2. Creating a society that puts children first

Next, I would like to speak about our main policies.

A society conducive to raising children for those who want to become parents

The number of children, who are our future, continues to decline. Our country needs to seriously consider the perspectives of each and every person who wants to have a child. We must make it possible for people to realize the universally held desires of achieving self-fulfillment and engaging in the pursuit of happiness. With such resolve, we have decided to provide all households with children from birth up to the age of eighteen with a continuous monthly allowance of 5,000 yen per child, regardless of the parent or guardian’s income. This will convey the message that Tokyo is serious about supporting the desire to have children. In addition to making childcare for second-born children free of charge through the age of two and advancing preparations to make tuition at Tokyo Metropolitan University effectively free of charge, among other efforts, we will work to reduce the financial burden associated with raising children.

The declining birth rate issue has always been a complicated one. One step alone will not solve all of the complexly intertwined issues involved. That is why, since becoming governor, I have taken the initiative to provide seamless support for every stage of this process from meeting a life partner and marriage, to pregnancy, childbirth and ensuring the healthy growth and development of children, including implementing measures to eliminate waiting lists for child daycare. I will not let up on these efforts and will work to further expand and enhance measures.

One cause said to be contributing to the declining birthrate is the growing number of people choosing not to get married or choosing to marry later in life. From the time I was a member of the Diet, I have been devoting efforts to activities aimed at helping people to find marriage partners. At the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, I have also worked to build momentum for such activities. Through efforts such as creating matchmaking events that utilize metropolitan government-owned facilities starting next fiscal year and ensuring housing stability for those about to embark on married life, we will firmly support those attempting to take the first step in this process.

The experience of raising a child will certainly provide sustenance and motivation to parents in various settings of life, including their career. Parents should not have to choose between raising a child and having a career. We must transform society so that people can shine in both areas. Therefore, we will ensure that a mindset that recognizes the importance of and generates respect for “the job of parenting” permeates throughout society. This includes supporting companies working to create an environment that enables as many men as possible to play an active role in the “the job of parenting.”

And, as the participation of women in society continues to advance, interest related to the freezing and storing of unfertilized eggs by healthy women for future use is growing. With an eye to providing full-scale support for social egg freezing in the future, we will launch programs such as support for the cost of egg freezing for those who participate in a Tokyo Metropolitan Government study. I hope that women will take advantage of such programs to expand the options available to them as they map out their life plan, enabling them to live their best life.

We will support all people in their efforts to achieve a fulfilling life, because this is an investment in the future of Tokyo itself.

A society filled with the smiles of children

It is our responsibility to create an environment now that will allow children to grow up carefree and nurture their own abilities. The “Children’s Future Action” plan that we compiled last month is filled with policies for children from the perspective of children. With a sense of urgency, we will shift to implementing these policies and build a society that puts children first.

For the smiles of children

It is vital for children, who are full of curiosity, to have as many opportunities as possible to learn and have various types of experiences from early in their development. We will establish a system to have children accepted at facilities such as daycare centers on a regular basis, regardless of the employment status of the parent or guardian, to facilitate their sound development through interaction with others. Additionally, we will develop a high-quality program to encourage learning that transcends the boundaries between daycare centers, kindergartens, and other facilities to enhance opportunities for children to have diverse and rich experiences related to nature, the arts, and other fields. Through play, children interact with each other and acquire essential real world skills. We will prepare an environment that generates smiles among children, including supporting municipalities that work to create opportunities for play utilizing local resources while incorporating the opinions of children.

For the sound development of all children

We will implement individually tailored support to ensure the sound development of all children.

First, concerning the issue of child abuse, which is becoming increasingly serious, we will establish three new child guidance offices in the Tama area and work to fundamentally reorganize and strengthen systems. In addition, by securing human resources, such as child welfare officers, and enhancing human resource development, and strengthening collaboration with municipalities through the establishment of satellite offices and other efforts, we will also ensure seamless handling of incidents requiring an immediate response.

For Children with Medical Complexity, we will extend support to facilities that expand capacity for the acceptance of children, as well as work to increase the number of facilities that will admit children for short-term stays, including encouraging corporations to enter this field to create and operate new facilities. Along with the TMG’s own support for the activities of coordinators that ensure the smooth arrangement of various types of assistance, we will also firmly cultivate human resources to take on the responsibility of supporting those in need of care, including enhancing practical training for visiting nurses.

And for children exhibiting absenteeism, the number of which is consistently on the rise, not only is it necessary to implement preventative efforts, but also to secure various educational opportunities to develop their potential. We will assign support staff to designated classrooms in schools to guide the studies of children, and expand the circle of initiatives to create virtual places online where children feel like they belong. Furthermore, through conducting a study, we will thoroughly examine issues and the environment surrounding children who attend alternative schools called free schools and other institutions and have this information contribute to the formulation of effective measures in the future.

Nurturing the skills needed to be successful in a global environment

Now, I will move on to efforts to foster the skills needed to be successful in a global environment. In today’s society, now more than ever, it is necessary to have a good command of the international language of English and engage in exchange that transcends national borders. We will fundamentally strengthen measures so that when people think of Tokyo, they automatically associate it with English, and the city is widely known for its ability to communicate in English

First, at elementary schools, by having native Assistant Language Teachers （ALTs） present at schools all day, every day of the week, opportunities will be created for children to have intensive exposure to real English during the course of their daily school life. We will also expand the grade levels that an English speaking test will be administered to. Expanding the test to include first and second year junior high school students will lead to greater motivation to learn as students advance with each grade level. In addition, we will hold an English presentation contest for high school students which will help students to polish not only their speaking skills, but also their ability to capture the hearts of the audience through rich forms of expression. I also hope that students will utilize the overnight stay program to be provided by Tokyo Global Gateway, our facility for English language learning in Aomi, which will enable them to be totally immersed in English, to acquire solid language skills.

In addition, with the introduction of a fall admissions system for the Faculty of Science at Tokyo Metropolitan University, new students will first be welcomed under this system from October 2024. In an educational environment that is aligned with global standards, we will enable students to cultivate the skills necessary to compete on the world stage through friendly competition with outstanding international students.