Cities for Working Couples Raising Children

共働き子育てしやすい街ランキング
Tomobataraki Kosodate-shiyasui Machi Rankingu

2022: 3rd position (nationwide)
2023: 3rd position (nationwide)
2024: 8th position (nationwide)

conducted by
- the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and
- Nikkei BP’s “Nikkei xwomen.”
conducted annually since 2015
- on 157 municipalities with a population of over 200,000
- the rankings were determined based on the responses (of the survey)
the survey items change every year
2023’s new questions:
- the number of “hidden waiting children” who are not counted among children on waiting lists for licensed daycare centers
- the increase or decrease in the number of preschool children in the municipality
- the “percentage of women among regular employees working in the municipal government’s chief’s department”
- the “percentage of female council members”
Toyohashi City received 82 points (2023)
- 1) Reducing the burden of raising infants and young children,
- 2) Reducing the financial burden of raising children for the second or subsequent child,
- 3) Supporting women’s careers, and
- 4) Promoting men’s awareness and work-life balance.
- Specific examples of
  - 1) include the 500 yen housekeeping service introduced in June this year, and
  - 4) hosting seminars to encourage male employees to take childcare leave from July this year.
- Others
  - “improving the child-rearing environment and learning environment”, include
    - setting up a kids’ space for visitors with children (September this year),
    - creating a “play area and learning space” at the Minami District Civic Center (August this year), and
    - setting up an “A Room” for children who feel uncomfortable going to school (April this year).