Prime Minister Takaichi has ordered government ministers to study tax measures and other support for household and childcare services [1].
This directive aims to increase female workforce participation and combat Japan's declining birthrate by making professional home support more accessible and affordable. The move is part of the first government-wide "women's version of the Kokuta policy," a strategic framework established in 2024 [1, 2].
To ensure these services are reliable, the administration is linking financial incentives to the establishment of national qualifications. Takaichi said quality and trust must be improved through these certifications to ensure the services can be used with peace of mind [1].
Under the proposed plan, the government would evaluate tax-related relief to lower the cost of hiring babysitters and home helpers [1]. By reducing the financial burden on families, the government hopes to create a sustainable environment where parents can balance professional careers with child-rearing [1, 2].
However, the proposal has faced criticism from some observers. Reports indicate that some critics view the focus on "babysitter tax cuts" as having too narrow a perspective to solve the broader systemic issues of childcare in Japan [2].
Despite this, the administration continues to prioritize the professionalization of the domestic work sector. The goal is to transition household support from an informal arrangement to a regulated industry with standardized quality controls [1].
““consider support measures including tax measures, based on the improvement of quality and trust through national qualifications for household support services,” Takaichi said.”
The Japanese government is attempting to formalize the domestic labor market to address a dual crisis: a shrinking workforce and a plummeting birthrate. By introducing national certifications and tax incentives, the state is moving away from a traditional model where unpaid domestic labor is expected from women and toward a subsidized, professionalized service economy.
