Japan set to outline new measures to promote child rearing in March

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday gave Masanobu Ogura, the minister in charge of policies for children, until the end of March to come up with an outline of new measures to support child rearing families in Japan.

Kishida aims to double the government’s budget earmarked for addressing child rearing issues in the country as declining birthrates continue to beleaguer Japanese society. The government plans to include an outline of new measures in the annual economic and fiscal policy guidelines due out in June.

The prime minister instructed Ogura to consider expanding child benefits, improving services related to child education and beefing up support for parents to raise children while working.