaving directly affects the benefit amount, understand the type of departure accurately.
Waiting period and benefit restriction period (April 2025 revision)
You do not receive benefits immediately after the procedures. First, regardless of the reason for leaving, there is a 7-day "waiting period" from the date your eligibility is determined, during which no benefits are paid.
For departure for personal reasons, there is an additional "benefit restriction period." With the April 2025 legal revision, this benefit restriction period was shortened from, in principle, 2 months to 1 month. Also, if you took training designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare within one year before leaving, the benefit restriction is lifted.
Departure for company reasons has no benefit restriction, and you become eligible once the 7-day waiting period ends. Note that if you have left for personal reasons three or more times without a valid reason within five years, the benefit restriction may become 3 months.
How to apply | flow of procedures
Receive the separation certificate: the separation certificate arrives from your former workplace about 10 days to 2 weeks after leaving.
Register your job search at Hello Work: bring the separation certificate and other documents and submit a job-search application form. Your eligibility is determined after an interview.
Attend the first briefing for employment insurance recipients: you receive an explanation of the benefit system and rules, and receive documents such as the eligibility certificate.
Carry out job-search activities: during each recognition period (in principle every 4 weeks), you need a set number of job-search activity records.
Receive benefits after unemployment recognition: on the recognition day, your unemployment is recognized at Hello Work, and the money is usually deposited into your account in about 5 business days. After that, recognition and deposit repeat until re-employment or the end of the benefit days.
Main documents needed to apply
Separation certificate (parts 1 and 2)
My Number verification document (such as a My Number card)
Identity verification document (such as a driver's license)
A bank passbook or cash card in your own name
Photo (specified size) *if required
Personal seal (hanko)
Points to note about unemployment insurance
Ask the company to issue the separation certificate before leaving: procedures cannot start until the separation certificate arrives, and issuance can take time.
Keep records of job-search activities: on the recognition day you must report your job-search results. Keep records of consultations, applications, interviews, and so on.
The upper limit changes each August: the applicable upper limit differs depending on when you leave. Check the amount with the latest figures.
There is a re-employment allowance for early re-employment: if you find a new job while many benefit days remain, you may receive a lump sum according to the remaining days.
Summary
Unemployment insurance (the basic allowance of employment insurance) is a system that supports your life after leaving a job and encourages re-employment. Receiving it requires the conditions of an insured period and a state of unemployment, and the amount and duration are determined by the reason for leaving, age, and enrollment period.
Eligibility is, in principle, "an insured period of 12 months or more in the 2 years before leaving" + "a state of unemployment"
The amount is determined by daily wage × benefit rate (50–80%), with the upper limit revised each August
The duration (benefit days) is 90–150 days for personal reasons, and more generous for company reasons
The April 2025 revision shortened the benefit restriction for personal reasons to 1 month
Procedures begin with a job-search registration at Hello Work and lead to deposits after recognition
The benefit amount changes greatly with the type and timing of departure. Prepare systematically, and always confirm the exact amounts and conditions at Hello Work before proceeding with the procedures.
