Politics & Government

Over 50% of Japan’s nursery schools predict trouble staying open

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Children eat a meal at a nursery school.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:11 JST, May 2, 2022

More than 50% of nursery schools believe they may eventually struggle to stay open due to population decline, according to a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

Over 10% of such facilities said they already find it difficult.

The survey was conducted on about 37,000 facilities nationwide, including government-authorized nursery schools, between November and December last year. A total of 9,493 facilities, or about 25%, responded.

Asked if the decline in population would make it difficult to maintain their operations, 12.2% said it was already having that effect, while 55.7% said it might in the future.

As to whether the decline was affecting their ability to bring in children, 11.9% said it already was, and 54.1% said it might in the future.