May 3, 2022
TOKYO – More than 50% of nursery schools believe they may eventually struggle to stay open due to population decline, according to a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.
Over 10% of such facilities said they already find it difficult.
The survey was conducted on about 37,000 facilities nationwide, including government-authorized nursery schools, between November and December last year. A total of 9,493 facilities, or about 25%, responded.
Asked if the decline in population would make it difficult to maintain their operations, 12.2% said it was already having that effect, while 55.7% said it might in the future.
As to whether the decline was affecting their ability to bring in children, 11.9% said it already was, and 54.1% said it might in the future.