4. A society full of the smiles of children

As children hold the future in their hands, I wish to create a Tokyo brimming with the smiles of children as they grow while holding dreams and hopes. This thought was incorporated in the Children’s Smile Movement. At the kickoff event for this movement, we also welcomed Minister Noda, who is charged with child policies, and with the participation of as many as 3,600 people, we had frank discussions on what should be done to ensure the happiness of children. There are now over 1,000 companies and other organizations involved in this movement. While strengthening our alliance that takes the stance of children, we will push forward initiatives to realize a society where children come first.

Leave no child behind

Under the resolution to leave no child behind, we will devote our resources to supporting the sound development of all children. The Support Center for Children with Medical Complexity, which will be established both in the ward area and the Tama area, will serve as a consultation center linking guardians, municipalities, and facilities that can accept these children. It will respond to the anxieties of children and their families, and will connect them without fail to the support they need. In addition, with regard to afterschool and other day services, taking into account the national government’s revision of medical service fees, we will formulate our own financial support. By requiring conditions such as an increase of experienced staff, extension of service hours, and implementation of pick-up and drop-off services, in order to receive subsidies, we will support business operators in enhancing the quality of their services.

Another pressing issue is providing support to young caregivers who are in socially isolated situations. So that we do not fail to catch the small signs they are showing, we will take multi-tiered measures under firm collaboration with the actual sites of welfare and education. These include sending domestic helpers and social workers, and enriching the consulting system.

Further advancement of digital transformation in education

We will further promote digital transformation at the education site in order to draw out the strength of children who will open up the new era. With regard to alleviating household burdens in the creation of a one-to-one computing environment in high school, those in private schools will be provided with a subsidy equal to that of those in metropolitan high schools. In this way, we will build a learning environment that leaves no one behind. Moreover, for education in programming, which will become compulsory from next year, practical courses that fulfill children’s desire to learn, will be provided through online lectures by experts, and other forms such as private-sector digital teaching aids.

Project to make children smile

School events that children were looking forward to were cancelled due to the pandemic. We wish to return smiles to the faces of children who were disappointed by such a turn of events. We have included initiatives in this time’s budget bill to provide all schools in Tokyo, both public and private, with opportunities to participate in a diversity of activities, such as appreciation of the arts and experience of para sports. Through “seeing, hearing, and feeling” experiences, we want them to share enjoyable and memorable moments with their schoolmates.

Diverse support to bring smiles to both children and their families

Children’s smiles originate from the smiles of their guardians. We will provide support that addresses the anxieties they face in life stages ranging from before pregnancy to childbirth and parenting.

The number of children waitlisted for daycare in Tokyo is now under 1,000, a reduction of about 90 percent since I took office. The most pressing issue is the creation of after-school places for elementary school children. We will remove the "first-grade wall" confronted by parents who both work by providing them with a variety of options that can also take care of children for an extended period of time, such as the use of babysitters and accepting children at certified daycare centers.

We will create the Tokyo Parenting Support Partner system to ensure seamless support according to the child’s stage of development. By training personnel to work closely with families to coordinate support for them that fits their respective situations, we will prepare an environment where families can raise their children with peace of mind.

We would like people to draw up their own life plans from a young age so that they can also give form to their wish to have and raise children. To help middle school and high school students and young adults gain correct knowledge about pregnancy and other issues, such as physical characteristics that change with age, and manage their health in preparation for the future, we will establish a consultation system in cooperation with medical institutions and other such organizations, and further promote awareness.

We will reevaluate policies, including these efforts, in all areas of the metropolitan government from the perspective of children and strongly implement effective policies centering on the Liaison Office for Child-Oriented Policies, which has the functions of comprehensive planning and coordination.