Plan to help reduce the burden of educational expenses for any family with more than one child.

Oita Godo Newspaper (evening edition on June 13, 2009)

The country's "Guideline to Declining-birthrate Society - Control Measures", which is a guiding principle of the comprehensive and long-term policy towards an issue of declining number of children, was reconsidered and revised by the Liberal Democratic Party's declining birthrate Research Council. The plan was announced clearly on June 13.

The reduction of educational-expense burden such as in high schools and universities, the stability of now inclining health diagnosis fee for expectant mothers, will be submitted to Mr.Hori Kousuke, the Chairman of the Policy Affairs Research Council, on June 16.

This plan reflects the government's "Large-boned Policy 2009" which will be determined on June 23. Later, the council will continue with some detailed discussions, and then a new guideline will be decided at the Cabinet meeting in the end of year.

Comment: They are thinking carefully in order to solve this issue. However, from my experience, I feel that I see many small children almost everywhere I go!! I could not believe that the declining birthrate problem really exists in Japan.

PUNTHUCHAT Siripun

Thailand

APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University