Matahara Net, a Japanese NGO working against maternity harassment, submitted 7000 signatures to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, expressing concern that current legislation makes it almost impossible for women on irregular contracts to take maternity leave. The law in force stipulates three conditions for maternity leave, including having been with the employer for over a year and expectation of continued employment after the child turns one year of age. Matahara Net states that many women are simply terminated when they become pregnant. Currently only 4 percent of women on irregular contracts are able to return to their workplace after maternity leave, as opposed to 43 percent of women with regular contracts.