Being Considerate at Work During Ramadan: Breaks, Prayer, and Meal Invitations When Colleagues or Employees Are Fasting

Being considerate at work during Ramadan starts with asking the person

Ramadan, the month of fasting, falls from early February to early March in 2027. The calendar of Muhammadiyah, an Indonesian Islamic organization, gives February 8 as its start and March 9 as Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of fasting. People who fast do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset for about a month.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) describes Ramadan as a holy month for Muslims and a very demanding time, both physically and mentally. When someone you work with is fasting, there are five areas to consider: breaks and shifts, health and safety, prayer, meal invitations and events, and time off for Eid al-Fitr.

However, how people observe fasting and prayer varies. A report by the Chubu Regional Administrative Evaluation Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), also notes that the strictness of religious rules differs by country and region, as do individual interpretations and practices. Rather than making assumptions and deciding what to do, talk with the person before Ramadan. Ask what they would like you to do and what you do not need to worry about.

This article looks at what workplaces can do, drawing on actual examples from workplaces in Japan and checking the Labor Standards Act and guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). For Ramadan dates and the rules of fasting, see When Does Ramadan 2027 Start? Fasting Hours, the Rules, and What to Know When Spending Ramadan in Japan. We checked the sources on October 19, 2026.

More Indonesians and Bangladeshis are living in Japan

According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, 4,281,026 foreign nationals lived in Japan at the end of June 2026. Of these, 307,456 were Indonesian nationals, ranking sixth by nationality or region. There were 53,398 Bangladeshi nationals and 36,870 Pakistani nationals. Compared with the end of the previous year, the numbers rose by 15.6% for Indonesia, 18.8% for Bangladesh, and 5.6% for Pakistan.

Nationality	Residents in Japan (end of June 2026)	Muslim share of the population in the table in the MIC report (2017)
Indonesia	307,456	87%
Bangladesh	53,398	88%
Pakistan	36,870	96%

By residence status, 139,846 Indonesian nationals were in Technical Intern Training and 108,367 were Specified Skilled Workers. Together, they accounted for about 80% of Indonesian residents. Workplaces that employ people with these statuses have reason to plan for Ramadan in advance.

However, nationality alone does not tell you a person’s religion. Even the MIC table gives Indonesia’s Muslim population share as 87%, not 100%. As the Ramadan 2027 article mentioned earlier explains, some Muslims do not fast because of illness, travel, or other circumstances. For Indonesian holidays and periods of leave, see When Does Ramadan 2027 Start in Indonesia? Lebaran Holiday Dates and the Impact on Workplaces and Businesses in Japan.

Discuss breaks and shifts around sunset

The daily fast ends at sunset. The Ephemeris Computation Office of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) gives the following sunrise and sunset times for Tokyo in 2027.

Date (2027)	Sunrise	Sunset
February 8 (around the start of Ramadan)	6:36 a.m.	5:15 p.m.
March 8 (around the end of Ramadan)	6:02 a.m.	5:42 p.m.

The time from sunrise to sunset is about 10 hours and 40 minutes on February 8 and 11 hours and 40 minutes on March 8. As discussed in the Ramadan 2027 article, fasting starts at dawn, before sunrise, so the time without food or drink is longer. For someone working from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., for example, sunset falls during working hours.

Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act requires a break during working hours of at least 45 minutes when working time exceeds six hours, and at least one hour when it exceeds eight hours. As a rule, breaks must be given to all workers at the same time. However, they may be staggered if a written agreement is made with a labor union representing a majority of workers, or, where there is no such union, a representative of a majority of workers. The same article also requires workers to be allowed to use their break time freely.

Under Article 31 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act, some workplaces are already exempt from the rule on simultaneous breaks. These include transport, sales of goods, finance and advertising, film and theater, postal and telecommunications services, health services such as hospitals, hotels and restaurants, customer service businesses, and government offices. Workplaces such as manufacturing plants, construction sites, and farms are covered by the rule.

For someone who is fasting, a lunch break is not a mealtime. You could discuss a short break at sunset so they can drink and eat something light, or a shift that ends closer to sunset. Before staggering breaks at a factory or similar workplace, check whether there is an agreement allowing an exception to simultaneous breaks. This can prevent problems later. MHLW guidelines also call on employers to make efforts to help foreign workers understand the Labor Standards Act and workplace rules by explaining them in their native language or another language they understand. If shifts or breaks change only during Ramadan, explain what will change and when the usual arrangements will return. Using a language the person understands helps prevent misunderstandings.

