Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike announced that the city will introduce free daycare for all preschool children starting in September next year, as part of efforts to address Japan’s declining birth rate. This policy expands the current provision of free daycare for second-born and subsequent children to include first-born children as well, easing the financial burden on families.
Japan has long struggled with low birthrates, and the issue is particularly severe in Tokyo, where the population is shrinking. “Japan is facing the crisis of a declining number of children, which isn’t going away,” Koike stated, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the demographic decline. She echoed warnings from government officials about the looming crisis and stressed that action is needed immediately.
This new policy is the first of its kind at a regional level in Japan, with Tokyo, a city of 14 million residents, taking the lead. While public daycare is already available to working parents, the national government is also planning to expand access to daycare for all households.
In addition to the daycare initiative, Koike has suggested introducing a four-day workweek option for government employees in Tokyo, as part of a broader effort to encourage parenthood across the country.
Japan, which has the second-oldest population in the world after Monaco, faces significant labor shortages due to its aging population. Koike, who has governed Tokyo since 2016, was re-elected for a third term in July with promises to improve social welfare and tackle the challenges posed by inflation and demographic shifts.
Source: Taipei Times
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