Japan's capital pours $13bn into child care support as births fall

Measures include monthly payments and egg-freezing subsidy

20230127N Tokyo family

All Tokyo families will be eligible to receive $38 a month for each child aged 18 or younger under the proposed budget. © Reuters

TOMOYA USHIYAMA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Friday unveiled a record-breaking budget proposal for fiscal 2023 that earmarks 1.65 trillion yen ($12.7 billion) for measures to help families who are raising children or planning to do so.

A key part of the package is a monthly subsidy of 5,000 yen, or $38, to households for each child aged 18 or younger, with the first year's worth of payments to come next January. Child care will also be made free of charge for second children up to age 2 starting in October. Neither of these measures will have income limits.

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