A survey of 109 major Japanese municipalities reveals that nearly 60% remove elementary school children from after-school care when parents take parental leave. Specifically, 69 municipalities including Niigata and Kobe prohibit children from remaining enrolled during a parent’s leave period. Furthermore, nine municipalities that disclosed figures reported 655 children removed from after-school care between fiscal 2023 and 2025. Advocates warn the actual nationwide figure is considerably higher.
After-school care programs serve elementary students from dual-income and single-parent households across Japan. As dual-income families have grown, enrollment reached a record 1.57 million children as of May 2025. Consequently, these programs have become essential infrastructure for working families managing children’s daily routines. However, the survey exposes a significant policy gap that forces older siblings out when parents welcome a new baby.
Of the 69 municipalities barring enrollment during parental leave, 61 require older siblings to withdraw immediately. Only eight municipalities handle such cases flexibly based on individual family circumstances. Additionally, most remaining municipalities had not even compiled data tracking how many children face this situation. Matsuyama reported 214 affected children, Utsunomiya 159, and Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward 59 over the three-year survey period.
The Children and Families Agency maintains that parental leave qualifies under the Child Welfare Law’s eligibility criteria for after-school care. However, the agency has not widely communicated this position to local governments across Japan. As a result, many municipalities have independently concluded that children of parents on leave do not qualify. Tokyo’s Edogawa Ward, after learning the government’s actual position, plans to begin accepting such children this fiscal year.
Education professor Yoshie Abe of Kogakuin University argues that removing children from familiar environments solely due to parental leave is fundamentally problematic. Indeed, the Japan after-school care association plans to formally request government intervention to address the situation. Going forward, advocates and education experts are calling on the central government to issue clearer national guidance. Without explicit policy direction, inconsistent local interpretations will continue disrupting children’s stability during an already significant family transition period.
