Abe delays goal of no waiting list for daycare centers by 3 years

What a joke man! You won't be around to take the fall in 2021, and you know it.

How can a massive nation be able to host the Olympics, but be unable to build a couple daycares and take care of their cities?

Pathetic!

Doesn't have kids, doesn't understand family problems. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, doesn't understand money problems. Carried from privilege to privilege, doesn't understand responsibility. The wrong guy for the job.

He's a slime! This was one pf his main campaign promises when he took office over 6 years ago. Why do people keep voting for this parasite?

I wonder how many DC centers could be built for $13-$15 billion being used to host the Olympics.

Isn't this the same as "I failed."

And by waiting lists for daycare centers, is he talking about Japan or just Tokyo because in places like Aomori, Fukushima, and other hinterland areas, there is no waiting list. So, basically, Abe can't even run one city let alone a whole country. Is that what he's saying?

A campaign promise made 6 years ago deferred for a further 3 years, now that's action. Want to open a school, instant action and a discount to boot, if your a "friend". Starting to think the populace is not high on the LDPs list of priorities.

"This time, we will put an end" to the problem, he said.

Exactly...(sarcasm) in three years time half the kids that need the day care services will be in elementary school and wont need day care. He is counting on a decrease in numbers!

WWeak, people on the waiting list is a fraction of the people who don't put their kids on the list because they already know it is hopeless. Only 30% of the kids that applied at my kids kindergarten were admitted.

Shocking Mr Abe.

Honest Abe.

Until Japanese voters stop "shikata nai"-ing and stand up for themselves, this pathetic state of affairs will continue. Not enough child care places in a country with a birthrate spiraling downward.

He's a slime!

Understatement.

This was one pf his main campaign promises when he took office over 6 years ago.

He also used the people of Tohoku as an excuse for getting the olympics saying it would give them some hope. What it did was take away much needed infrastructure planning in that area and did the exact opposite.

I wonder how many DC centers could be built for $13-$15 billion being used to host the Olympics.

Exactly. Winning the bid has been a disaster for the people in this country

Wow, with a shotgun system to make citizens pay their taxes, i think abe should stop being too generous giving alms for the poorer nations like the philippines just to make good impressions that japan is still a rich country. Cmon, help the japanese citizens first for it won't be long that most japanese would have nothing on their plate keeping up with the downfall of economy, while abe is just giving away billions of donations to make impressions. Geez, three years seems forever, it looks like well enlist your kids on daycare and wait to get job until they can take care of themselves alone bcz our government sucks big time.

That a lack of openings at more affordable public nurseries could convince more women that they should forgo having more than one child or lead them to have no children at all, depressing a birthrate that is already among the lowest in the world. Japan with a public debt more than twice the size of its economy and the increase of public spending on the growing elderly Japanese, it is unlikely that the problem will be fixed any time soon.

The root of the problem is that working mothers face an old bias toward stay-at-home mothers. Many are asked "Is your work so important that you have to put your baby in child care"? Why are you being so self-centered?”

This time, we will put an end" to the problem, he said.

Yeah sure. We believe you. Fool me once shame on you.  Fool me twice...

But the government's efforts face an uncertain prospect as it is unclear how the government will come up with the money needed to turn the plan into reality.

Nothing uncertain. He's going in front of the cameras and will bow when he fails again. Either that or he'll blame some outside force.

In February, Abe admitted difficulties in meeting the government's original deadline. He later said a new plan would be unveiled in June.

admitted difficulties? no. you failed.

The root of the problem is that working mothers face an old bias toward stay-at-home mothers. Many are asked "Is your work so important that you have to put your baby in child care"? Why are you being so self-centered?”

Agree that this idea persists but it's a far cry from the turn of the century when I lived here the first time, and it's not the root of the problem addressed in this article. The issue is a lack of daycare centers for the 73% of mothers who are already working and this government's empty promises. There's plenty of money to boost defense spending, to shower on the developing world, to build roads to nowhere and dam every trickle of water in the mtns. But to address one of the biggest obstacles to the Abenomics wonderland we continue to wait for, empty rhetoric.

"This time, we will put an end. I know I said that last time, but I mean THIS time. I vow it. I double-vow it! Yup, next time. And all those who voted me in again after I vowed to solve this problem by next year, thank you, and you have given me the mandate to delay it until 2021."

