2. Leading Japan in changing the structure of society to one in which people shine

I will now speak about our key policies.

Realizing a society that puts children first

First, realizing a children-first society that takes great care to raise our future generations.

A society where people can have and raise children easily

The many preemptive measures we have taken from strong concerns over the declining birthrate, such as 018 support （for children ages 0 to 18）, support for egg freezing, and the Tokyo Mom and Dad Support Project, have been very well received. We must transform our society into one in which people who wish to have and raise children can feel confident about doing so. We will provide even more seamless support, from meeting a partner, to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. For example, the marriage app operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will finally be in full operation in the next fiscal year, and new initiatives will also be taken to make marriage more approachable. With regard to egg freezing support, as the many applications we received from the public surpassed our expectations, we will expand the number of slots available by a factor of 10 to support those wishing to someday have a child. We will continue to provide even more support such as regularly visiting households raising children so that they don’t feel isolated or alone, and standing alongside families by listening to their parenting concerns and closely supporting them in raising children. And, from the perspective of encouraging the growth of children, we will also continue to provide 018 support in the next fiscal year.

Financial burdens related to education should not be a reason for giving up having a child. Until measures are taken by the national government, we will support municipalities in Tokyo that are working to reduce the burden of school lunch expenses, and we will make tuition at private and metropolitan high schools virtually free, regardless of the household’s income.

When I took office as governor, there was a very serious daycare situation, with more than 8,500 children on the waiting list. This issue has now been almost resolved as a result of positioning it as the most important task for the government to address, and implementing priority measures. Next, we will take on the “first-grade wall,” the societal issues facing working parents when their child enters elementary school. In order to have more “after school clubs” available to look after such younger elementary school children, which are essential infrastructure in this age in which it is natural for both parents to be working, we will strive to newly create a certification system for facilities that follow Tokyo’s operation standards.

Cultivating strength for the future

And above all, we wish to have our children, who hold the future in their hands, gain the skills necessary to navigate these uncertain times and soar out into the world. To make this happen as well, it is important to support the growth of children from when they are infants. The new “Tokyo Suku-Waku Program,” which contains our hopes for the sound （suku-suku） growth of children who will always be exuberant （waku-waku）, will be rolled out throughout Tokyo in the next fiscal year.

It will also be indispensable to cultivate a cosmopolitan perspective in our children so that they can have a clear picture of the world’s trends. We will realign and fortify the overseas study program that we have been implementing at metropolitan high schools, and will also establish opportunities for internships at workplaces that use English. By polishing up their English skills through actual practice, we wish to provide our children with opportunities to broaden their life choices and envision a future in which the world becomes their stage.

It is also essential to increase choices for learning and third places so that children who find it difficult to assimilate into school life can thrive in their own way. Therefore, Tokyo will newly establish its own version of special classes for non-attendees, called "challenge classes," using middle school classrooms in Tokyo. We will also expand the number of municipalities that have third places and places for learning in virtual spaces. At the same time, we will also begin full efforts to provide support for learning outside of school. Specifically, we will establish a subsidy system to reduce the financial burden on users of free schools and other educational alternatives for children unable to attend regular school. We will also provide new support for such schools that are enhancing assistance for children's activities and other efforts that take in children's perspectives.

We must speed up efforts to reduce burdens on teachers who support children's learning. We will expand the number of education assistants who aid homeroom teachers in the lower grades to cover all schools in Tokyo. Moreover, by assigning additional teachers to the upper grades and promoting a system in which a teacher teaches a specific subject as opposed to one teacher teaching all subjects, we will create an environment that facilitates even higher-quality lessons and learning.

Realizing an active, long-life society

Next is the realization of an active, long-life society. We will roll out the Active Choju Project so that older adults can be active in their own way, and live with a sense of reassurance. The Platinum Career Center will open in Toranomon in June to support seniors who wish to make good use of their skills at SMEs, which are facing a lack of human resources. With regard to the Silver Human Resources Center, which had its start in Tokyo, we will work to invigorate this organization to meet the changing times, such as by finding new employment sites in various sectors and for various jobs.

Given the rapidly growing number of elderly single-person households, it is also essential to provide healthy and independent older adults with housing options that match their needs. In the next fiscal year, we will support the efforts of the private sector to watch over and prevent the isolation of elderly citizens, and based on that knowledge, we will undertake initiatives to establish our own certification system for senior citizen housing.

