Tokyo to nix income caps on child healthcare subsidies

Photo by Charles Postiaux on Unsplash

Governor Yuriko Koike announced plans to abolish income restrictions on child medical expense subsidies in Tokyo by October 2025.

Why it matters: This move aims to level the playing field across Tokyo's municipalities, as many have already eliminated these restrictions using local funds.

By the numbers: As of April 2024, 11 cities and villages still had income caps for high school students' healthcare subsidies.

Between the lines: Tokyo's 23 special wards currently offer "complete free medical care" for children, while some areas in Tama and on the islands still maintain income restrictions, along with Koike's announcement comes after her re-election promise in July and aligns with demands from major parties in the metropolitan assembly.

What's next: The metropolitan government will:

• Accelerate discussions with municipalities to increase support amounts

• Establish a new child consultation center in Meguro Ward by fiscal 2031

Also on the agenda: The assembly will consider:

• An ordinance to prevent customer harassment

• A ¥37.7 billion supplementary budget for inflation relief measures

Bottomline: This isn’t Koike's first push for a more family-friendly Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government also plans to abolish means testing on financial aid, effectively granting free education to students at high schools and metropolitan universities. Koike aims to create a more supportive environment for families across Tokyo, addressing disparities between different areas of the metropolis.