High-income families, and mothers especially, are decrying the government’s plan to revise its childcare allowance policy, possibly cutting special benefits and revising eligibility guidelines for high-income households for fiscal year 2021.
As it currently stands, high-income households with children in junior high school or younger receive a special benefit as part of a child care allowance (児童手当; jidou te-ate). A revised plan would lower that number from 5,000 yen per month (~$48 USD) to 2,500 yen (~$24 USD).
The government also plans to change how income is calculated for these households, causing some families to no longer be eligible for the special benefits. Instead of determining benefits based on the highest earner’s income in a household with two working parents, eligibility would be based on the combined income of both parents. Under the new criteria, some households are in danger of receiving no benefits at all.
So, what’s the government planning to do with the extra funds? The plan is to reroute those funds for expanding child care services and reducing the number of children on nursery school waiting lists. As of April 1, 2020, there were a total of 12,439 children on waiting lists, and that number is expected to rise.
Survey Results Reveal Negativity Towards Government
As you can imagine, the response — from mothers and politicians alike — has been largely negative.
The plan is to reroute those funds for expanding child care services and reducing the number of children on nursery school waiting lists. Click To TweetIn early November app developer Karadanote sent out a survey to its e-magazine subscribers which garnered 1,842 participants. 80% of those surveyed opposed revising special benefits and income level criteria. 57% of respondents said they used the special benefits for their children’s private funds, while 18% used them for living expenses. Many questioned whether one working adult would have to shift from full-time to part-time work in order for the family to remain eligible for special benefits. Others said they wouldn’t want to have a second child if they couldn’t receive benefits.
If you’re thinking this plan seems to counteract the government’s emphasis on raising the birth rate, you’re not the only one. Yamada Taro, an LDP member in the House of Councilors, took to his YouTube channel to vehemently oppose the allowance revisions, saying this would cut off support for more than 1 million children and affect the decreasing birth rate even more. Both the Komeito and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan have also expressed their opposition to the government’s plan. Komeito Secretary-General Ishii Keichi and CDP chairman Izumi Kenta stated the proposed plan would dissuade many from wanting to have children.
Distrust over the Government’s Motives
Business Insider writer Takeshita Ikuko summarized the general impression of women: "This is nothing more than economic domestic violence by the government." Click To TweetPeople vented their frustrations through the Twitter hashtag #児童手当の特例給付廃止に反対します, and a Change.org petition was set up to demand the government settle the waiting list issue without drawing from child care allowance funds. Business Insider writer Takeshita Ikuko summarized the general impression of women: “This is nothing more than economic domestic violence by the government.”
The coronavirus pandemic is already putting a strain on households and their finances. Cutting sorely needed benefits now would be a serious blow to families. Women, more so than men, are faring poorly in the economic slump, with single mothers suffering the most. Former Prime Minister Abe’s stimulus plan already left many women in a lurch. Abe’s shoddy “womenomics” policy already punish women who work full-time. How is reducing childcare benefits going to encourage women to work or start a family?
Takeshita said it best in her Business Insider article on this issue:
雇用が冷え込む中、整合性のない政策で女性たちを混乱させ、キャリアや子育てを断念させている場合ではない。
This isn’t the time to be confusing women with inconsistent policies when they’re being forced to abandon their careers and raise kids during a hiring slump.
Takeshita Ikuko