A disease expected to affect one out of every six older people in Tokyo by 2025 is dementia. Starting next fiscal year, under the Tokyo Dementia Measures Promotion Project, we will promote the creation of a society in which those affected can live with dignity. In addition to expanding the scope of subsidized health checkups, we will work to establish a system for antibody treatment of dementia in 12 healthcare regions in Tokyo. We will also promote the creation of communities where those with dementia and their families can live with peace of mind, such as through the establishment of a network to watch over them, and support their participation in society.

The year 2025 is when the last of the baby boomers turn 75. We must urgently secure long-term care and nursing care personnel to meet staff shortages. With this sense of crisis, and with Tokyo’s circumstances taken into account, this time’s budget proposal has boldly embarked on providing housing support to long-term care staff and care managers. We will also enhance support for nursing students who intend to work in Tokyo. I hope that many people will demonstrate their capabilities in this field.

Galvanizing communities for people to shine

Next I will speak about galvanizing communities to allow people to shine.

Local communities

Relationships between residents are growing weaker, but the importance of community ties, such as helping each other in times of disaster, is increasing. We must expand the circle of mutual support that thrives in our communities. We will extend the online Community Skilled Supporter Message Board, which connects neighborhood associations in need of some assistance and those wishing to use their skills to help, to cover all of Tokyo. We will also increase the number of locations, such as meeting halls of metropolitan housing, which are used to facilitate community interaction. We will encourage joint disaster drills by residents of multi-family dwellings and neighborhood associations, and through such opportunities, we will boost the revitalization of local communities.

Inclusive communities

The perspective of inclusive communities is also important for a society brimming with diversity. Through initiatives including the enactment of Japan’s first ordinance, Tokyo has been promoting the expansion of social firms that allow people with difficulties to play an active role that befits their individuality and abilities. In order to have this steadily growing movement turn into a major wave, we will encourage the growth of social firms as businesses through efforts such as sending out more information on initiatives to sectors, centering on the digital industry and agriculture, where people with disabilities and disadvantages can more easily demonstrate outcomes.

It is also important to create an environment where people with disabilities can live independently within their communities. The Nishi-Shinjuku area will be the pioneering stage for efforts to introduce a system that automatically transmits support requests and other such information to the staff of stores visited. In addition, we will put greater focus on finding more local facilities that can accept people with disabilities, and provide consultation and other services from an earlier stage to facilitate smooth transition from facilities and hospitals to independent living.

Many of our foreign residents whose native language is not Japanese face the problem of "not knowing how to obtain correct information or where to go to consult with public institutions.” We will bolster our information dissemination and consultation systems, such as through a portal site that centralizes various information on daily life, and create an environment where people can feel safe living in the community.

We plan to have the World Athletics Championships and the Deaflympics, which will be held next year, be a driving force for transformation into an inclusive society. The Vision 2025 Action Book was formulated last month. By implementing the 10 actions through sports that are outlined there, such as creating a future where we all live together in harmony, and passing on and developing a volunteer culture, we will lead these two competitions to success and leave behind a solid legacy of Tokyo as an inclusive city where everybody shines.

Creating a future where women can pursue self-actualization

The empowerment of women is where Japan lags far behind the rest of the world. How can we create a society where women can shine in their own way? We have been deepening discussions on this at the Tokyo Kurashikata （Lifestyle） Council, which was established last year. Today, single-person households account for more than half of all households in Tokyo, and many households are dual income. The lives and lifestyles of individuals, and family forms are diversifying in reflection of the changing times. But haven’t our social structures and awareness been left behind in this big wave of change? There are many people who give up work to raise children or suppress their desire to work because of the “income barrier,” which, if surpassed, results in lower take-home pay. We must break through the current situation of the social and working environment, which is keeping women from demonstrating their full potential, and allow them to have a variety of options to choose from. In the next fiscal year, we will create a new tool that visualizes how work-style changes can impact lifetime earnings. Through this and other initiatives, women will be able to build their careers from a long-term perspective. We will also open the Working Women Square, a new consultation desk of the Tokyo Metropolitan Labor Consultation Center, in Aoyama to support all women.

We must also change men’s work styles. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will certify companies that have set targets for the percentage of men taking parental leave and have formulated specific plans to achieve these targets under the leadership of male employees who have taken this leave. Furthermore, we will further promote male participation in childcare through initiatives such as introducing such efforts on our website.