Creating “Present” and“Future” with Children
Toward achieving the society filled with children’s smiles, based on the dialogue
with children, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has summarized initiatives
from children’s point of view for “Action for Children’s Futures”.

The following 17 pages are described by using the words easily understood bychildren.

1

We will value the views of children as main characters

I hope that there are some
opportunities where children
can discuss and express
various views.

I hope children’s views
will be positively adopted
in order to enhancechildren’s willingness.

I wish for a society wherechildren’s views arerespected as much as
those of adults.

2

I hope children’s views
are also heard, recognized
and implemented.

We will create the society filled with children’s smiles

Children can growup healthily and intheir own way

People in thewhole society
value children

People can raisechildren withconfidence

We will think about

The entire society

We will continue towhat is the best

will enhance thesupport child-rearing

for children with them. feeling of “valuing children”.

3

generation.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Basic Ordinance on ChildrenChildren are irreplaceable beings and the main character of rights
 Children have their own rights, which all people have as natural rights.
 Children’s rights should be respected.

Children’s happiness should be prioritized.
 Adults will put the best interestsof children first.

Children’s views should be respected Children’s views are valuable and precious.
 Adults will deal with children’s views
properly.

4

Through various challenges, we will create the communities filled with children’s smiles【Effort１】We will provide support to resolve
children’s anxieties and concerns【Effort４】

We will provide
support forchildren’ssmiles acrosssocietyChildrearing

Third
Places※Play

Effort across multiple sections
SafetyandSecurity

Learning
andGrowth【Effort２】

We willsupport childrearing
generation※Third place otherthan in school andat home【Effort３】We will support children’s learning
In cooperation with municipalities, we will promote efforts
leading to children’s smiles

5

Effort acrossmultiple
sections

Children’s Growing Up in Infancy
Regardless of our choosing
kindergarten or day carecenter, we desire developmentof the environment wherechildren can grow up healthily.

with various experience.

Creation of places where stay-at-home children
can spend time together with other children

・By making use of the program common to kindergartensand day care centers, we will support children’s growth.

We will create places where the children who do not
go to kindergartens or day care centers can spend
their time with the friends of the same ages or closein age not “temporarily” but “repeatedly”.

・Through themes including nature and music, we will nurturechildren’s sense of wonder and excitement and the feeling ofimmersing oneself in challenges.
Creating Program”Can I do it？”I’ll do it in this way!”

Even without going tokindergartens or day carecenters, we want to havethe places where children
can spend their time withvarious people.

We want to provide our children

Support for “Making Progress/Growing Up”
through common growing-up program“For what?””Why?”

Support for “Children’s Growing Up” refers to providing direct
support for children’s growing up.
Support for “Child-rearing” refers to providing support for children
through their guardians.

We can spend worry-freetime even if there is no
guardian to take care ofchildren due to sickness etc.

“I made it!”
“Next time, I’ll try it!”Temporary Day Care
Increase
opportunities tohave curiosity

Expandthoughts

Children can grow up
through play with theirfriends and interactions
with teachers.

Deepenthoughts

Support kindergartens/day
care centers that carry out
the programChildren’s feeling to become
excited and to challenge can bederived from teachers’ efforts.

Regular Day Care

6

Effort acrossmultiple
sections

Creation of Connection for Child-rearing

My parents’house is located
far away, andthere is no one
that I can rely on.

I feelworriedabout myfirstchildbirth

I want to have a robot
whom I can ask
everything
immediately.

I want to talk tosomeone about
the difficulties inchild-rearing.

I want to enjoy online

Personalized Support during pregnant period
and child-rearing period

Safe Consultation via
SNS

Casual Information
Collection via AI

In accordance with children’s and their guardians’ situations,people in various positions provide attentive support
for child-rearing families.

We will listen to small
troubles and concerns indaily lives.

According to personal concerns,
we will deliver necessary
service information.

If in trouble with childrearing, people can feelrelieved due to having
someone to rely on.

Local people provide support forchild-rearing（Examples）Visiting children to conducthearings, going to parks together withchildren etc.

People can become
confident in childrearing.

