14 Japan Governors Join Movement to Allow Babies to Cry

June 1, 2018

Sendai, Miyagi Pref.- Governors of 14 of Japan's 47 prefectures met in Sendai Thursday to create a society where babies can cry whenever and wherever they want.

At the meeting in the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, the governors, who form an alliance to "cheer future generations" for revitalizing the country, threw their support behind the "We Love Babies Project" calling on people not to get annoyed when babies cry in public areas.

The project was launched in 2016 by online service provider Excite Japan Co.. Since then, it has so far won support from 160 companies along with more than 20,000 individuals. To promote the movement, the organizer is giving out stickers saying, "It's OK to cry!"

With the governors pledging their backing to the project, 100 such stickers will be distributed to each of the prefectures.

"Japanese society still tends to make mothers and fathers feel sorry for people nearby when their babies start crying," Mie Governor Eikei Suzuki told the meeting. "We'll do change such a social atmosphere."

Suzuki then proposed that educational activities be held in the 14 prefectures on Nov. 19, which the governors' group calls "Good Child Care Day."

The prefectures are Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Nagano, Mie, Shiga, Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kochi and Miyazaki. Jiji Press