The government plans to set up a database of childcare systems in 1,741 municipalities across the country before the end of the current fiscal year ending in March, sources said.
The system will provide data for use by childcare support apps developed by private companies to distribute vital information to parents.
The aim is to ensure that those with children do not miss out on available benefits or neglect to take their children for health checks.
Childcare support measures and the ways to apply for them vary per municipality, and it takes time and effort for parents and guardians to obtain the necessary information themselves.
The government hopes to reduce the burden on parents by collecting and sending information through notifications.
The newly created database is expected to provide a wide range of information, including details on measures such as lump sum subsidies for childbirth and childcare, subsidies for babysitter costs, child nutrition classes and financial assistance to children whose parents have died.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has already started a pilot project to create such a database and the central government will continue to refer to Tokyo’s initiative.
The national database will be linked to apps for maternal and child health manuals, as well as communication booklets for parents and preschool teachers offered by private companies.
Because childcare support measures vary depending on the child’s age and household income, the government plans to prioritize measures for preschoolers.
Once the government has completed the database, it will ask each municipality to update it at least once a year so that parents and guardians have the latest information.
Translated by The Japan Times
