In an effort to lift financial burdens on single-parent families, some local municipalities in Japan have set up programs to advance child benefit payments to such households, a move that has yet to happen nationally.
The city of Saitama said in early April that it will make advance child support payments to the affected parent for up to three months – with a monthly limit of ¥50,000 ($321) per child – in the event of non-payment by an ex-spouse, and then demand reimbursement from the former spouse who is obligated to make these payments.
To qualify for the advance, one must be a single parent living in Saitama City and meet several criteria, including currently receiving a government child-rearing benefit or be at an income level to receive such a benefit, have a legal entitlement to child support, are currently supporting the child for whom the support is intended, have not received child support in the past month, and have not previously applied for this program.
