Osaka City has announced plans to make childcare free for families with their first child aged 0 to 2, in a move aimed at supporting child-rearing families. Families that choose not to use childcare facilities will receive coupons worth 100,000 yen annually, which can be spent on daily necessities. This initiative builds on existing national support for low-income families and seeks to expand assistance to all first children, following the city's previous provision for second and subsequent children.

The new policy, scheduled to be implemented by September of the upcoming fiscal year, is part of a broader strategy by the local government to alleviate the financial burden on parents and foster child-rearing in the city. The local budget will include funding for this initiative, although the size of the budget is still under discussion. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama emphasized the importance of local government accountability in supporting families and expressed the hope that these initiatives would help to ease the financial challenges faced by parents.

However, the mayor also acknowledged concerns regarding the potential increase in demand for childcare services, which could exacerbate the existing shortage of childcare workers. As more parents may seek to utilize free childcare services, the city is committed to addressing these challenges through efforts to secure and train more childcare providers and enhance facilities to accommodate the rising needs of families. This initiative marks a significant step in Osaka's commitment to support families and encourage population growth through improved childcare accessibility.