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Transfer / Reassignment Notice (配置転換通知書)

Notifies an employee of an internal transfer to a different department, role, or workplace. Aligned with the April 2024 "scope of change" disclosure rule under Enforcement Regulation Article 5 of the Labor Standards Act.

Emmanuel Gendre, Founder of SaiyouTeam
By Emmanuel Gendre
Founder, SaiyouTeam · 12 years recruiting in Japan

Last reviewed: · Aligned with the Status change workflow in Japanese HR practice

Transfer / Reassignment Notice generator

2026年5月15日

田中 太郎　様

〒150-0001 東京都渋谷区神宮前2-3-4

〒100-0005 東京都千代田区丸の内1-1-1

株式会社サンプル

代表取締役　山田 花子

配 置 転 換 通 知 書

拝啓　時下ますますご清栄のこととお慶び申し上げます。

このたび、貴殿に対し、下記のとおり配置転換を命じる旨を通知いたします。本通知は、当社の労働契約書及び就業規則並びに労働基準法施行規則第5条（2024年4月改正）に基づくものです。

敬具

記

  1. 第1条　異動前の配属 部署: ITソリューション部 役職: ソフトウェアエンジニア 勤務地: 東京本社（東京都千代田区丸の内1-1-1） 通勤・最寄駅: JR東京駅 徒歩5分
  2. 第2条　異動後の配属 部署: プロダクト企画部 役職: プロダクトマネージャー 勤務地: 大阪支社（大阪府大阪市北区梅田1-1-1） 通勤・最寄駅: JR大阪駅 徒歩3分 指揮命令系統・上長: プロダクト企画部長 佐藤 一郎
  3. 第3条　適用日 2026年7月1日をもって、前条の配属に異動するものとする。
  4. 第4条　異動の理由 区分: 業務上の必要性に基づく配置転換 詳細: プロダクト企画部の体制強化に伴い、エンジニアリング経験を有する人材として貴殿を新部署に配置するもの。
  5. 第5条　異動命令の根拠 本配置転換は、労働契約書第○条 / 就業規則第○条に基づき、貴殿の同意の範囲内において発令するものです。
  6. 第6条　労働条件 報酬: 変更なし。報酬に変更が生じる場合は、別途給与改定通知書をもって通知します。 通勤・転居支援: 勤務地変更に伴う通勤手当の見直し及び転居が必要な場合の補助については、当社の通勤手当規程及び転勤手当規程に従い、別途通知します。
  7. 第7条　2024年4月改正対応 本通知は、労働基準法施行規則第5条（2024年4月改正）に基づく「就業の場所及び従事すべき業務の変更の範囲」の明示要件を、配置転換の発令時に実務上具体化するものです。
  8. 第8条　お問い合わせ先 本件に関するお問い合わせは、人事部 鈴木（電話 03-1234-5678）までお願いいたします。

以上

〒100-0005 東京都千代田区丸の内1-1-1

株式会社サンプル

代表取締役　山田 花子　　印

________________________

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Official sources

This template is built on the following primary Japanese government sources. Open each link to verify the underlying rule against the issuing authority.

Reference

What the Transfer / Reassignment Notice (配置転換通知書) is

A transfer / reassignment notice (配置転換通知書) is the formal document the employer issues when moving an employee to a different department, role, or workplace inside the same company. The April 2024 amendment to Enforcement Regulation Article 5 LSA requires that the scope within which transfers may occur is disclosed in writing at the time of hire. The transfer notice operationalizes that disclosure each time the employer exercises the transfer right.

When to use

When to issue this notice

  • Moving an employee to a different department within the same company
  • Changing the employee's primary work location (city, prefecture, branch)
  • Substantial change in the employee's duties, even if the department stays the same
  • Change in reporting line that materially affects the employee's role

Mandatory items

What to include in the notice

  • Current position, department, location, and duties
  • New position, department, location, and duties
  • Effective date of the transfer
  • Reason for the transfer (organizational, performance-based, employee-requested)
  • Reference to the contractual / work rules basis for the transfer (the scope-of-change clause)
  • Compensation impact (if any) and reference to a separate compensation revision notice if applicable
  • Commute and relocation support, if the move involves a different work location
  • Employee acknowledgement signature line

Legal basis

The transfer right is governed by the original employment contract and work rules. The April 2024 amendment to Enforcement Regulation Article 5 LSA requires written disclosure of the scope within which transfers may occur (workplace and duties) at the time of hire. Without that disclosure, or if the transfer falls outside the disclosed scope, the employee can refuse and the employer cannot impose. Even within the disclosed scope, transfers that cause undue hardship (sole-carer of a sick family member, severe commute increase) can be invalidated by the courts.

Frequently asked

Common questions about the Transfer / Reassignment Notice

Can an employee refuse a transfer?

If the original contract and work rules properly disclose the scope of change (post-April-2024) and the transfer falls within that scope, refusal is generally not allowed and can itself be grounds for discipline. Outside the disclosed scope, or in cases of undue personal hardship, refusal is permitted.

How much notice must be given before a transfer?

There is no statutory minimum, but reasonable advance notice is required, typically 2 to 4 weeks for in-region transfers and 1 to 2 months for out-of-region or out-of-prefecture transfers that require relocation. Insufficient notice can be grounds for the employee to refuse.

Does compensation have to stay the same during a transfer?

Not necessarily. If the new role or location justifies a compensation change, the change must be documented separately (typically with a compensation revision notice). Downward changes require employee consent under Article 9 LCA. Upward changes are uncontroversial.

What's the difference between 配置転換 and 転勤?

In practice the two terms overlap. 配置転換 (haichi-tenkan) is the broader term covering any internal reassignment. 転勤 (tenkin) specifically refers to a transfer that involves a change of work location. Both are typically issued under the same notice format.

What about transfers to a different legal entity?

Transfer to a different legal entity is not a 配置転換 but a secondment (出向) or transfer-of-employment (転籍), depending on whether the original employment contract is preserved or terminated. Use the secondment agreement template for that case.

About the author

Emmanuel Gendre, Founder of SaiyouTeam
Emmanuel Gendre
Founder, SaiyouTeam · TechieCV K.K.

Emmanuel advises small and mid-sized companies (SMBs) on HR and recruiting in Japan. He brings 12 years recruiting in Japan as a Recruitment Consultant placing IT professionals, plus prior experience hiring engineers across EMEA as a Google recruiter. The status change workflow is something he handles regularly with his SMB clients in Japan, so he built this template as part of that advisory work and uses it himself when those conversations come up.

For case-specific HR matters, Emmanuel works with licensed Japanese professionals (社会保険労務士 and 弁護士). This template is a planning tool used in those conversations, not a substitute for professional advice on an individual case.

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Important. This template is provided for general planning purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Japanese employment law is complex and case-specific. Before issuing this notice in any non-routine situation, consult a Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant (社会保険労務士) or a qualified labor lawyer (弁護士).