Japan Press Weekly

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2008 September 17 - 23 [WELFARE]

Stop adverse institutional system for childcare services

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Many Japanese parents and childcare workers are coming to a crucial point in the struggle for better childcare. They are increasingly anxious about and infuriated by the government move to have national and local governments evade their financial responsibilities to provide childcare services and allow the private sector to run for-profit childcare centers.

The present “reform” plan is in conformity with a business circles’ strong demand that a direct contract system between parents and day-care centers be introduced and that the minimum standards for childcare services be abolished. This is the beginning of childcare services being left to the mercy of the market.

Parents, childcare workers, and academics have steadily developed and improved Japan’s childcare systems through their struggles for many years. Thanks to their efforts, the number of day-care centers has increased and services for infants as well as extra hours of childcare have become available.

On the other hand, the government has kept funding levels for maintaining and improving childcare centers as low as possible. It has neglected to improve staffing and facilities. As a result, childcare workers’ working conditions have worsened. In some municipalities, more than half of childcare workers are part-time workers.

Policy of leaving childcare services to market forces is failing

A series of adverse reforms of social programs, which the government has promoted as part of its “structural reform” policy, have been failing. By establishing the nursing care insurance system and the law to assist the “self-support” of the disabled, the government has left social services to market forces. As a result, an increasing number of the elderly and disabled are unable to receive various services now. A wide range of citizens is now calling for a halt to the new health insurance system for the elderly aged 75 and over.

The government should take the people’s demands seriously and fulfill its responsibility to provide them with better childcare services.