4. Realizing a society that puts children first

Next, when I took office as governor in 2016, children on waiting lists for daycare numbered 8,466. The final number for April of this year, which will be announced in July, is expected to drop to about 300 children. We can clearly see that the initiatives that we advanced with the utmost priority to help remove the anxiety of households raising children and contribute to the healthy growth of children are steadily bearing fruit. The smiles of the children are precisely our hope for the future. To realize these smiles, we have established a system for strongly promoting measures with the new Liaison Office for Child-Oriented Policies at its core. We will transcend structural barriers within the organization of the TMG, vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, to take on current issues, such as how to support young caregivers, and even take up new challenges that have the potential to serve as models for the future. And, by the end of this fiscal year we aim to systematically compile advanced and metropolitan government-wide initiatives to forge the future, and strongly promote measures from a children first perspective.

Implementing policies from the perspective of children

There is nothing more important than listening to the voices of children to better understand their feelings. Our recently unveiled Children’s Website is packed with original ideas submitted by children. We will work to upgrade the content to make it a friendly portal site that gives children their first introduction to metropolitan affairs. Furthermore, through efforts such as having children experience creating programs for television and online platforms as “young reporters,” and issuing a children’s edition of Tokyo’s public relations publication, which uses simple language, we will nurture an interest in metropolitan affairs and have the flexible ideas and fresh sensibilities of children contribute to the development of measures.

Changing the way people think about parental leave

I want nothing more than for working parents to be able to spend more time with their precious children. This month, we will hold a summit that gathers company presidents, prominent figures, and experts, and while supporting the efforts of companies, we will build momentum toward realizing a society where everyone can value time with their children. To begin with, we need to change the Japanese word for parental leave, ikukyu, because this word conjures up an image that one is “taking vacation leave.” Therefore, we solicited suggestions from the public for a new name that revamps this image. And, we received a huge response of over 8,800 submissions. We truly appreciate everyone’s ideas. Based on the suggestions received, we will decide on the name this month, and we will promote a shift in the mindset of society toward an awareness of the need for time to “raise” children.

Supporting children and developing talent to open up the future

Helping children to develop their potential and cultivating talent to pave a path to the future are equivalent to investing in the future. In April, Tokyo Metropolitan Tachikawa High School welcomed new students to the first math and science course of its kind. And, Tokyo Metropolitan University also launched a new minor course in data science. It is also especially important for students to open their eyes to the world while they are young. During my recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, I built a bridge to facilitate international exchange between Tokyo metropolitan high school students and high school students in the UAE. Experiencing different societies and cultures is key to cultivating the global mindset needed to be successful on the world stage. I hope that the connections created through this visit will lead to the formation of real exchange between young people.

Under the strong belief of “leaving no child behind,” we will listen to the various problems that children have and do all that we can to help solve them. In April, we opened Tokyo’s sixth “challenge school” in Adachi-ku. I hope that students at the school, which offers various paths for advancement, will rediscover the joy of learning.

It is also urgent that we take steps to protect children from child abuse, which is at a record high. In addition to the child guidance office that was recently established in Nerima-ku, we will also deepen studies on opening a center in the Tama area as well. We have also greatly reinforced the system, including securing more human resources such as child welfare officers and working to raise skills through the establishment of a training center. With a strong desire to protect children, we will do all possible to deliver support without fail to children facing difficulties.