Received a 労働条件通知書 (rōdō jōken tsūchisho) after a job offer in Japan? It is a notice stating your working conditions. Before you start, compare the written terms with the job advertisement and what you discussed: contract period, workplace, duties, schedule, pay, leave and how employment ends. Mark anything unclear and ask for an explanation you can keep.
This guide helps English-speaking residents read common labels on an employment notice. The employer may use a different layout or combine it with an employment agreement. A freelance service agreement is a different arrangement. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) model notice (Japanese PDF) provides a useful reference, and its English Working Conditions Handbook explains the main items that employers must clearly indicate.
Japanese headings to find first
| Japanese | Reading | Check in plain English |
|---|---|---|
| 労働条件通知書 | ろうどうじょうけんつうちしょ | Notice of working conditions |
| 契約期間 | けいやくきかん | Is there a fixed end date or no fixed term? |
| 就業の場所・変更の範囲 | しゅうぎょうのばしょ・へんこうのはんい | Initial work location and the possible scope of later changes |
| 従事すべき業務の内容・変更の範囲 | じゅうじすべきぎょうむのないよう・へんこうのはんい | Initial duties and possible scope of later changes |
| 始業・終業の時刻／休憩時間 | しぎょう・しゅうぎょうのじこく／きゅうけいじかん | Start, finish and break times |
| 所定時間外労働 | しょていじかんがいろうどう | Work outside scheduled hours |
| 休日・休暇 | きゅうじつ・きゅうか | Days off and leave |
| 賃金／賃金締切日／賃金支払日 | ちんぎん／ちんぎんしめきりび／ちんぎんしはらいび | How pay is calculated, payroll cutoff and payment date |
| 退職・解雇の事由 | たいしょく・かいこのじゆう | Rules for leaving and grounds for dismissal |
These are headings from the MHLW model. A blank or abbreviated line is a reason to ask which document supplies the details, such as an attached schedule or work rules; do not fill in the answer from assumptions.
Read the term and renewal section carefully
Look for 期間の定めなし (“no fixed term”) or 期間の定めあり (“fixed term”) and the start and end dates. For a fixed-term contract, check 契約の更新 (renewal), 更新する場合の基準 (criteria for renewal) and 更新上限 (any limit on renewals or total contract period). The MHLW’s 2024 working-conditions disclosure guidance and model notice cover these fields. A phrase such as “renewal possible” is not a promise that every renewal will happen.
Ask: 契約更新の判断基準と更新上限を確認したいです。 (Keiyaku kōshin no handan kijun to kōshin jōgen o kakunin shitai desu.) — “I would like to confirm the renewal criteria and any renewal limit.”
Compare location, duties and the real working week
Since April 2024, the required disclosure includes the scope of possible changes to the workplace and duties. If you were offered one classroom, store or office, read both the initial location and 変更の範囲 rather than assuming the first address is the only possible workplace. For work from home or multiple sites, ask which locations the notice actually covers.
For scheduled work, compare the start and finish times, break, weekly days off, shift rules and whether overtime is expected. A school may quote pay per lesson, but the notice should make the wage calculation understandable. Ask how preparation, meetings, cancellations and travel between sites are treated for your role. Our eikaiwa job comparison guide offers questions for comparing the actual working week.
Ask: 求人票では勤務地が［場所］でしたが、通知書の変更の範囲について教えていただけますか。 — “The listing gave [place] as the location. Could you explain the scope of possible changes shown in the notice?”
Check pay as a calculation, not only a headline number
Find whether the figure is monthly, hourly or per lesson; what allowances are included; the cutoff date; and the payment date. If overtime or other additional pay is described in another document, ask for that document. An advertised number may represent an example rather than a guaranteed monthly amount.
Ask: この金額には、授業準備や会議の時間も含まれますか。 — “Does this amount include lesson preparation and meetings?” Once employed, compare the written conditions with the entries on your Japanese payslip.
Before you accept: a short checklist
- Keep a copy of the offer, notice, attachments and questions you sent.
- Confirm contract type and dates, renewal criteria and any cap if fixed-term.
- Check initial location and duties and the scope of changes.
- Compare pay calculation, schedule, breaks, days off and payment date with the listing.
- Ask who explains a conflict between documents, and request the answer in writing.
The MHLW’s English handbook says key working conditions must be indicated in writing or another permitted recorded form according to the worker’s preference. If the document is hard to understand, it is reasonable to ask for a plain-language explanation before making your decision. This guide does not decide whether a particular clause is enforceable; for a dispute, consult the relevant labour bureau or a qualified adviser.