Sorry peasants, I gotta pay for these Olympics. Kickbacks aren't cheap after all..

How can a massive nation be able to host the Olympics, but be unable to build a couple daycares and take care of their cities?

Because said massive nation is massively in debt. Debt is 250% of GDP, and 26% of all government expenditures go toward debt servicing costs. The working age population is falling, while the population of pensioners is increasing, meaning that entitlement spending is growing, while the tax revenue to pay for that spending is decreasing. Unless the government deficit spends another trillion or so yen, or the BOJ prints it out, there is no money to build new daycare centers.

And it will take more than "a couple" of daycares, the number is closer to a couple thousand. If you live in the Minato ward, you are not going to get a daycare spot for your kids, there are a hundred applicants for each spot, and that is for those who have two parents working full time, if either parent is a part-time worker, you won't qualify to get your kid in.

But once again, the need for daycares is a symptom, not a problem. And building more daycares is not going to address the problem. And the problem is an overpriced and uncompetitive economy, which leaves your average Japanese with a rather low disposable income. When you subtract the average cost of living from the average salary in Japan, you don't have a lot left over.

With all the well-paying jobs concentrated in the metro areas, and metro real estate being expensive, one must put up with small living spaces or long commutes. People either don't have enough money or space to raise kids, or they don't have enough time.

In America the population is still growing strongly. This is despite having no mandatory childcare leave, no state-subsidized healthcare for children, and a strong lack of public daycare centers. The difference is that Americans earn more, have larger disposable incomes, and much more space to raise kids. In America you can find opportunities in every state, unlike Japan where nearly all of the good-paying jobs are concentrated in a handful of cities.

Japan needs economic and fiscal reform, and if it can implement both of these, a great many other problems will take care of themselves.

The issue is a lack of daycare centers for the 73% of mothers who are already working and this government's empty promises. 

Japan has already encouraged day care centers to accept more children than they have room for and allowed new facilities to be opened without playgrounds as long as there are parks in the vicinity. Japan’s day care centers have undergone enough deregulation already. What is truly needed is an overhaul of working conditions and nursery salaries. Subpar wage standards hardly do justice to the grueling, highly technical nature of the work.

>

Sam Watters Today  08:11 am JST

Doesn't have kids, doesn't understand family problems. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, doesn't understand money problems. Carried from privilege to privilege, doesn't understand responsibility. The wrong guy for the job.

Wow! Nailed it!

As was said the shortage is not countrwide even within Tokyo some wards got openings others zip.

Plus. there is a shortage of trained staff, plus vertification can take years.

Add in government requirements. 0yrs old 1 staff for 3 kids older(5-6) 1 staff for 7 kids.

Hence few openings for ages 0-,,;3. 4-6 is easier.

Tower mansion make it worse= big sudden incrrase in demand.

It's not the central government's issue, it's a local government issue. Basically the only thing the central government can do is provide funds, make regulations lacks and hope for the best BUT unfortunately there are a lot of NIMBYs against developing daycare centers among the general population.

Time saving version of every policy article: Nothing. Will. Ever. Change.

A lot of kindergartens nowadays are switching over to the kodomoen system which offers after school care for kids with working parents and offer the same sort of payment system like nursery schools depending on the salary of the parents. Forget depending on the government for anything, kindergartens are doing things on their own.

18yrs ago beforey son was born we couldn't find a daycare for a 0yr old..

Had to put him into one next station over, following year he got into a city run one.

1st one is now certified by the City.

Applying early and knowing how the points for placement are awarded helps. Applications are processed ONCE a year.

So now a waiting list for a waiting list. Progress?

I see public childcare in Japan as an all or nothing. If you are lucky and get your child in, you get a great service that is very heavily subsidized and costs you very little. If you don't get in, you get nothing. It's just as unfair as companies who use seishain and non-seishain to do exactly the same work.

