Health minister: Abolition of medical care scheme for elderly aged 75 and older will be delayed

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Elimination of national standards for day-care centers threatens children’s safety

The government plans to abolish the national minimum standards for public day-care centers for children, a serious move which threatens children’s safety.

The government panel on decentralization is recommending that the government abolish the standards, including the minimum size and number of staff that day-care centers are required to have, and allow local municipalities to set their own standards. Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio said that the government will swiftly move on the recommendation.

The panel insists that the national standards prevent local governments from building day-care centers in accordance with their situations. Citing financial difficulties as a reason, the national and local governments are encouraging private sector businesses to participate in day-care services instead of building new public facilities.

Tokyo already promotes the corporate participation of childcare services by establishing its own standards that are lower than the national standards.

Accidents have occurred at day-care centers run by private companies in Tokyo. For example, a child fell down a steep flight of stairs; a baby accidentally swallowed a toy for older children in a classroom where children of different ages were taken care of all together due to the shortage of staff; and a company suddenly closed its day-care centers due to financial difficulties.

Teramachi Toko, a lawyer of parents whose child died of suffocation at an unauthorized day-care center in Tokyo in 2001, severely criticizes the abolition of the national standards.

The child died after being pressed against another baby who was put next to him in the same bed. Two babies were always put in one bed in the facility because of lack of space. The accident became a major social issue, and the government in the same year revised the Child Welfare Law and added standards for private day-care centers.

“Elimination of the minimum standards for public day-care centers would lead to the easing of standards for private day-care centers,” said Teramachi.

- Akahata, October 26, 2009