A nationwide guide to childrearing support: national, prefectural, and municipal programs organized
The money and programs available for raising children are built up in overlapping layers: "national programs (common nationwide)," "prefectural add-ons," and "municipal add-ons." This is why, even with the same annual income and the same family makeup, the age up to which medical costs are free, the childcare fees, and the treatment of school meal costs change depending on where you live. This article first systematically organizes the national programs common across the country, then covers how the prefectural and municipal add-ons work, including the efforts of well-known local governments such as Tokyo and Akashi City, based on official materials (the Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and others).
Think of childrearing support as "a three-story building"
The shortcut to understanding the system correctly is to view support as three layers. At the base are the national programs common nationwide, and on top of them the prefectures' and municipalities' own support is stacked.
Even for national programs, the child allowance and childrearing-related benefits are, in most cases, handled by the municipality where you live (only the lump-sum childbirth and childcare grant is handled by the health insurance you belong to). "Because it's a national program, you get it automatically" is not necessarily true; many require an application. First, check with your municipality's childrearing support desk.
[National ①] Child allowance (greatly expanded in October 2024)
The core of childrearing support is the child allowance. Starting with the October 2024 portion, the program was greatly expanded[Government Public Relations Online (in Japanese)].
- The income limit was abolished (all households become eligible regardless of annual income)
- Extended to the high-school-age bracket (until the first March 31 after turning 18)
- Increased to ¥30,000 a month for the third child and beyond (the count of children includes up to the end of the fiscal year in which a child turns 22)
- Payment changed to six times a year in even-numbered months (two months' worth at a time)
| Child's age | First and second child | Third child and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to under 3 | ¥15,000 a month | ¥30,000 a month |
| 3 to high-school-age bracket | ¥10,000 a month | ¥30,000 a month |
* The "child and childrearing support levy" deducted from your monthly salary is applied to funding this expansion and the like. The mechanism is explained in The child and childrearing support levy withheld from salary.
[National ②] Money you can receive for pregnancy and childbirth
Childbirth itself also comes with substantial benefits.
- Lump-sum childbirth and childcare grant: when a person enrolled in public medical insurance gives birth, in principle ¥500,000 per child (increased from ¥420,000 in April 2023). In many cases, a method of paying it directly to the medical institution can be used[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (in Japanese)].
- Expectant-mother support benefit (childbirth and childrearing encouragement benefit): ¥50,000 at the time of pregnancy and ¥50,000 after birth, worth ¥100,000 in total. The method of implementation differs by local government.
* Company employees and public servants may also receive a childbirth allowance from health insurance during the pre- and post-birth and childcare-leave period. The full picture of pregnancy and childbirth money is explained in detail in A guide to the money you can receive for childbirth and childcare.
[National ③] Free early childhood education and childcare
For all children aged 3 to 5, and for children aged 0 to 2 in households exempt from residence tax, the usage fees for kindergartens, nursery schools, certified centers for early childhood education and care, and the like become free[Children and Families Agency (in Japanese)].
| Category | What is free |
|---|---|
| Ages 3 to 5 (all households) | Usage fees for kindergartens, nursery schools, and certified centers are free (unlicensed facilities up to ¥37,000 a month) |
| Ages 0 to 2 | Free for households exempt from residence tax (unlicensed facilities up to ¥42,000 a month). The second child is half price and the third child and beyond is free |
Transportation to and from the facility, food ingredient costs, event costs, and the like are outside the scope of the free provision and are, in principle, borne by guardians as before. However, for households equivalent to an annual income under ¥3.6 million, and for the third child and beyond in all households, the cost of side dishes (dishes and snacks) is exempted. Note also that some municipalities make these school meal costs free on their own (see below).
[National ④] High school tuition (the high school enrollment support fund)
High school tuition is supported by the national high school enrollment support fund. The abolition of the income limit is progressing in stages[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (in Japanese)].
