How to File a Complaint at the Labor Standards Office in Japan (Tokyo and Osaka)

The Labor Standards Office accepts foreign worker complaints in 13 languages. Exact process, FRESC Tokyo, Osaka offices, what to bring, and anti-retaliation protection.

Bottom line: The Labor Standards Inspection Office (労働基準監督署 / 労基署) accepts complaints from foreign workers — and your employer cannot legally retaliate. You can consult in 13 languages via the MHLW hotline, and file a formal complaint (申告) that triggers an investigation. Here's the exact process for Tokyo and Osaka.

Information current as of March 2026 based on MHLW's foreign worker consultation page and Labor Standards Act provisions. For a full overview of your rights, see our guide to foreign workers' rights.

What the Labor Standards Office can help with

The 労基署 (roukisho) handles violations of the Labor Standards Act:

Unpaid wages/overtime — your employer isn't paying what they owe
Excessive working hours — no 36 Agreement, or overtime beyond legal caps
No dismissal notice — fired without 30 days' notice or notice pay
Unsafe working conditions — health and safety violations
No paid leave — employer refuses to grant 有給休暇
Minimum wage violations — pay below the prefectural minimum

What they do NOT handle: Harassment (go to the Labor Bureau / 労働局), discrimination (Labor Bureau or human rights bureau), or general employment disputes (use mediation or labor tribunal).

Three ways to get help

Option 1: Phone consultation (no visit needed)

Foreign Workers Consultation Dial — 13 languages:

English: 0570-001-701
Chinese: 0570-001-702
Portuguese: 0570-001-703
Spanish: 0570-001-704
Tagalog: 0570-001-705
Vietnamese: 0570-001-706
Myanmar: 0570-001-707
Nepali: 0570-001-708
Korean: 0570-001-709
Thai: 0570-001-712
Indonesian: 0570-001-715
Khmer: 0570-001-716
Mongolian: 0570-001-718

Hours: Weekdays 10:00–15:00 (closed 12:00–13:00). Language availability varies by day — call to check if your language is available today.

Labor Conditions Hotline (労働条件相談ほっとライン):

Phone: 0120-811-610 (toll-free)
Hours: Weekdays 17:00–22:00, weekends/holidays 9:00–21:00
Languages: 14 languages

These lines are for consultation — explaining your situation and getting advice. If you need formal action, you'll need to visit in person (Option 2) or file a written complaint.

Option 2: Visit in person

Go to the 労基署 that has jurisdiction over your workplace location (not your home address). Bring:

Your employment contract (雇用契約書)
Pay slips (給与明細) — as many months as you have
Work time records (タイムカード, shift records, or your own log)
Any evidence of the violation (emails, messages, photos)
Your residence card (在留カード)

Option 3: File a formal complaint (申告)

A 申告 (shinkoku) is a formal request for the labor office to investigate your employer. This is more powerful than a consultation — it triggers an inspection.

You can file in writing or verbally at the office. Say: 会社が法律に違反しているので、申告したいです (Kaisha ga houritsu ni ihan shite iru node, shinkoku shitai desu) — My company is violating the law and I want to file a formal complaint.

Anti-retaliation protection (Labor Standards Act, Art. 104): Your employer cannot fire you, demote you, transfer you, or take any adverse action because you filed a complaint. If they do, that's a separate criminal violation.

Tokyo: where to go

FRESC (Foreign Residents Support Center)

Address: 13F Yotsuya Tower, 1-6-1 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (1 min from JR Yotsuya Station)
Phone: 03-5361-8728
Hours: Weekdays 9:00–17:00
Languages: English (Mon–Fri), Chinese (Mon–Fri), Tagalog (Mon–Wed, Fri), Vietnamese (Tue–Fri), Nepali (Mon–Thu)
Services: Labor consultation, immigration support, one-stop multilingual help

Tokyo Labor Bureau Foreign Worker Consultation Corner

Location: Within the Tokyo Labor Bureau (東京労働局)
Phone: 03-3512-1611
Languages: English, Chinese, and others on rotating schedule

Local 労基署 offices in Tokyo

There are 18 Labor Standards Inspection Offices across Tokyo's 23 wards and surrounding areas. Find yours by workplace location on the Tokyo Labor Bureau website.

Osaka: where to go

Osaka Labor Bureau Foreign Worker Consultation

Phone: 06-6949-6490 (Inspection Division)
Languages: English, Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese (rotating weekday schedule)

Local 労基署 offices in Osaka

Osaka has 14 Labor Standards Inspection Offices. Find yours on the Osaka Labor Bureau website.

What happens after you file a complaint

The labor inspector reviews your complaint and determines if there's a violation of the Labor Standards Act
Inspection (臨検): The inspector may visit your workplace unannounced to check records
Correction order (是正勧告): If violations are found, the employer is ordered to fix them
Follow-up: The inspector confirms compliance within a set deadline
Criminal referral: In serious cases (repeated violations, fraud), the case can be referred to prosecutors

Tip: The labor office investigates the employer, not you. Your visa status is irrelevant to their investigation. Even undocumented workers can file complaints — the labor office does not report to immigration.

If visiting the labor office in person feels daunting — especially if you're worried about speaking Japanese or navigating an unfamiliar government building — that's exactly why I built LO-PAL. Post your task for free: a local helper can call the office, prepare your documents, and go with you.

Alternative dispute resolution

If the labor office can't solve your specific issue (e.g., wrongful dismissal, harassment compensation), you have other options:

Method	Best for	Cost	Time
Labor Bureau mediation (あっせん)	Negotiated settlement	Free	1–2 months
Labor Tribunal (労働審判)	Dismissal, back pay claims	Filing fee (based on claim)	2–3 months (max 3 hearings)
Civil lawsuit (訴訟)	Large claims, reinstatement	Lawyer + filing fees	6–12+ months
Union support (労働組合)	Collective bargaining	Membership fee	Varies

Get a Local Helper to Go With You to the Labor Office

Walking into a government office, explaining your situation in Japanese, and filing a formal complaint is stressful even for native speakers. Post your task on LO-PAL for free: a local helper can prepare your documents in Japanese, accompany you to the 労基署, and translate during the consultation. You only pay when you accept task help.