Workplaces Won't Change with Just "Systems" Alone. Fukushima Prefecture's 10 Cities x The University of Tokyo Launch "Childcare Experience for Corporate Managers" Reform Initiative "HUG Project" - A First in Japan!

A commemorative photo of the kick-off ceremony attendees in a "HUG pose" holding a baby.

This project aims to promote understanding of employees taking childcare leave and diverse working styles by changing the awareness of managers and supervisors through childcare experience, and academically verifying its ripple effect on men's childcare leave uptake. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Japan, a collaboration between industry, academia, and government.

Why This Project, Now?

To address the declining birthrate, it is essential to increase men's participation in housework and childcare at home, in addition to economic support such as cash and in-kind benefits. The biggest trigger for promoting men's participation in the home, and a turning point in lifestyle, is "men taking childcare leave." From those directly involved, we still hear voices saying, "Even though the system exists, I can't bring myself to use it due to consideration for those around me." To remove these "psychological barriers" and establish men's childcare leave as an "obvious" culture, we believe that "cultural reform" that changes the awareness of management and supervisors is necessary.

This project aims to realize a society where work and childcare can be balanced through scientifically validated effectiveness.

Stakeholders Unite in Thought: The HUG Project Kick-off Ceremony Held!

The "HUG Project" kick-off ceremony was held on June 30, Reiwa 8, at Fukushima City Hall.

Attendees included Fukushima Mayor Yuki Baba, Soma Mayor Katsuhiro Abe, Minamisoma Deputy Mayor Takahiro Tsuneki, stakeholders from 10 cities in Fukushima Prefecture, and experts from The University of Tokyo, Fukushima University, and the Children and Families Agency. They gathered to widely announce the launch of this first-of-its-kind initiative in Japan, a collaboration between industry, academia, and government, aimed at realizing a society where childcare and work can be balanced.

Kick-off Ceremony Overview

Date and Time: June 30, Reiwa 8 (Tuesday), 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Venue: Fukushima City Hall, Complex Building 3F, Meeting Room 314B (3-1 Gorōnai-cho, Fukushima City)

Attendees

- 10 Participating Municipalities: Fukushima City, Aizuwakamatsu City, Shirakawa City, Sukagawa City, Kitakata City, Soma City, Nihonmatsu City, Tamura City, Minamisoma City, Date City

- Related Organizations

Shintaro Yamaguchi, Professor, Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo

Naoya Maekawa, Associate Professor, Center for Educational Development, Fukushima University

Atsuko Ando, Advisor, Children and Families Agency

Shuhei Yusa, Chief, Child and Youth Policy Division, Children's Future Bureau, Fukushima Prefectural Government

Tomoe Miyazaki, Group Manager, Strategic Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Department, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.

Yuki Baba, Mayor of Fukushima City

Katsuhiro Abe, Mayor of Soma City

Takahiro Tsuneki, Deputy Mayor of Minamisoma City

Scenes from the Ceremony

Each speaker shared their thoughts and expectations for the launch of this project, raising momentum for this new initiative to support the balance between childcare and work.

Project Overview and Background

Takahiro Tsuneki, Deputy Mayor of Minamisoma City

Towards Effective Initiatives, Not Just Systems

In promoting measures against the declining birthrate, initiatives that encourage men's participation in housework and childcare are important, in addition to support such as cash benefits. The significance of this demonstration project lies in deepening the understanding of childcare through childcare experience for management and supervisors, leading to a transformation of workplace awareness and culture. This will be advanced throughout the region in collaboration with 10 cities in Fukushima Prefecture and The University of Tokyo.

Purpose and Outlook of the Demonstration Project

Shintaro Yamaguchi, Professor, Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo

The Key is to Change "Managers' and Supervisors' Awareness and Behavior"

In Japan, childcare leave systems are in place, but the "workplace atmosphere" hinders the uptake of childcare leave. The key to increasing the rate of men taking childcare leave lies not only in the system but also in "creating a workplace atmosphere." If an environment where taking childcare leave is easy is established, it will lead to preventing employee turnover and alleviating labor shortages and brain drain in the region. To improve the current situation where Japan's male participation rate in housework and childcare is among the lowest in the world and to prevent the system from becoming a mere formality, we have high expectations for initiatives that change workplace culture through childcare experience in childcare facilities. This demonstration experiment is an important step towards solving regional issues and supporting the sustainability of companies.

