Tokyo to offer Free Daycare as the Government Strives to Promote Birth Rates
Tokyo’s Government says it will offer free early-years childcare from September for all preschool children. This historic project spearhead by the Governor Yuriko Koike, seeks to reduce Japan’s low fertility rate through the reduction in the family’s economic burden.
Even free daycare available before was only available for the 2nd born and other subsequent children, while free daycare for first born children under this new policy will support all families adequately.
Solving Japan’s Demographic Disaster
The population density of Japan has has been on a decline for many years and when compared to many developing countries has one of the lowest birth rates. In her speech, Governor Koike was stressing on the severity of the problem referring to it as a crisis and urging people to act immediately.
Japan has an increasingly aging population ranked second oldest in the world, and limited immigration is a push factor to labor and other economic concerns. Policy makers have however increased efforts to reverse this trend with Tokyo leading by examples such as free daycare.
Broader Policy Shifts
Work-Life Balance
Koike has suggested the transition to the 4-days-a-week work for the officials with government agencies as a part of the national initiatives that would promote parenting by providing better working conditions.
Expanded Access to Daycare
There is already considerable public daycare for working parents but planning is under way to extend to access to all families in the supported society for the Japanese government.
Social Welfare Enhancements
As for the rest of Koike’s social-democrat driven agenda, she has focused on such aspects as social welfare benefits due to high inflation and financial problem of families.
A Regional First
This policy can be regarded as the first in terms of regional policies of its type in Japan, which proves that Tokyo is ready to take the leadership in addressing the demographic problems of the country. The capital has 14 million people, and its measures could become a reference for other areas of the country.
Outlook
Koike’s move is a sign of a new realization that sharp-edged, family-oriented policies are needed to address the impending demographical challenge. If successful, it is conceivable that Tokyo’s measures may give direction on how to control similar problems in the remaining sections of Japan or other countries.