Article in deDeutsch Article in enEnglish Article in esEspañol Article in frFrançais Article in nlNederlands Article in ptPortuguês

Japan to make childbirth free in fight against aging population

2
2
• Health • • 1 min read • 0% read

Japan plans to fully cover childbirth costs to address its aging population, aiming to boost birth rates and sustain the economy. The new policy starts next April, though epidural anesthesia remains excluded.

Japan to make childbirth free in fight against aging population
Facebook X LinkedIn Bluesky WhatsApp
de flag en flag es flag fr flag nl flag pt flag
Japan has been struggling with a rapidly aging population for years. To combat this, the government now plans to fully cover childbirth costs. The aim is to encourage more births to sustain the country's economy. Starting next April, parents will no longer have to pay out-of-pocket for childbirth. Currently, the government covers a large portion of childbirth expenses, up to 500,000 yen (about 3,030 euros) per birth. However, this does not fully cover the costs, as health insurance does not reimburse additional expenses, as childbirth is not considered a medical condition. Caesarean sections are covered. Notably, epidural anesthesia (commonly known as the spinal tap) will not be covered under the new regulations, though the rest of the childbirth process will be. The government will also set fixed prices for childbirth services, though midwives warn this could strain medical facilities financially.

Related

Japan's Singles Tax Explained: Controversial Birth Rate Policy Sparks Backlash
Politics
• Politics
AI relevance 94.4%

Japan's Singles Tax Explained: Controversial Birth Rate Policy Sparks Backlash

Japan implements controversial 'singles tax' policy requiring all workers to pay €1.36 monthly to combat record-low...

Japan City Shuts 94 Schools After First-Ever Bear Sighting
Nature
• Nature
AI relevance 88.9%

Japan City Shuts 94 Schools After First-Ever Bear Sighting

Utsunomiya, Japan, closes all 94 schools after its first-ever bear sighting. Bear attacks are surging across Japan...

Japan Weapons Export Policy: Complete Guide to Historic Pacifist Shift | 2026 Update
Geopolitics
• Geopolitics
AI relevance 83.3%

Japan Weapons Export Policy: Complete Guide to Historic Pacifist Shift | 2026 Update

Japan lifts decades-long ban on lethal weapons exports in April 2026, marking historic shift from pacifist...

Japan Lifts Weapons Export Ban: Complete Guide to Historic Policy Shift
War
• War
AI relevance 77.8%

Japan Lifts Weapons Export Ban: Complete Guide to Historic Policy Shift

Japan ends 59-year weapons export ban in historic policy shift, allowing lethal arms sales to partner nations. Prime...

Takaichi's Landslide Victory Empowers Japan's Economic Revival
Politics
• Politics
AI relevance 72.2%

Takaichi's Landslide Victory Empowers Japan's Economic Revival

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi wins landslide election victory, securing 316 of 465 parliamentary seats. This gives her...

Japan Loses Its Status as the World's Largest Creditor After 34 Years
Economy
• Economy
AI relevance 66.7%

Japan Loses Its Status as the World's Largest Creditor After 34 Years

Japan has been surpassed by Germany as the world's largest creditor nation after 34 years, despite holding record...