[Operational Challenges for the 'Universal Childcare System' Starting in April]: 1 in 3 Municipalities Still Rely on Cash for Childcare Fees; Burdens on Parents and Staff Highlighted

BABY JOB Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka, CEO: Koji Ueno), a provider of childcare support services, conducted a survey on 'methods for collecting fees for temporary childcare services' targeting childcare departments in 1,406 municipalities across Japan that operate public childcare facilities.

The results revealed that 36.3% (511 municipalities) still collect fees exclusively in cash. Furthermore, a significant regional disparity was found, with an approximately 13-fold difference between Tokushima Prefecture (80.0%) and Tokyo (5.9%).

The 'Universal Childcare System,' set to launch fully in April 2026, will allow children not currently enrolled in daycare to use childcare facilities, similar to temporary childcare, and will require fee payments. If cash collection remains the standard, it may create burdens for parents in preparing small change and for childcare staff in managing cash and handling change.

Survey Background The 'Universal Childcare System' is a national program starting in April 2026 that allows children aged 6 months to under 3 years, who are not enrolled in preschool, to use childcare facilities for up to 10 hours per month, regardless of the parents' employment status. It aims to provide children with new experiences and learning opportunities while reducing parental isolation and burden.

The system involves a fee of approximately 300 yen per hour. Because payment is required each time, relying on cash forces parents to prepare exact change repeatedly. For childcare facilities, it necessitates cash management, change handling, and accounting tasks, which could increase the workload for childcare workers.

To ensure the system is user-friendly and operates smoothly for both parents and facilities, creating an environment that reduces these burdens is essential. Therefore, this survey focused on 'temporary childcare services,' which are similarly used by children not enrolled in the facility, to clarify the current state of fee collection methods.

Temporary Childcare Fees: Approximately 30% Nationwide Still Use Cash, with Regional Disparities as High as 80% in Tokushima Regarding fee collection methods for temporary childcare, 511 municipalities (36.3%) responded that they collect fees 'in cash only.' Conversely, only 120 municipalities (8.5%) have introduced cashless payment methods such as QR code payments or credit cards.

By prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture had the highest rate at 80.0%, while Tokyo was at 5.9%. The difference between the two is approximately 13-fold, revealing significant regional disparities in collection methods.