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How can Japan solve the shortage of daycare centers? Given that some neighborhoods don't want them due to perceived noise and traffic congestion problems, where should new ones be built?

11 Comments

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11 Comments
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Build them where the pachinko parlours are. Tear them down. Yeah, that would be good. Daycare centers can't be any noisier than the parlours.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I'm sorry, but if the sound of children playing annoys you that much YOU need to get out of the house and enjoy your life more.

I second the pachinko idea.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I never really thought about the traffic congestion problem until I saw just how crowded a daycare served by a single narrow road can get at 5pm. That's a legit concern.

Noise is not. I understand in Japan neighbors get to voice their opinions about new construction, but daycare centers are a need. They can't be just put somewhere else. The Japanese public needs to learn to accept that like water pipes or a power grid, daycare centers are just a part of modern life and your objection to their existence, at least so long as your objection is based on noise, is not a valid complaint.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Build them near schools. Already noisy, fewer kids filling the schools... Win, win for all.

I do like the pachinko idea as well.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Easy fix, with the increasing amount of tower apartments force the developer to include one-floor for day-care, children doc, etc.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The lack of daycare centers is not the problem, but a symptom of the problem.

The problem is that their is a shortage of workers because of the declining population. The population is dealing because the cost of living is too high to raise families. The cost of living is too high because Japan's economy is over regulated, and non-competitive.

Opening more daycare centers will allow more women to work, but it will not solve the problems with over regulation and competitiveness, which were supposed to addressed by "Abenomics" a couple of years ago. And rather than make things better, more daycare centers will make things worse, because opening more will not increase the population, and the cost of subsidizing them will further increase the cost of living.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How about training, certifying and regulating women (or men) who wish to be stay-at-home parents in child care fundamentals. Then permit these licensed care providers to take one or two children into their homes in addition to their own child/children. This is common practice in other countries. Where homes are larger than Japanese homes operators can take in more children (up to a set number) and write off the costs of providing space as well as supplies for toys and other supplies against their Income Tax.

That would increase a family's income in an agreeable way. That also minimizes noise and traffic stress to the neighborhood. The day-care operator would see to the children's safe journey to and from school. For an additional fee they could offer the provision of a bento lunch. Or, depending on their skills, such things as music, art or craft programs.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Some prefectures now build temporare day-cares 6-10yrs, after that demolished.

Why they had a lot of newcomers move there due to high-rise apartments going up. There will be less need/demand for them in the future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Give an increase in community funding to areas that agree to house them, such as donating to community centers or what have you. Also, ignore the noise complaints before they've happened -- most of the people complaining about the noise that hasn't happened yet are the only one's making it, and the type of oyaji that scream at kids in parks because they've interrupted their afternoon sake-induced nap under the kotatsu.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I would say a phone app can be made to give your location and walking/riding/driving paths to/from work to find areas of need in suitable locations. In areas of smaller need commercial daycare may not be needed and could be governed by the parents working among themselves as a group.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If you build it, they will come. Pachinko places are an eyesore, so put that space to good use.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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