Virtual Connection

Staff members specializedin child-rearing provide
advice and support

Anxieties can be
mitigated throughconsultation

Real Connection

Any trouble can be
consulted in themeeting for
pregnant women.

conversation safely.

People can haveconnection with
their neighbors…

Feelingslightly
gloomyChat

Tweet【Possible to choose
conversation partner】

Anxieties can be
mitigated throughconversation

7…

【Analysis via AI】

AI

Third
PlacesDesired information
is delivered without
need to searchEffort acrossmultiple
sections

Promotion of “Play” Leading to Children’s Smiles
We want more places to becreated where we can enjoy
playing freely.
We want to fully enjoy
playing with balls.

Creating Opportunities for “Play”

Creating “Playgrounds”
We will create the places where children can play freely and free from all care.
We will increase the places where children can do other various things as wellas “play”.
Playgrounds will be
expanded.
Learning

Playgrounds＋

Childrencan learnanytimeChildren’s
Views

Everyone canuse the place＋
All together (inclusive)

We will hold “play” experience events where children canchallenge with their free thoughts.

Holding “play”
experience
events＋＋I want some third
places where wecan play and study
for free.

I want to interact
more with friends
other than fromschool or adults.

Place for
Consultation
People canconsult
anytimeChildren canhave newthird places
places＋ Thirdfor children

Interaction
with various
friends can be
Adults can
produced.
understand how
The number ofchildren play.
adults who playwith children will
Communicating
be increased.
Training forappeal of “play”
Children canplay leaders
rediscover appealof playChildren cantalk toadults freely.

8Children canexperiencevarious plays.

Creation of Circumstances to

こどもを事故から守る環境づくり
Protect Children from Accidents

Effort acrossmultiple
sections

I’m not sure about what
we should be careful inour daily lives.

We want to enjoy ourplay safely.

How to convey the key points to be careful
about in an easy-to-understand way.

Creating safe
environment

We will spread the measures to prevent accidents
from children’s points of view.

We will promote to create safe
environment by researching accidents.
Considering preventative measuresby researching accidents

Conveying age-appropriate
preventative measures for children

Infants

Elementary
Junior high school/
School Students High school studentsChildren find the preventative
measures that suit themselves.

Discussion byexperts etc.

Accidents can be
reduced bypreventative
measures found.

Spreading preventative measures bybooks and movies

Acquiring preventative measuresthrough various methods.
Teaching preventative measures
at home and in school.
People can learn
preventative measures.

Experiments
byresearchers

Developing environment to prevent
accidents
Corporations
Preventative measures
will create safe will implemented in
products.
houses and apartments.

I’m not sure on which
website we can search
for accidents.

Organizing information of accidents
to make it easier to be foundCollecting scattered information of accidents.
Creating database for
information of accidents
Various data can bebrowsed on PC.

Metropolitan
PoliceDepartment

Tokyo Fire
Department

Consumer Life（Products）

People can search
for accidents
There will be more safe places.

9

Hospitals

Kindergartens/
schools

Households

Effort acrossmultiple
sections“Young carers” refer to the children who provide houseworkand take care of family members on a daily basis, which
originally should have been performed by adults.

Support for Young Carers
I want people torecognize the existenceof young carers.

I want people toI want to connect withsupport young

someone.

carers.

I need people who

I have anxieties about
after graduating school.

listen to me.

Circumstances where children
could raise their voices
We will provide considerate support for “voices” ofyoung carers.

System to provide support
with everyone’s cooperation
People from various sectors will provide support.

Support according toindividual needs
We will provide support by valuing children’s feeling.

As people recognize young
carers, they can raise their voices.
Exchanging
views witheveryone

Fostering empathy
with friends

Website foryoung carers
People around young
carers recognize them.

People around young
carers understand them.

Training for people engaged in
welfare and education sectors.

Deepening people’s
understanding about “young
carers”.

People from welfare andeducation sectors hold a meeting
to examine support measures.

Sharing and consulting
concerns with people withsimilar experiences

Online connection is
also available.

Having third
placesSupport throughconnecting sectors

Visiting lectures to publichigh school

Support by school social
workers※

Listening tochildren’s “voices”.

