Public holidays in Japan (国民の祝日, kokumin no shukujitsu) were first established by the Public Holiday Law (国民の祝日に関する法律, Kokumin no Shukujitsu ni Kansuru Hōritsu, lit. 'An Act on public holidays'; Act No. 178 of 1948) of 1948. It has since been amended 11 times to add additional holidays, the latest being in 2018,[1] for a total of 16 recognized holidays.[2]
Article 3 of this law specifies that when a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the next working day shall become a public holiday, known as furikae kyūjitsu (振替休日, "compensatory public holiday", literally "substitute holiday").[3] Article 3 also determines that any day that falls between two other national holidays shall also become a holiday, known as kokumin no kyūjitsu (国民の休日, literally "citizens' holiday").[4] May 4, sandwiched between Constitution Memorial Day on May 3 and Children's Day on May 5, was an annual example of such a holiday until it was replaced by Greenery Day in 2007.
Although it is not an official holiday, most companies voluntarily designate a holiday from December 29 to January 3, or, depending on the industry, from Christmas Eve to January 5. This case is unique in Asia.[5]