The government on Friday announced a policy draft of what Prime Minister Fumio Kishida calls “unprecedented steps” to reverse Japan’s declining birthrate, including beefing up child care allowances and expanding scholarships for college education.
The proposals, announced by Masanobu Ogura, the minister in charge of policies for children, also include systems that improve child care services, encourage co-parenting and support single parents.
“I believe our country should aim for a society where young people and those involved in child-rearing today can directly feel the joy of caring for children without feeling anxious about various things,” Ogura said at a news conference. “One that dispels their various anxieties to the fullest extent.”