Chidren on nursery waiting lists decrease for 1st time in 4 yrs
Jiji -- Sep 08
The number of children on nursery waiting lists in Japan as of April 1 fell 6,186 from a year before to 19,895, the first drop in four years, the government said Friday.

The number of children on waiting lists for child care facilities, including nurseries that meet state standards, fell below 20,000 for the first time since 2008, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The decline came as various municipalities, mainly major cities, boosted the capacities of such facilities, the ministry said.

But demand for nurseries is also expected to increase because the government plans to start a program in October 2019 that will make preschool education free of charge for many households.

The ministry will work to expand nursery capacities, especially for one- and two-year-olds, to achieve the government goal of eliminating nursery waiting lists by the end of March 2021.

News source: Jiji