Search - child-care-in-japan

 
 
JAPAN
Jan 4, 2002

Dads take child-care leave at own risk

Minoru Omoishi, 35, took three months' leave in 1999 to care for his newborn triplets.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 14, 2019

Why paternity leave should be mandatory

Behind the declining child population and the lingering income gap between Japanese men and women is the fact that husbands and wives do not take part in raising their children together.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Dec 8, 2017

Abe's free day care pledge may be an appealing solution for the wrong problem

Just before the recent Lower House election in October, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to make public day care services and kindergartens free for children between the ages of 3 and 5 and free for children below the age of 3 if they were from lower income households.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 4, 2021

The pandemic doesn’t have to hurt women most

Women make up a larger share of workers in industries that ground to a halt, and they typically shoulder more of the unpaid labor at home.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 15, 2020

Japan's male babysitters battle stigma and stereotypes

A series of high-profile cases involving pedophiles has left agencies struggling to balance child protection against discrimination.
JAPAN / NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Apr 17, 2016

Day care crisis stuck in vicious cycle

The employee was in the throes of desperation as her maternity leave drew to a close in mid-March.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 2023

Japan announces outline of 'unprecedented' child care policy

The measures aimed at reversing Japan’s declining birthrate include beefing up child care allowances and expanding scholarships for college education.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Feb 28, 2023

With child care policy still in the works, Kishida aims to change parenting perceptions

The government is focused on casting child-rearing in a more positive light amid the lingering perception that the barriers to having children are just too great.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 16, 2023

Kishida’s child care plans raise questions about who will pay and how

Details of the proposal have become a hotly debated topic as Japan looks ahead to key local elections in April.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2002

Baby-products firm pushes male child-care leave

In a society where raising a child is perceived as more of a burden than a joy, what can a corporation do to change this mind-set?
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 2, 2023

Lack of detail on Kishida's plan to fund child care measures draws criticism

With a snap election possibly on the horizon, the government is seen as being unwilling to upset voters by increasing the burden on taxpayers.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Apr 14, 2023

Government officials downplay Kishida's pledge to double child care budget

The Kishida administration appears to have lost its bearings after pledging to tackle the low birthrate issue with 'measures on a different dimension' from past efforts.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 12, 2015

Welfare ministry proposes easing child care leave prerequisites

Amid a surge in nonregular workers, it would ease the current rigid requirement for child care leave that prevents many mothers from returning to work.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 11, 2011

High profile case highlights the delicate issue of foster care in Japan

On Aug. 20, police arrested voice actress Shizuka Suzuike at her home in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of causing injuries that led to the death of 3-year-old Miyuki Watanabe in August 2010. At the time of her death, Miyuki had been in Suzuike's foster care for almost a year. The suspect denies...
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2023

Japanese government to set aside extra ¥3.5 trillion annually for child care

With the added budget, Japan’s child care expense per child will be on par with Sweden’s, which is ranked first among OECD countries.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 21, 2017

What can we do to make a bright future for Japan?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plans to increase day care capacity fall far short of Japan's needs. Answers might be found overseas.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 2, 2017

Firms tap state subsidies to start day care facilities to woo working moms

Faced with a shortage of workers, Japanese companies are taking matters into their own hands, helping the government fix a chronic lack of day care facilities that is blunting efforts to get more women into the workforce.
JAPAN
May 10, 2009

Activists to lobby for improved child care

A new activist group campaigning for better child care policies in Japan said at its inaugural event Saturday that it intends to put direct pressure on the government by highlighting Japan's shortcomings compared with other countries.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 23, 2023

In policy speech, Kishida puts focus on child care and defense

Implementing all of the policies mentioned in the speech — from child care and defense spending to wage hikes — will be tough if Kishida lacks a stable political base.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 15, 2016

Blogger's viral tirade on day care puts Abe on back foot

An anonymous Japanese blogger's tirade about failing to secure a day care place for her child has spurred Prime Minister Shinzo Abe into action.
JAPAN
May 1, 2014

Japan's orphans neglected: HRW

Japan's habit of shunting orphans and abused children to child-care institutions instead of foster parents has left thousands susceptible to mistreatment, Human Rights Watch warns.
EDITORIALS
Mar 20, 2008

Getting serious about child care

The government is pushing improvement of child-care services and in doing so it aims to stem the decline in birthrate. It anticipates that the number of children aged 5 or younger who would use such services will increase by about 1 million to about 3 million in 10 years.
Of the 721,000 childbirths reported in 2024 in Japan, 13.8% involved the use of an epidural, according to the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 22, 2025

Cases of epidural use in labor rise in Japan alongside concerns

More demand for epidurals may place a strain on the nation's anesthesiologists, who are already facing staffing shortages.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a campaign speech next to a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the Upper House (top center left) in Yokohama on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 7, 2025

Foreign nationals' presence in Japan emerges as key issue in Upper House poll

In their campaign promises, parties are offering different solutions to problems caused by the record number here to visit, work and invest in real estate.
A photograph of Akiko Kirkham and her husband, Glenn Kirkham, in their younger days
JAPAN
Aug 20, 2025

Japanese woman faced hardships in Australia after World War II

Memories of the war, such as the Imperial Japanese Army's bombing of Darwin, remained vivid for many Australians, and marriages between Australians and Japanese often faced unease.
Japan Coast Guard officials take part in joint antipiracy exercises with the Indonesia Coast Guard, held off the coast of Jakarta in January.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Sep 12, 2025

Staffing difficulties leave Japan Coast Guard stretched

Applications for officer posts have fallen, while turnover has increased, especially among younger members.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’