On May 24th, 2017, JANE submitted its policy recommendations on the establishment and management of daycare facilities to Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate and related local governments.

The policy document (in Japanese) is downloadable here

【Summary of the policy document】

1．Title

　Proposals on the Establishment and Management of Daycare Facilities

2．Summary

■The scope of this proposal
　The proposal focuses on the establishment and management of day care facilities as a central
　factor in day-care related services, and aims to help improving the overall level of daycare
　services in Japan by addressing current challenges faced by such facilities.

■Basic tenets of this proposal
　Recommendations are made in the areas of deregulation and flexible application of existing
　rules as well as budgetary measures, from the viewpoints of whether the national standard
　criteria is reasonable and whether municipal regulations are not too strict.

■Facilities management and operation
　・Facility requirements need be reviewed to ensure that they are not causing excessive
　　limitations to facility operators.
　・Local governments should take initiatives in coordination and mediation with
　　the entertainment/amusement industry as well as with local residents
　・Relaxation of floor area specifications should be considered

■Tax and financial issues
　・Equal footing on tax treatment should be ensured for stock corporations and social welfare
　　corporations
　・Tax exemption on land leases should be considered for provision of daycare service

■Utilization of information and communication technologies
　・Promotion of local governments’ supervision and audit through electronic means
　・Local governments should encourage the utilization of ICT support programs as a way of
　　improving the quality of day care services
　・Nationally standardized formats for subsidy applications should be introduced to simplify
　　cumbersome procedures