Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to exempt factory workers with preschool-age children from working night shifts to support child care starting in September, sources said.
The measure has already been introduced for some Toyota plant workers on a trial basis, kicking off last October.
With Nissan Motor Co. also testing a similar system, it could evolve into an industrywide trend that throws support behind Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic growth policy featuring greater support for families that are raising children.