Preschool education and childcare will be free（幼児教育・保育の無償化）

Usage fees for children who attend a specified educational or childcare facility (a kindergarten or the educational division of an approved kodomo-en) during hours allotted for education are free (from when the child reaches 3 years of age until graduation from kindergarten/approved kodomo-en)

Fees for school lunches (main (staple) food and side dishes) and fees for events, etc., are not free.

For kindergartens/approved kodomo-en which provide school lunches, children from households with a yearly income of a sum equivalent to 3,600,000 yen or less, and children who are the third or after in a family (counting in descending order of age among the children in the family who are in grades 1-3 of elementary school or who are pre-school children using nursery schools, etc.) will be exempted from the fees for side dishes.

In addition to fees for hours allotted for education, childcare fees for children who require before- or after-hours childcare are also free, within a specified amount.

Upper limit: 11,300 yen per month

However, the sum of 450 yen multiplied by the number of days used will be compared with the actual childcare fee paid. The lower of the two figures will become the amount which is made free.

Children of 3 years of age (until the last day of the financial year in which the day of the child’s third birthday falls) are only eligible if there is a need for childcare and additionally the child is from a household exempt from municipal tax. Upper limit: 16,300 yen per month.

In order to be eligible for the free day care service, you must apply for certification of the need for child care before using the service.

Q. Are fees for children of all ages free?

A. Fees for children enrolled in classes for children of 3- to 5-years of age are free.

(Enrolled children of 3 years of age, and children in ‘nensho’, ‘nenchu’ and ‘nencho’ classes)

Q. Which fees are free?

A. Entrance fees and childcare fees are free until a total amount of 25,700 yen. 

The fees for school lunches (main (staple) food and side dishes) and fees for events, etc., are free.

Children from households with a yearly income of a sum equivalent to 3,600,000 yen or less, and children who are the third child or after in a family, will be exempted from the fees for side dishes.

Q. Are any formalities necessary to have fees made free?

A. The formalities will be completed by the approved kodomo-en or kindergarten that your child is due to attend. Bank transfer formalities may be necessary for the payment of fees for side dishes. For more details, please contact the approved kodomo-en, etc.

Q. Are fees for before- or after-hours childcare, other than hours allotted to education, also free?

A. Only in the case that childcare has been judged to be necessary for the child because of the parents’ or guardians’ work, etc., fees for before- or after-hours childcare will become free, subject to an upper limit. If childcare is not judged to be necessary, the fees for before- or after-hours childcare will not become free.

Q. Which fees for before- or after-hours childcare are free?

A. There is an upper limit of 11,300 yen per month. The sum of 450 yen multiplied by the number of days used will be compared with the actual childcare fee paid. The lower of the two figures will become the amount which is made free.

(Children of 3 years of age (until the last day of the financial year in which the day of the child’s third birthday falls) are only eligible if there is a need for childcare and additionally the child is from a household exempt from municipal tax. Upper limit: 16,300 yen per month.)

The fees for snacks, etc., provided during before- or after-hours childcare are not free.

Q. Are any formalities necessary to have fees made free?

A. In order to be eligible for the free day care service, you must apply for certification of the need for child care before using the service. The necessary application forms will be distributed through kindergartens or approved kodomo-en. The necessary application forms will be distributed through each nursery school, so please submit them along with the necessary documents to the nursery school or the Child Care Division of the City Office.

Q. If the child attends a non-authorized childcare facility, etc., will those fees also become free?

A. If the facility which the child attends does not provide before- or after-hours childcare, or if the before- or after-hours childcare provided by the facility does not meet the necessary standards for hours or days of childcare provided (8 hours or more on weekdays, 200 days or more per year), the fees for before- or after-hours childcare, and the fees for usage of the non-authorized childcare facility, will be free, subject to an upper limit. For details, please contact each facility.

• Childcare fees for all children are free.
• Fees for side dishes (food, snacks, etc.) are not free.
  *If multiple children are using nursery schools at the same time, the third and subsequent children will be exempt from the side dish fee.
• Fees for main dishes, fees for events, etc., are not free.
• Please note that fees for extended hours childcare and out-of-hours childcare is not free.

• Childcare fees are free for children from households exempt from municipal tax.
• Side meal costs are included in the childcare fee.

Q. What age range is eligible for free child care/preschool education?

A. Children enrolled in classes for 3- to 5-year olds (the ‘Nensho’, ‘Nenchu’ and ‘Nencho’ classes) are eligible. Children who reach their 3rd birthday while enrolled in a class for 2-year old children are not eligible for free child care/preschool education until enrolled in a class for 3-year olds. (This does not apply to members of households exempt from municipal tax.)

Q. Which costs are free?

A. Costs included in the childcare fees are free, apart from the costs for side dishes (food, snacks, etc.). 

Q. Are fees for extended-hours childcare and out-of-hours childcare  free?

A. These fees are not free.

Q. Will the fees for side dishes for the second child be halved, as with the fees for childcare?

A. The fees for side dishes for the second child will not be halved. Children from households with a yearly income of a sum equivalent to 3,600,000 yen or less, and children who are the third child or after in a family (counting in descending order of age among the children in the family who are in grades 1-3 of elementary school or who are pre-school children using nursery schools, etc.) will be exempted from the fees for side dishes.

Q. Are any formalities necessary to have fees made free?

A. Formalities are necessary. the application for enrolment into a nursery school, etc., includes the application to have fees made free.

Q. If the child also using a non-authorized childcare facility, will those fees also be made free?

   A. For children enrolled in a nursery school or the nursery school facilities of an approved kodomo-en, in a small-scale nursery school business, or an enterprise-oriented childcare business, the childcare fees for a non-authorized childcare facility, etc. will not be made free.

• Classes for 3- to 5-year olds: Up to ¥37,000 per month is eligible for free childcare.
• Classes for 0- to 2-year olds: Up to ¥42,000 per month is eligible for free childcare. (Only for children of households exempt from municipal tax)
• In order to be eligible for free childcare fees, it is necessary to apply to receive a judgement that childcare is necessary for the child, because of the parents’ or guardians’ work, etc.
• Fees for temporary childcare, sick children childcare, and usage of the Family Support Center are not free.

• Fees for lunches, fees for transport to and from the nursery school/kindergarten, etc., fees for events, etc., are not free. 
• In order to receive a judgement that childcare is necessary for the child, an application is necessary. For details, please contact the facility your child is currently enrolled in, or the Child Care Division of the City Office.
• To receive free childcare, parents must pay the fees initially, submit receipts and other necessary documents to the facility or the Child Care Division of the City Office, and the city will then provide the funds.
• If you are currently using a nursery school or certified childcare center, fees for non-licensed childcare facilities are not eligible for the free childcare program.

Child Care Division (Hoiku-ka, 保育課) : 082-420-0934
Location: 2F Main building