Although the end of third grade has traditionally been the accepted cut-off point for after-school care in Japan, parents and those in the public sector are becoming increasingly concerned that the current system is not meeting the needs of many older children.
From 2015, the law that governs the operation of public after-school centers will be amended to require all facilities to open their doors to children up to sixth grade. (According to a survey by the National Council for After-school Care, in 2012 a little over half of facilities accepted children up to the age of 12.)
However, when asked about the implications of next year's policy change, parent representatives on the Tama City After-school Club Council in Tokyo said they did not expect to see major changes anytime soon.