Under a cap explained by a regional labor bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, overtime in Japan is limited, as a rule, at 45 hours a month and 360 hours a year. Under special circumstances, the limits are 720 hours a year, and less than 100 hours a month including holiday work, with an average of no more than 80 hours over two to six months.
The cap applied to large companies from April 2019 and to small and medium-sized companies from April 2020. A violation can bring up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 300,000 yen.