Japan's Freelance Protection Act: Your Rights Since November 2024

Information current as of March 2026 based on the government's official guide to the Freelance Protection Act and Fair Trade Commission guidelines. For a full overview of worker rights, see our guide to foreign workers' rights in Japan.

Who the law protects

You're covered if you are a 特定受託事業者 (tokutei jutaku jigyousha) — a freelancer defined as:

• An individual with no employees, OR
• A corporation with only a representative director and no employees

Your client — the 特定業務委託事業者 (tokutei gyoumu itaku jigyousha) — is any company or individual that outsources work to you.

For foreign freelancers: The law applies if the work is performed, even partially, in Japan. Your nationality and visa status do not affect your protection under this law.

Your rights under the Freelance Protection Act

1. Payment within 60 days

Your client must pay within 60 days of receiving your deliverables. Not 60 days from the invoice date, not "next month" — 60 days from the day they confirmed receipt of your work. Any contract clause extending payment beyond 60 days is void.

2. Written contracts required

Before you start work, your client must provide a written or electronic document specifying:

• Scope of deliverables
• Payment amount and due date
• Date, period, and location of the work

No more "just do it and we'll figure out the money later."

3. Prohibited practices (for contracts of 1+ month)

For ongoing contracts, your client cannot:

Prohibited action	What it means
Refusing completed work (受領拒否)	Cannot refuse deliverables without your fault
Reducing payment (報酬の減額)	Cannot cut the agreed price after the fact
Forcing returns (返品)	Cannot demand you take back accepted deliverables
Unreasonably low payment (買いたたき)	Payment must reflect fair market value
Forced purchases (購入・利用強制)	Cannot make you buy their products or services as a condition
Unjust changes (不当な給付内容の変更)	Cannot change scope after the fact without fair compensation

4. Contract termination: 30 days' notice

For continuous contracts of 6 months or longer, your client must give you at least 30 days' advance notice before termination or non-renewal. If you ask for the reason, they must disclose it.

5. Harassment protection

Your client must take measures to prevent sexual harassment, power harassment, and maternity harassment against you — the same protections that apply to employees. This is significant because freelancers were previously outside the scope of workplace harassment laws.

6. Work-life balance accommodation

Clients must give consideration to your childcare and caregiving needs when setting deadlines and work conditions.

What to do if your client violates the law

1. Document the violation: Save all contracts, emails, invoices, delivery confirmations, and payment records
2. Send a written demand: Email your client pointing to the specific violation and requesting correction. Keep a copy.
3. File a complaint with:

Agency	What they handle	Contact
Fair Trade Commission (公正取引委員会)	Payment delays, unfair practices, forced purchasing	jftc.go.jp
Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (中小企業庁)	Subcontracting issues	chusho.meti.go.jp
MHLW (厚生労働省)	Harassment against freelancers	Labor consultation hotlines

Penalties for clients: The authorities can issue recommendations (勧告), publicly disclose the company name (公表), conduct on-site inspections, and impose fines of up to ¥500,000.

Common problems freelancers face in Japan

"My client keeps saying 'next month' for 4 months now. I sent 3 invoices and they're all unpaid." — A foreign freelancer shared in an expat forum. Individual experiences may vary.

• Late payment: The #1 issue. Under the new law, you have legal backing to demand payment within 60 days.
• Scope creep without extra pay: "Can you also do X?" without adjusting the price = unjust change prohibited under the law.
• Sudden contract termination: "We don't need you anymore" with no notice = violation if the contract was 6+ months.
• No written contract: Everything was agreed verbally = your client is already violating the law.

If demanding payment or filing a complaint in Japanese feels impossible, that's exactly why I built LO-PAL. Post your question for free — a local helper can draft a payment demand in Japanese, help you file a complaint, or explain your options.

Freelancer vs. employee: when the line is blurred

If your "freelance" arrangement looks more like employment — fixed hours, one client only, client-provided tools, no ability to refuse work — you may actually be an employee under Japanese law (偽装請負 / gisou ukeoi — disguised employment). If reclassified as an employee, you gain:

• Overtime pay rights
• Social insurance enrollment
• Dismissal protection
• Paid leave

This reclassification can be retroactive. If you suspect disguised employment, consult the Labor Standards Office.

Related articles

• Foreign Workers' Rights in Japan
• How to Recover Unpaid Wages Before 3 Years Run Out
• How to File a Complaint at the Labor Standards Office
• Workplace Harassment: Evidence, Reporting, and Legal Options

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A payment demand letter in Japanese carries more weight. Post your task on LO-PAL for free: a local helper can draft a formal demand, translate your contracts and invoices, and guide you through the complaint process. You only pay when you accept task help.