Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to help women juggle work and family are hitting an obstacle: opposition to building new day care centers from residents who fear that the sound of children playing will spoil their quiet neighborhoods.
The number of Japanese children is falling due to the low birthrate, but many preschoolers are nonetheless on day care waiting lists because of the chronic shortage of facilities.
Abe has vowed to fix the problem as part of plans to get more women working to offset the shrinking, aging population and boost economic growth.