Tokyo government introduces 4-day workweek to support families during low birth rates
Tokyo government introduces 4-day workweek to support families during low birth rates
The Tokyo government plans to establish a four-day work week for its personnel to promote young families and elevate the nation’s historically low birth rates. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike revealed that employees of the metropolitan government will be permitted to take three days off each week starting in April.
“With adaptability, we will reassess work approaches to guarantee that no one is compelled to sacrifice their career due to life circumstances such as childbirth or childcare,” she mentioned in a policy address during the fourth regular session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.
In a period when Japan’s birth rate has reached an unprecedented low, this new initiative aims to motivate couples to become parents. As per the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, despite the government’s intensified measures to encourage the youth to establish families, the rate dropped to merely 1.2 children forecasted per woman throughout her lifespan last year. For the population to remain stable, that number needs to be no less than 2.1. Koike also revealed an additional policy that would enable parents of primary school-aged children to swap a portion of their salary for the privilege to leave work early.
“In these challenging times for the nation, Tokyo must take the lead in protecting and enhancing the lives, livelihoods, and economy of our citizens,” she continued. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Japan recorded only 727,277 births last year. The prevalent culture of overtime work in Japan, which often compels women to choose between career aspirations and motherhood, could be a contributing factor to this scenario.
Data from the World Bank indicated that last year, the gender gap in the country's workforce participation stood at 72% for men and 55% for women, surpassing figures seen in other affluent nations.
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