Greetings from Participating Municipalities

Yuki Baba, Mayor of Fukushima City

The challenges of the declining birthrate and childcare support cannot be solved by a single entity alone; it is important for diverse stakeholders, including universities and experts, to collaborate with municipalities. Through this initiative, we aim to create a new flow of childcare support from Fukushima and spread it throughout the region by bringing together our respective knowledge and strengths. Katsuhiro Abe, Mayor of Soma City

Measures against the declining birthrate and creating a child-rearing-friendly region are important issues that municipalities should address in collaboration. It is necessary to work together not only within individual municipalities but also across Fukushima Prefecture as a whole. While creating an environment that supports childcare in each region, we aim to spread new trends through collaboration among municipalities.

Words from Related Organizations

Atsuko Ando, Children and Families Agency

To realize a society that prioritizes children, it is crucial to create a system where companies, communities, and government collaborate to support childcare. We hope this initiative will be the first step towards that. Naoya Maekawa, Fukushima University

The key to a region that young people choose lies in workplaces that support childcare. Let's disseminate a new regional model from Fukushima! Tomoe Miyazaki, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.

Workplaces where childcare leave is the norm start with a step from the supervisor. Corporate challenges will drive the future of the entire region.

Content of Childcare Support Management Training and Childcare Experience Training

This training strongly promotes organizational behavioral change by combining knowledge with practical experience.

1. Childcare Support Management Training (Approx. 2 hours, Online)

Acquire the significance and practical skills of childcare support management.

Instructor: Manabu Tsukakoshi, Vice Representative, NPO Fathering Japan

2. Childcare Experience Training (Half-day, approx. 2-3 participants per day at childcare facilities in each city)

Managers and supervisors will enter childcare facilities (nursery schools or certified child centers, etc.) and experience childcare firsthand. By gaining experience in the "place to touch the reality of children and childcare" that is the childcare setting, participants will gain a firsthand understanding of the importance of balancing childcare and work, and consider how to create a workplace environment where men do not hesitate to take childcare leave.

Time

Content

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Explanation of childcare methods by nursery school teachers

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Childcare experience in separate classes (1-3 year old classes)

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Children's lunch

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Participant lunch, questionnaire completion, and reflection (exchange of opinions with nursery school teachers, how to apply to the workplace)

3. Demonstration Based on Scientific Evidence (A/B Test)

A unique feature of this project is the academic demonstration by Professor Shintaro Yamaguchi of The University of Tokyo.

Participating companies will be randomly divided into two groups, and training will be conducted according to the following schedule.

We will numerically verify changes in men's childcare leave uptake and workplace environment through approximately three rounds of questionnaire surveys. We believe this initiative will be an important demonstration for policies in other regions of Japan and for countries facing similar declining birthrates.

Group

Lecture Training Period

Childcare Experience Period

Group A

July 27, 2026 - August 31, 2026

(Archive distribution for approx. 1 month)

August - October 2026

Group B

July 2027 onwards (planned)

August - October 2027 (planned)

4. Training Participants

Executives and managers of private companies (with 10 or more employees) in each city.

*Approximately 300 companies and organizations are expected to participate. As of July 3, 159 companies and organizations have expressed their intention to participate.

*Please refer to the attached document for a list of participating companies.

d116976-33-e1798ec6dc28d8d83b955ba9cfef41e1.pdf

5. Cooperating Institutions

The University of Tokyo, Doshisha University, Fukushima University "Region x Data" Practical Education Promotion Office,

NPO Fathering Japan, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.

6. The Meaning Behind "HUG" in the HUG Project

"HUG" embodies the desire to foster an environment where children can be raised with peace of mind, and a regional and workplace culture that makes it easy to participate in childcare, as in "to nurture" (hagukumu). It also conveys the desire to warmly embrace and support child-rearing generations as a whole community, as in "HUG (to embrace)."

[HUG Project Secretariat] Minamisoma City Children and Families Division, Children's Future Department 〒975-8686 2-27 Honcho (East Government Building 1F), Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture Phone: 0244-24-5229 FAX: 0244-24-5740 (Contact Persons: Hitomi Suzuki, Nozomi Suzuki)

E-mail: [email protected]