So I think the easiest and fairest way to provide more places and pay nursery staff non-slave wages would be to charge more. The big lack of places is for under threes, and most people in Japan will be paying less than 30,000 a month for care with lunch provided. It's far too little for what is being provided. I would charge at least 10,000 yen a month more and use the extra revenue to provide more places, or alternatively give it as extra child benefit to stay-at-home parents. To stop low earners using childcare (super common in inaka), I would consider paying stay at home parents 40,000 or more a month in child benefit for under threes, on the condition that they do not use public childcare. Over threes go in classes with a low staffing ratio and relatively difficulty in finding a place somewhere.

He's deliberately driving the country into the ground because that is what enables dictators to start a permanent reign.

He'll create a solution to this problem and package it together with Article 9 and other constitution changes in order to force it through - if you want daycare you have to vote LDP / New Overseas Wars.

This is strange - doesn't the central government have unlimited funds and ability to give the people anything they want? Come on Abe, ignore budget constraints, the economy and the massive debt and make it happen already.

What is truly needed is an overhaul of working conditions and nursery salaries. Subpar wage standards hardly do justice to the grueling, highly technical nature of the work.

This is so true! While most wages are pitiful in this country, some of the big companies are paying far better. An imbalance when you look at the bigger picture of keeping an economy moving and keeping the spirits of a nation up. And from these different sectors (well-paying companies.. and the rest) guess which is thriving in comparison.

Meh, anyway - who needs basic services like childcare, right..? I sometimes feel Abe's 'arrows' are designed to hurt the populace more than help them. He's done more damage to Japan than terrorism and North Korea combined.

screw the future we have a to make a buck!

It's always 5+ years from now, it's never now. Start moving willing oyajis to adjacent prefectures for every new space needed for a daycare. That way you would have a ....gasp.... plan

Well that is BS. Mothers need to take their children and place them all around the Olympic stadium and I promise you the government will make day cares for them, like countries make homeless shelters to get them off the street so the rest of the world does not see them. Of course after the Olympics they shut/tear them down and let the homeless back on the streets...

On a more serious note and as I had mentioned before, new mothers/young people not in work should babysit/make small daycares at their own residence. They would make money on the side and help the working mothers.

I have no idea the laws for babysitting/daycare/occupancy in one's own home, but even if only a few kids at each residence it would greatly help. 

Women are not going to stop having children and women are not going to want to stop working and those who do not have work, now can and it would be steady, just like nursing. A win for everyone, including the economy.

Yeah seems he is just waiting for the birth rate to decline to almost zero then claim success when there are no kids left to fill the same number of vacancies they have now. Pretty sad that his excuse is that he was soooo successful at getting women back in to the workforce that it caused the day care problem to become unmanageable. Nice try, but not buying it.

...exactly where are higher wages going to come from?

Where are the higher wages that I mentioned coming from now? Many companies are still posting healthy profits (as difficult as governments and cultural attitudes have made it).

I don't disagree with the points you make. And yes, I am aware of the falling population, thanks. But Japan is also notoriously ultra conservative with most things. Example: Japan's school system is one of the most expensive to attend in the developed world, yet it's overheads are the lowest. Think about that for a moment.

Do you believe that childcare/kindergarten staff deserve to be paid peanuts for their skilled and highly answerable line of work?

Ask yourself - if the current government found a way to stabilize the economy and stimulate growth again - would wages go up and working hours down of the labor market's own volition? Of course not! TIJ!

With that in mind, the least the government could do is step in from time to time and ensure that people are being paid fairly, and working in reasonable conditions. Stop some of this 'human labor trafficking' that has been happening for so long now that it has become the norm, and is now starting to cause irreparable damage to this society.

Another glorious victory for Abenomics. He can get permission for his mate to open an unnecessary veterinary school but can't open nurseries.

This is so true! While most wages are pitiful in this country, some of the big companies are paying far better.

Japan's population is falling, in case you haven't heard the news. More than 75% of Japanese businesses pay no tax, because they earn no profit. With fewer people, there are fewer sales. Fewer sales means less revenue for profit, taxes, and pay. With Japan's population set to fall by one-third over the next four decades, that means one-third fewer consumers. With jobs and companies already barely getting by, exactly where are higher wages going to come from?

Once again, the population decline and lack of daycare centers are symptoms of larger problems. And these larger problems must be solved before we can address the smaller ones.

anything bad he does today, anything good...after the magic 2020.

PM Abe should be ashamed of himself children need daycare centers. But Abe knows no shame.....