Tokyo Offers Free Pre-School Daycare To Encourage People To Make More Babies
"There is no time to spare," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said regarding the declining birth rate.
By Tamara Jayne — 16 Dec 2024, 10:43 AM
Starting September 2025, daycare will be free for all preschool-aged children in Tokyo
This bold move, announced by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, is part of Japan's effort to tackle its longstanding issue of low birth rates.
Currently, free daycare benefits in Tokyo are limited to second-born children and beyond. With this new policy, first-born children will also be included, easing the financial strain on families and encouraging more people to consider having children.
Japan's population has been steadily shrinking, with birth rates hitting record lows in recent years
Governor Koike stressed the urgency of the situation, saying, "Japan is facing the crisis of a declining number of children, which isn't going away," according to AFP.
Tokyo, a city of 14 million people, is the first in Japan to introduce such a sweeping regional initiative.
Public daycare in Japan is currently only available to working parents, but the national government is working towards making it accessible to all households in the future.
