Kishida eyes Japan’s child care budget boost of about 3.5 tril. yen

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed his ministers on Wednesday to increase Japan’s annual child care budget by around 3.5 trillion yen ($25 billion) during a three-year target period to cope with the declining birth rate.

The figure marks an increase from the around 3 trillion yen previously suggested for child care support from fiscal 2024. To secure part of the funding, the government will issue bridge bonds until it decides on an alternative, stable funding source by fiscal 2028, sources familiar with the discussions said.

A draft plan detailing how the government aims to support child-...