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August 11, 2026
 

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CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AGENCY

The number of elementary school children on waiting lists for after-school care facilities fell for the second straight year as the capacity of such facilities improved.
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2026
Waitlist for after-school care down for second year in Japan
By prefecture, Tokyo had the largest number of children on waiting lists, followed by Saitama and Hyogo, while Fukui had no children on such waiting lists.
The Children and Families Agency says language should not be a barrier to calling the 189 hotline.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
May 27, 2026
Built for speed: Inside Â鶹´«Ã½ child protection system
In Japan, sources such as schools, neighbors, and the 189 hotline all feed into a child protection system designed to surface potential risks early, even when certainty is low.
The Children and Families Agency has established a subsidy system to make it easier to secure child support payments from former spouses.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 4, 2026
Japan to subsidize costs to seize salaries and assets for child support
The subsidy system was created in line with the revised Civil Code, which entered into force Wednesday.
In response to concerns that some children have reservations about discussing their issues with adults, the Children and Families Agency established a project team of about 30 officials in autumn 2024 to hear what children's have to say.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2026
Japan launches campaign to encourage children to talk about problems
The campaign focuses on creating an environment in which children can consult with adults comfortably.
The number of children registered for <i>gakud¨­ hoiku</i> after-school care facilities for elementary school students rose by 50,693 to 1,570,645 as of May 1, hitting a record high, according to the Children and Families Agency.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 23, 2025
Waiting lists for gakud¨­ hoiku after-school facilities shorten after four years
The decline has been attributed to local governments improving such facilities¡¯ capacity to accommodate children.
Hitoshi Kikawada (second from left), minister in charge of children¡¯s policies, speaks during an expert panel meeting at the the Children and Families Agency on Monday.
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2025
Experts draft guidelines for Japanese version of Britain¡¯s Disclosure and Barring Service
The system from the Children and Families Agency would allow businesses to check the sexual offense records of teachers and others whose work involves contact with children.
The Children and Families Agency will launch a model project for the provision of after-school care for elementary students at companies, aiming to reduce waiting lists for gakud¨­ hoiku facilities.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 18, 2025
Eyeing waiting lists, Japan plans model project for after-school care at firms
The Children and Families Agency is aiming to help reduce the length of waiting lists for gakud¨­ hoiku after-school care facilities and support working parents.
The number of children who died from abuse totaled 65 in Japan in fiscal 2023, down by seven from the preceding year, according to the government.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 11, 2025
Japan records 65 child abuse deaths in fiscal 2023
The number is down by seven from the preceding year, according to the Children and Families Agency.
Temporary shelters for abused or at-risk children in Japan's major cities are overwhelmed, as staff shortages and prolonged stays strain the child welfare system.
JAPAN
Jul 21, 2025
Temporary child protection facilities in major cities hit capacity as staff shortages deepen
Extended stays by children who have nowhere else to go also compound the problem.
The Japanese version of the U.K.¡¯s Disclosure and Barring Service aims to ensure a safe learning environment for children by facilitating checks for records of sexual offenses for those working in jobs involving contact with children such as education or child care.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 1, 2025
Japan expands scope of background checks amid child safety concerns
The expanded guidelines will apply not only to schools and kindergartens, but also to community spaces such as children¡¯s cafeterias and talent agencies.
Junko Mihara, minister for children-related policies, said at the start of the meeting that "the government will work as one to advance efforts" to tackle sex crimes against children.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 26, 2025
Japan holds first preparatory panel meeting on sex crime background checks
Junko Mihara, minister for children-related policies, said that ¡°the government will work as one to advance efforts¡± to tackle sex crimes against children.
Students' opinions are being sought on a planned system for checking whether teachers have sexual crime records.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 18, 2025
Government to seek students¡¯ opinions for sexual abuse prevention
Around 12 students will be selected by lottery from volunteers to participate in the upcoming session.
The Children and Families Agency will conduct a survey in an effort to offer better assistance measures for expectant mothers in trouble.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 9, 2025
Japan to study ways to help more pregnant women in danger
As of January, 23 prefectural and municipal governments have taken part in a program to offer temporary housing, meals and medical services to struggling women and their babies.
Runaway youths have recently been gathering in areas such as the Toyoko area of the Kabukicho entertainment district in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, where they often get into trouble.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2025
Japan to allow youths to stay at shelters without parental consent
Those under the age of 18 will be able to use shelters even if obtaining prior consent from those with parental authority is expected to be difficult.
Some local governments are launching initiatives outside schools to support children who are bullied at school.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 30, 2024
Japan working to address school bullying through local support
¡°It¡¯s necessary to solve the problem in local communities rather than leaving it to schools,¡± a senior official said.
A room in a temporary shelter in Kanagawa Prefecture for young people who have run away from home due to abuse and other reasons
JAPAN / Society
Sep 30, 2024
Â鶹´«Ã½ children¡¯s agency looks to set up shelters for runaways
The agency has launched a project offering subsidies to prefectures and major cities that set up runaway shelters.
A child consultation center in Fukuoka Prefecture. Households frequently relocating within short periods experienced a lack of proper handovers of child abuse cases between local governments.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 12, 2024
Over 40% of fatal child abuse victims under age of 1, survey shows
Excluding cases of murder-suicide, the number of children in Japan who died from abuse stood at 56.
The number of children on nursery waiting lists as of April dropped 4.2% from a year before, marking the lowest level since records began in 1994.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 30, 2024
Number of children on nursery waiting lists in Japan hits new low
The figure apparently reflects a decrease in the number of preschool children, stemming from the country¡¯s low birth rate.
Revised guidelines on municipal governments' postpartum care programs will likely include care for women who temporarily stay at their parents' homes to give birth.
JAPAN
Aug 22, 2024
Japan to revise guidelines for local government postpartum care
The upcoming revision comes as some local governments face difficulties implementing postpartum care projects by themselves.
The child care program under discussion is aimed at addressing the issue of isolation of parents raising young children and fostering their growth through interactions with other kids.
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2024
Japan discussing details of day care for all infants
Under the program, set to launch by fiscal 2025, day care services will be available for all children aged 6 months to 2 years.
America¡¯s cyberforces grapple with cluster of deaths by suicide
The U.S. Cyber Command building (center) stands on the National Security Agency campus at Fort Meade, Maryland.
Many Indonesians named after Japanese anime characters
Some people in Indonesia are named Doraemon, the name of a lead character of the blockbuster anime series with the same title.
Yasukuni Shrine introduces ban on military attire and cosplay
People gather in front of thousands of lanterns on display at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on July 15 during the Mitama Matsuri, one of the capital&#039;s largest summer o-Bon festivals.
As countries ban social media for children, Japan mulls a different approach
Data from NTT Docomo¡¯s Mobile Society Research Institute released in June found that 55% of respondents across all age groups said they fiddled with their phones when they had nothing to do, even when another person was in front of them.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Â鶹´«Ã½ concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo&#039;s Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.
Â鶹´«Ã½ brewers experiment with a secret ingredient: music
At Smoke Craft, a craft beer brewery in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, music isn&#039;t just a background to the brewing process ¡ª it&#039;s an ingredient.
As countries ban social media for children, Japan mulls a different approach
Data from NTT Docomo¡¯s Mobile Society Research Institute released in June found that 55% of respondents across all age groups said they fiddled with their phones when they had nothing to do, even when another person was in front of them.
J. League enters new era as league kicks off first fall-spring campaign
Players from each J. League club pose during a kickoff event on Monday ahead of the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Â鶹´«Ã½ earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

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