- Public high schools: from fiscal 2025, tuition is effectively free-equivalent with no income limit in practice (reference amount ¥118,800 a year).
- Private high schools: in fiscal 2025, an add-on of up to ¥396,000 for households with an annual income under about ¥5.9 million. From fiscal 2026, with no income limit, the support cap is expected to be raised to around ¥457,000 a year.
* Costs other than tuition, such as admission fees and facility maintenance fees, are still required. Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture are advancing free provision on their own, on top of the national program (see below).
[National ⑤] Childcare-leave benefits and the post-birth leave support benefit (from April 2025)
While you take leave from work for childcare, the childcare-leave benefit (in principle 67% of pre-leave wages → 50% from day 181 onward) is paid from employment insurance. Furthermore, from April 2025, the post-birth leave support benefit began[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (in Japanese)].
If, during a certain period immediately after the child's birth, both parents each take childcare leave of 14 days or more, then for up to 28 days the post-birth leave support benefit is added on top of the childcare-leave benefit, paying 80% of pre-leave wages. Combined with the fact that these benefits are tax-exempt and that social insurance premiums are exempted during childcare leave, this comes to about 100% on a take-home basis.
[National ⑥] Support for single parents (the child-rearing allowance)
Single-parent families and the like have the child-rearing allowance. The amount is revised each April in line with prices; at full payment it is in the ¥40,000s per month per child (¥46,690 a month in fiscal 2025), with add-ons for the second child and beyond[Children and Families Agency (in Japanese)]. Starting with the November 2024 portion, the add-on for the third child and beyond was raised to the same amount as for the second child, and the income limit was also eased. Please check the latest amounts and income limits in the Children and Families Agency's announcements.
* Single parents also have a tax preference (the single-parent deduction). Please also see A summary of the single-parent deduction, the widow deduction, and more.
National programs: a quick-reference summary
| Program | Main content | In charge / window |
|---|---|---|
| Child allowance | ¥10,000 to ¥30,000 a month from age 0 to the high-school-age bracket, no income limit | Municipality |
| Lump-sum childbirth and childcare grant | In principle ¥500,000 per child | The health insurance you belong to |
| Expectant-mother support benefit | Worth ¥100,000 in total, at pregnancy plus after birth | Municipality |
| Free early childhood education and childcare | Free usage fees for ages 3 to 5, and more | Municipality |
| High school tuition (enrollment support fund) | Effectively free for public schools; private schools also being expanded | School / prefecture |
| Childcare-leave benefits, etc. | Income compensation during childcare leave; an add-on for about 100% take-home | Hello Work (employment insurance) |
| Child-rearing allowance | In the ¥40,000s per month for single parents, and more | Municipality |
[Prefectures and municipalities] Where the add-ons make a difference
National programs are common nationwide, but on top of them prefectures and municipalities add their own top-ups. The points where differences are likely to appear are as follows.
- Child medical expense subsidies (the age up to which it becomes free, income limits, whether there is a self-pay portion)
- Free school meals (elementary and junior high schools)
- Childcare fees (their own free provision for the first and second child)
- Add-ons to high school tuition (prefectures adding to the national enrollment support fund)
- Their own childbirth congratulatory money, relocation support, and in-home childrearing support
Add-ons for child medical costs, school meal costs, childcare fees, and the like are decided on a municipal basis rather than at the prefectural level, and the eligible age, income limits, and self-pay amounts are reviewed almost every year. This article introduces representative trends and well-known local governments, but always check the latest actual amounts and conditions on the official website of the local government where you live.
The nationwide picture of child medical expense subsidies
Child medical expense subsidies have a framework set by all 47 prefectures, with the actual operation carried out by municipalities. In recent years, the number of local governments expanding it to the end of the fiscal year in which the child turns 18 (equivalent to high school graduation), with no income limit and zero self-pay, is rising sharply[Children and Families Agency (in Japanese)]. For example, all 23 wards of Tokyo subsidize until the end of the fiscal year of age 18 with no income limit, and Osaka City, Sapporo City, and others are also widening the scope to age 18. On the other hand, the eligible age, the treatment of outpatient and inpatient care, and whether there is a self-pay portion differ by local government.
