The introduction of the Child and Childcare Support Contribution System stems from Japan’s declining birthrate and population decline.
If this situation persists and the birthrate continues to decline, it will lead to problems such as a shrinking workforce, increased burdens on the working-age population within the social security system, a decline in economic and regional vitality, impacts on living standards and the healthy development of children, and the acceleration of population aging.
Therefore, with the aim of promoting further measures to address the declining birthrate and securing stable funding, the government will introduce the Child and Childcare Support Contribution System in April 2026 and implement it in phases through 2028.
Further Stabilization of Funding for Measures to Address the Declining Birthrate
The government has previously promoted a system known as the “Child and Child-rearing Contribution.” This contribution is intended to secure funding for expanding the Child Allowance and supporting initiatives that help balance work and family life.
However, since the funding for the Child and Child-rearing Contribution is limited to the employer’s portion of Pension Insurance premiums, and the use of the collected funds is restricted to expanding the Child Allowance and similar measures, it has not resulted in truly effective measures to address the declining birthrate.
Therefore, recognizing that children and families raising children should be supported by society as a whole, and to secure a more stable source of funding for measures to address the declining birthrate, the government decided to collect small contributions from all generations of citizens enrolled in public health insurance.
Under the Child and Childcare Support Contribution System, contributions will be collected from all generations enrolled in public health insurance from fiscal year 2026 through fiscal year 2028.
The amount of the contribution under the Child and Childcare Support Contribution System varies depending on the type of public health insurance you are enrolled in and your income.
For reference, the contribution rates for the Japan Health Insurance Association’s Child and Childcare Support Contribution are as follows:
Starting with the April 2026 installment (paid in May), 0.23% (0.115% paid by the employer, 0.115% paid by the insured)