A survey by the Chubu Regional Administrative Evaluation Bureau, MIC, in six prefectures in the Tokai and Hokuriku regions includes an example of a workplace adapting its shifts. It normally alternated day and night shifts each week. During fasting, when workers did not eat lunch, those who wished could work night shifts for two consecutive weeks. The best approach depends on the work. A practical way to decide is for the person and their workplace supervisor to discuss it.

Check health and safety in the morning

The same survey describes a workplace that checked at morning meetings whether anyone felt unwell during Ramadan. People around them also watched for dehydration and similar problems. At universities, students were kept from excessive exercise, and staff responsible for international students asked about their health.

MHLW’s “Guidelines for Employers to Improve the Management of Employment of Foreign Workers” require safety and health training for foreign workers to be provided in a way they can understand, using their native language or other means. They also call for efforts to provide health guidance and consultations with the help of occupational physicians, health officers, and others. Before Ramadan, explain in a language the person understands that they can speak up if they feel unwell, without feeling they must endure it. Let them know whom to tell. This can help them feel at ease.

If someone does work that needs particular care, such as operating machinery, working at heights, or driving, you could discuss their assignments and working hours during Ramadan. Whether to continue fasting is their decision. However, measures to protect health and safety at work are the employer’s responsibility, and the guidelines call for action to do so. Rather than forcing someone to eat or asking them to stop fasting, check how they feel and adjust assignments. This is a way to respect their fasting while protecting health and safety.

Start with existing rooms when considering prayer time and space

The MIC report lists five daily prayers as a Muslim practice. In the same survey, 14 of the 20 workplaces (70.0%) made arrangements for prayer. Examples included opening an unused factory room for prayer and installing facilities for ablution (wudu), such as washing the feet before prayer. Another workplace converted a break room into a prayer room. That workplace reported that Japanese employees gained a better understanding of Muslim religious practices.

On Fridays, Muslims gather at mosques for congregational prayer. The survey also found workplaces that allowed employees to attend prayers at a nearby congregational prayer venue during working hours every Friday. If someone wants to attend Friday prayer, discuss in advance how their time away will be handled. This avoids a last-minute rush. University examples included allowing students to reserve meeting or assembly rooms for congregational prayer, and avoiding calling students in during the early afternoon on Fridays so they could go to a nearby mosque. Workplaces can adopt similar arrangements, such as avoiding meetings in the early afternoon on Fridays or allowing use of an empty meeting room.

The Labor Standards Act requires workers to be allowed to use their breaks freely. They are free to pray during their breaks. For prayer times and what to consider when providing a place, see Islamic Prayer Is Five Times a Day: Prayer Times from Fajr to Isha, and the Direction and Places to Pray in Japan. The ideas for making space for one person in How to Offer a Prayer Space at Your Place: What Even a Small Place Can Do, and What You Don’t Need to Force can also be used at work, even without a large room.

Plan meal invitations and workplace events outside Ramadan or after sunset

MOFA advises against inviting Muslims to ordinary meals during Ramadan. You could hold daytime meals or lunch meetings after Ramadan, or move them to after sunset. According to the same explanation, the meal after sunset, iftar, is also shared with family, relatives, colleagues, and friends. The custom is to take a bite of dates or a similar food first, then drink juice or water to prepare the stomach before eating the meal.

Ramadan in 2027 continues into early March. Workplaces planning farewell or welcome parties for the end of the fiscal year in early March should check the dates. Holding the event after Ramadan, or starting after sunset with drinks and light food, makes it easier for people who are fasting to join. Also check whether the restaurant offers dishes without pork or alcohol.

In the MIC survey, 13 of 20 workplaces (65.0%) made arrangements for food at workplaces with staff cafeterias. One example provided halal meals in the cafeteria and also opened a halal-certified restaurant next to accommodation for foreign employees to provide dinner. Another used English and illustrations to show whether dishes contained pork or beef. Some people will not use the cafeteria at lunchtime during Ramadan. Asking where they will eat after sunset or before dawn can help when planning how to run dormitories and cafeterias.

If you are unsure whether colleagues may eat lunch in front of someone who is fasting, asking the person is the quickest way to find out.

Ask early about requests for time off for Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. In 2027, Muhammadiyah’s calendar gives March 9, while the Indonesian government holidays are March 10 and 11. The dates differ by a day. The Ramadan 2027 article mentioned earlier explains how people spend the festival.