Trends by regional block
Here we organize the broad trends by block (these are only representative examples; there are differences between local governments even within the same block).
Hokkaido and Tohoku
Local governments extending medical expense subsidies to the high-school-age bracket, such as Sapporo City, are expanding. Many cities and towns combine childbirth congratulatory money with relocation and settlement support.
Kanto
Tokyo leads with the 018 Support and the effective free provision of private high school tuition. In Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa too, many local governments subsidize medical costs up to age 18. For details, see the article comparing the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Chubu and Hokuriku
In populous prefectures such as Aichi and Shizuoka, free school meals and reductions in childcare fees for the second child are advancing. Some prefectures are putting effort into relocation support for childrearing households.
Kinki
Osaka Prefecture is implementing fully free high school tuition (with no income limit). Akashi City in Hyogo Prefecture has become a nationwide model with its "five free provisions."
Chugoku and Shikoku
Nagi Town in Okayama Prefecture is known for its high birth rate, developing generous support looking ahead to university graduation. In mountainous areas and remote islands, there is also unique settlement support.
Kyushu and Okinawa
In Fukuoka, Okinawa, and elsewhere, many local governments are advancing medical expense subsidies and reductions in childcare fees. Regions with a relatively high birth rate emphasize their childrearing environment.
* A detailed comparison of the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba) is compiled in Tokyo's childrearing support and a Tokyo-metropolitan-area comparison.
Efforts of well-known local governments (a deeper dive)
Here we introduce local governments that attract nationwide attention for childrearing support, together with their specific content. In every case, because programs are subject to review, check the latest information on each local government's official website.
Ten consecutive years of population growth thanks to the "five free provisions"
Its distinctive policy is to deliver services to all children with no income limit[Akashi City (in Japanese)].
- Medical costs free up to age 18
- Childcare fees free for the second child and beyond (regardless of the age of older siblings or of facilities outside the city)
- A "regular diaper delivery" until the child turns 1 (childrearing goods delivered to the home every month)
- Free junior high school meals
- Free parent-and-child usage fees for public facilities (municipal pools, etc.)
The 018 Support and free tuition and school meals
Its distinctive feature is generous unique measures that the metropolis adds on top of the municipalities[Tokyo 018 Support (in Japanese)].
- 018 Support: ¥5,000 a month per person for ages 0 to 18 (up to ¥60,000 a year)
- Effectively free private high school tuition with no income limit (the metropolis's add-on)
- The first prefecture to implement free childcare fees for the first child
- Free public elementary and junior high school meals across all municipalities in the metropolis
- The 23 wards subsidize medical costs with no income limit until the end of the fiscal year of age 18
"If you're going to become a mother, Nagareyama City." Popular with dual-income households
Putting the ease of dual-income childrearing front and center, its population growth rate has become among the highest nationwide (from 2016 to 2021 it was No. 1 nationwide for six consecutive years).
- Station-front drop-off childcare stations (connecting nursery schools by bus and handling morning and evening drop-off and pickup on your behalf; available at low cost)
- Town development combining good access to the city center with a childrearing environment
A "miracle town" with a high total fertility rate
Despite being a town of about 6,000 people, it is known for its total fertility rate once reaching the 2.9 range[Cabinet Office, Regional Revitalization (in Japanese)].
- Free children's medical costs, kodomo-en (certified centers), and elementary and junior high school meals
- Childbirth congratulatory money and in-home childrearing support (a monthly allowance)
- Its own add-on to enrollment support for the high-school-age generation
Fully free high school tuition and the abolition of income limits on medical costs
Across the whole prefecture, it is expanding free high school tuition in stages and advancing fully free provision with no income limit.
