Company-run nursery capacity lifted to 70,000

August 15, 2017

TOKYO- The Japanese government aims to increase the combined capacity of company-led nurseries to some 70,000 children before fiscal 2017 ends next March, up from the initially targeted 50,000, Masaji Matsuyama, minister for measures to address the declining birthrate, said Tuesday.

The move is part of the government's efforts to achieve its goal of eliminating the nursery waiting lists by the end of fiscal 2020.

Nurseries set up by companies mainly for children of their employees can receive subsidies almost equivalent to the amount paid to child care facilities certified by local government chiefs to meet state standards, if they meet certain criteria.

The government regards an increase of such company-led nurseries as an effective measure to shorten the long waiting lists of applicants for nursery facilities across the country. Jiji Press