Japan to step up support for children in poverty

The Japanese government plans to step up measures to support households that are struggling financially to raise children. The government will submit to the Diet early next year a set of bills addressing problems involving children in poverty. A government survey done every 3 years shows that one out of 6 children in Japan lived in poverty in 2012. The move comes as the numbers of single-parent households and those with 3 or more children are on rise in Japan. The number of reported child abuse cases is also increasing. The government plans to increase monthly child care subsidies, beginning in April of next year. The government also plans to revise the child welfare laws and other relevant legislation to establish comprehensive support centers that will provide women with continued support before and after childbirth. The measure is aimed at reducing the number of child abuse cases by addressing women’s...