- Osaka Prefecture: free high school tuition with no income limit (regardless of national, public, or private; implemented in stages to all grades)
- Osaka City: abolished the income limit on child medical expense subsidies, covering ages 0 to 18[Osaka City (in Japanese)]
Steps to look up the support in your own area
① First, grasp the full picture of the national programs (child allowance, lump-sum grant, free provision, etc.) with this article
② On your municipality's official website, search for "childrearing support," "medical expense subsidies," "school meal costs," and "childcare fees"
③ On your prefecture's official website, check the add-on to high school tuition and any unique benefits
④ If you are considering moving, compare the age up to which medical costs are free, income limits, and school meal costs for the place you plan to move to
⑤ Because many programs require an application, at each childbirth or move-in, check at the window that no procedures have been missed
Some childrearing procedures, such as applying for the child allowance, can also be done online. Before going to the local government's window, checking the required documents and eligibility on the official website makes things go smoothly.
Points where people commonly stumble in applying
- Many are application-based: even the child allowance cannot start being received unless you apply together with the notification of birth or move-in.
- Whether there is an income limit differs by program: the child allowance's limit has been abolished, but a local government's own benefits may still have an income limit.
- Conditions change when you move: the age up to which medical costs are free and the treatment of school meal costs follow the local government you move to. Always complete the procedures when moving out and in.
- Content changes by fiscal year: free provisions and add-ons are expanded and reviewed almost every year. Check the latest information officially.
Summary
FAQ
Do I apply for childrearing support to the nation or to the local government?
Many programs, such as the child allowance, are handled by the municipality where you live (only the lump-sum childbirth and childcare grant is handled by the health insurance you belong to). Rather than "automatic because it's a national program," many require an application, so first check with your municipality's childrearing support desk.
What changed about the child allowance from October 2024?
The income limit was abolished, and the scope was extended to the high-school-age bracket. The amount for the third child and beyond was increased to ¥30,000 a month, and payment changed to six times a year in even-numbered months (two months' worth at a time).
Does the support differ by where you live even with the same annual income?
Yes, it differs. The age up to which children's medical costs become free, the treatment of school meal costs and childcare fees, and unique benefits differ by municipality. Before moving, it is a good idea to compare each local government's official website.
Will high school tuition become free?
Under the national enrollment support fund, public schools are effectively free from fiscal 2025. For private schools, the income limit was effectively abolished in fiscal 2025, and from fiscal 2026 the support cap is expected to be expanded to around ¥457,000 a year with no income limit. Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture add their own top-ups.
If a dual-income couple takes childcare leave, what happens to take-home pay?
Thanks to the post-birth leave support benefit that started in April 2025, if both parents each take childcare leave for a certain period (14 days or more), then for up to 28 days, together with the childcare-leave benefit, 80% of pre-leave wages is paid; including the tax exemption and the exemption of social insurance premiums, take-home comes to about 100%.
Reference links (sources)
This article is based on the following official materials (neutral, primary sources). Because amounts and eligibility are subject to revision, please check the latest content before applying. For a local government's own support, each municipality's and prefecture's official website has the latest information.
- Government Public Relations Online — Child allowance (October 2024 expansion) (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare — Lump-sum childbirth and childcare grant (in Japanese)
- Children and Families Agency — Overview of free early childhood education and childcare (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology — Enrollment support for high school students, etc. (enrollment support fund) (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare — Post-birth leave support benefit (in Japanese)
- Children and Families Agency — Child-rearing allowance (in Japanese)
- Tokyo — 018 Support (in Japanese)
- Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture — Childrearing support (free provision) (in Japanese)
- Osaka City — Child medical expense subsidies (in Japanese)
* This article is general information, not advice on tax or administrative procedures. For whether specific support applies to you and the amounts, please confirm with the municipality or prefecture where you live, or with the body in charge of each program.