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Yokohama officials said this week that the city was unable to complete its project "zero" on schedule by the end of fiscal 2013. The "zero" project is aimed at reducing the number of young children who cannot get into daycare centers or early education programs, to zero.
Yokohama city officials first announced their plans in April 2013. However, on April 1 this year, there were 20 children who were still unable to enter into requested facilities, TBS reported Wednesday.
According to city officials, at the time the announcement of project "zero," was made in April of last year, there were a record 4,000 children whose parents had applied to put them into daycare centers or early education programs. The number was the highest ever recorded, and a huge increase in comparison to previous years.
Since the project announcement, the city successfully increased its ability to host a larger capacity of young children in need of childcare. However, over the last year, there was a sudden increase of nearly 1,000 families with one year-old children seeking to move into the Yokohama area, TBS reported.
As a result, the city announced it would be unable to complete project "zero" in the desired time. Officials said they will work to increase the city's capacity to allow for an influx of over 3,700 people in the near future.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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fxgai
Shows just how bad the situation is that people actually move their home so as to be able to get service.
Cricky
But Mr Abe said he wanted more women in the work force and more children....?
M3M3M3
I think this article is a bit unfair to Yokohama. It doesn't mention that Yokohama is by far the best major city in this respect. No one else has even managed to come close to getting the waiting list down to zero. The fact that only 20 kids are on the waiting list should be put into context as a great acheivement. Its not a scandal!
I'm really proud to live in Yokohama, with rental bikes and the choi-mobi. We were also the first to ban smoking in pachinko parlours and public places, also to require seperate handwashing facilities in all restaurants. We are a bit like the San Francisco of Japan in my opinion. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
B.B.Q.Demon
What happened to, "We need more kids. We need to increase the birthrate"? Obviously, making Japan into a country where people want to raise families isn't a priority. Even with the low birthrate, the government can't supply adequate day care. And Abe wants to increase women's participation in the workforce? He wants to have his cake and eat it, too. "Women, get to work! And have more babies! Oh, sorry, there's no daycare." Fail! Bet the lame moderator axes this post. Anyone else think this site's moderator is the worst?
Open Minded
Come on! There were 2,000 kids on waiting list in April 2013 and just 20 left out after only one year of the plan!
Hats off Yokohama! This is what I call bold and efficient politic. This shows it is possible, even in Japan!
kaimycahl
B.B.Q.Demon
I agree with your statement