[Japan] ¥10,000 monthly benefit for high school children considered

The Japanese government is considering expanding its child benefits programme to award ¥10,000 per month per head to high school children up to the age of 18, Japan Times reports.

On May 24 sources disclosed the potential expansion, adding that - as part of efforts to combat Japan’s falling birthrate - the government is also preparing to double the benefits to ¥30,000 per head for families’ third and later children between the age of 3 and junior high school age.

Expanding the benefits is a key policy of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the move is reportedly intended to implement “measures on a different level” to prevent the birthrate from further declining. It forms part of a package of measures to be implemented intensively over a three-year period from April 2024.

The government will determine details of the planned expansion of the programme - including whether to scrap its income limit - at the Children’s Future Strategy Council, chaired by the prime minister. The decision will be included in the government’s annual basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines, set for release in June.

Monthly benefits in Japan currently stand at ¥15,000 per child under 3, for families with annual income below certain set levels.

The monthly amount for children older than 3 but below junior high school age is ¥10,000 for the first and second child and ¥15,000 for the third and later child. For children of junior high school age, the amount is a uniform rate of ¥10,000.

The government is reportedly aiming to generate ¥3 trillion annually to fund measures to battle the falling birthrate by reducing expenditures and raising social insurance premiums. Of this figure, over ¥1 trillion is expected to be spent on the expansion to child benefit.

In addition, the government is said to be considering cutting a tax deduction for dependents to help finance the measures - if it does decide to raise the eligible age for child benefits - according to the sources.

Source: Japan Times

The Japanese government is considering expanding its child benefits programme to award ¥10,000 per month per head to high school children up to the age of 18, Japan Times reports.

On May 24 sources disclosed the potential expansion, adding that - as part of efforts to combat Japan’s falling birthrate - the government is also preparing to double the benefits to ¥30,000 per head for families’ third and later children between the age of 3 and junior high school age.

Expanding the benefits is a key policy of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the move is reportedly intended to implement “measures on a different level” to prevent the birthrate from further declining. It forms part of a package of measures to be implemented intensively over a three-year period from April 2024.

The government will determine details of the planned expansion of the programme - including whether to scrap its income limit - at the Children’s Future Strategy Council, chaired by the prime minister. The decision will be included in the government’s annual basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines, set for release in June.

Monthly benefits in Japan currently stand at ¥15,000 per child under 3, for families with annual income below certain set levels.

The monthly amount for children older than 3 but below junior high school age is ¥10,000 for the first and second child and ¥15,000 for the third and later child. For children of junior high school age, the amount is a uniform rate of ¥10,000.

The government is reportedly aiming to generate ¥3 trillion annually to fund measures to battle the falling birthrate by reducing expenditures and raising social insurance premiums. Of this figure, over ¥1 trillion is expected to be spent on the expansion to child benefit.

In addition, the government is said to be considering cutting a tax deduction for dependents to help finance the measures - if it does decide to raise the eligible age for child benefits - according to the sources.

Source: Japan Times