Article 39 of the Labor Standards Act requires annual paid leave to be given at the time a worker requests. The employer may move it to another time only if granting it when requested would interfere with normal business operations. MHLW guidelines call on employers, when assigning the timing of annual paid leave themselves, to hear foreign workers’ views on the timing and make efforts to respect them.

Pay attention to people who have only recently joined. Under Article 39 of the Labor Standards Act, workers receive 10 days of annual paid leave after six months of continuous employment if they have attended at least 80% of all working days. Someone who has been employed for less than six months may not yet have annual paid leave. In that case, discuss options with them, such as exchanging working days with someone else or changing the placement of days off.

The festival date may not be confirmed until near the end of Ramadan. Ask about leave requests early. Leaving some flexibility in the shift schedule for a date one day earlier or later makes adjustments easier.

Article 3 of the Labor Standards Act prohibits discriminatory treatment in wages, working hours, and other working conditions on grounds such as nationality or beliefs. MHLW guidelines also confirm the prohibition on discrimination based on nationality. Avoiding disadvantages in evaluations or treatment because someone fasts or prays is a basic requirement that comes before consideration.

For these arrangements to continue, understanding from Japanese colleagues is also essential. MHLW guidelines refer to Japanese workers understanding and cooperating in building a society where Japanese and foreign residents respect one another, including in the workplace. The MIC survey also describes Japanese employees gaining a better understanding after a break room was converted into a prayer room. It includes a university that produced Japanese and English booklets to deepen understanding of Muslims, with staff and students reporting that they had learned new things. Before Ramadan starts, use morning meetings or internal communications to explain when it is and that some colleagues will be fasting. This makes it easier for others to talk with them.

You can start being considerate at work during Ramadan without special equipment or large costs. Talk with the person before it begins, know the sunset times, and check event dates and leave requests early. These steps can make the month easier for people who are fasting and those around them.

Sources

Primary sources

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (local partnership office), “Basic Course in International Protocol, Part 31” (国際儀礼の基本講座 ～その31～) (in Japanese), August 2012 (Glocal Tsushin, No. 43), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/local/database/pdfs/protocol43.pdf
• Chubu Regional Administrative Evaluation Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “Report on the Survey of Environments for Accepting Foreign Residents Who Need Religious Consideration, Focusing on Muslims” (宗教的配慮を要する外国人の受入環境整備等に関する調査 ―ムスリムを中心として― の結果報告書) (in Japanese), December 2017 (p. 1; p. 3: food arrangements; pp. 4–5: prayer arrangements and other notable initiatives; p. 9: religious rules and daily practices), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000521087.pdf
• e-Gov Law Search, “Labor Standards Act” (労働基準法) (in Japanese) (Articles 3 and 34; Article 39, paragraphs 1 and 5; Appended Table 1), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322AC0000000049
• e-Gov Law Search, “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act” (労働基準法施行規則) (in Japanese) (Article 31), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322M40000100023
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Guidelines for Employers to Improve the Management of Employment of Foreign Workers” (外国人労働者の雇用管理の改善等に関して事業主が適切に対処するための指針) (in Japanese) (MHLW Public Notice No. 276 of 2007; incorporating amendments through May 29, 2026; Part II; Part IV, section 2, items 1, 4, and 5, and section 3, items 1 and 5), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/001707232.pdf
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Number of Foreign Residents as of the End of June 2026” (令和8年6月末における在留外国人数について) (in Japanese) (main text; Tables 1 and 2 in the published materials), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/press/13_00070.html
  https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001472326.pdf
• National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), Ephemeris Computation Office, “Sunrise and Sunset in Tokyo (Tokyo), February 2027” (日の出入り＠東京（東京都）令和9年（2027）02月) and “Sunrise and Sunset in Tokyo (Tokyo), March 2027” (令和9年（2027）03月) (in Japanese), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/dni/2027/s1302.html
  https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/dni/2027/s1303.html
• Muhammadiyah, “Kalender Hijriah Global Tunggal” (Unified Global Hijri Calendar) (in Indonesian) (Ramadan and Shawwal in 1448 AH), checked on October 19, 2026
  https://khgt.muhammadiyah.or.id/kalendar-hijriah
• Ministry of State Secretariat of Indonesia, “Inilah SKB 3 Menteri Libur Nasional dan Cuti Bersama 2027” (in Indonesian), September 15, 2026, checked on October 19, 2026
  https://setneg.go.id/baca/index/inilah_skb_3_menteri_libur_nasional_dan_cuti_bersama_2027