A growing number of municipalities have been forced to delay or abandon plans for new day care centers across Japan because of fierce opposition from local residents, despite long waiting lists for such facilities.

According to a Kyodo News survey covering municipalities in nine prefectures that had at least 500 children on waiting lists, there were at least 10 such cases since last April.

The survey did not cover large municipalities with populations of 200,000 or more, including Tokyo's 23 wards. The tally is likely to grow if large municipalities are included.