Specialized staff members will beassigned to connect children withnecessary support※School social workers: School staffs specialized in welfare to support children and their families.

10

Creating third places
for children

Effort acrossmultiple
sections

Support for Children whose
native languages are not Japanese
As I cannot understandI have no idea withwhom I should consult.

Japanese, it is hard to me

to study in school.

Delicate Support for Studying Japanese
We will increase the opportunities to study Japanese.
I can getused to school
earlier.

Even if children
cannot understandsomething, they
can ask about itsoon.
We will increase the number ofpeople who support Japanese study.

We will increase thenumber of Japaneseteaching classes.

I can learn Japanesefrom teachers wholive far away.

Children caneven study bythemselves.

Supportsuitable foreach child.

Textbook available for learningon the terminal device
provided for every student etc.

Support for Japaneselearning and school lives ofpublic high school students

I need the third
places which I canvisit anytime.

System where children canconsult their troubles and worries

Creating third places where children
can go everyday to connect with people

We will connect troubles and concerns withnecessary support.

We will increase the number of third places
where children can meet a lot of people.

Coordinator for
multicultural
childrenChildren can feelrelieved if there issomeone who
listens to them.

Children canmeet various
people.

Children candirectly
consult with acounselor.

We will create the system where children
can feel free to consult with a counselor.
Virtual Study SpaceI want to
makefriends.

Children canconsult
with a counseloreven ifthey cannot meet
him/her directly.

Mentors for
multicultural
childrenChildren can consult witha counselor by making
use of chat function.

11

We will increase the number ofthird places for “learning”,“consultation” and “interaction”.
Children can havemore friends.

Children make friends with various
people through participation in theevents to learn culture.

Effort acrossmultiple
sections

Youth Health Care
Understanding forbodies and sexuality
has not spread.

I want to feel free toconsult withsomeone to help me
solve problems.

Adults can also learn

Provision of Considerate
Support for Concerns

I have few
opportunities tolearn about my body.

Recognition of
Changes in Bodies•••• We will establish the website
We will provide classes bycreated from Youth’s points ofdoctors in public high schools.
view.
Teachers deepen theirunderstanding as well.
• We will secure the opportunities
Good efforts will be shared withfor guardians to learn as well.
other schools.
• We will bolster the efforts bymunicipalities.

・ We will create consulting service
which children can feel free touse.
- Youth-friendly counselors.
- Based on youth’s views,
sanitary goods, snacks andsoft drink are also prepared.

Youth can be

社会への理解のunderstood by
浸透を後押しadultsaround.
Training for
Teachers

Enhancementof abilities toteach about
healthInformation
Delivery via
websiteMaking diagnosis in
the hospital easier•

We will make provision of
consultations by the experts
including doctors and nurses
possible.

•

We will make it possible for people
to receive proper advice forseeking diagnosis in the hospital.
Youth can eliminate
the concern “if I should
visit the hospital” byconsulting service.

公開授業
Open
Classes

Various kinds ofinformation andknowledge can beobtained.

Hurdles for seeking
diagnosis in obstetrics
and gynecology
hospital is high.

Places/methods forvarious consultations

Lectures forguardians

Telephone, faceto-face, email,online, school(school nurse’s
office)Support for
efforts madebymunicipalities

Youth can feel free toreceiveconsultation(menstrual pain, genitals,
acne, body shape, gender
identity etc. ）Support for consultation, healtheducation, public awareness etc.

12Youth can access toappropriate medical
treatment whennecessary.

【Effort１】 We will provide support to resolve children’sanxieties and concerns.
We will provide more support for children have problems and for those who are worried aboutbody and mind.
I hope I can have thethird places otherthan school.

I hope there will be no
person who looks sad.

We will help children
who need more special support.
In the case of having
troubles such as bullying,children can feel free toconsult with school
counselors etc.

We will create the places where children canconsult with counselors and the third places.
Children can feel
free to consult byusing smartphone
and PC.

Children who
are unable toattend school
have a “third
place” to go to.

Children can obtainthe third places otherthan in school and at
home.

etc.
Children haveplaces to consult
about their anxieties
when they feel sad.

It will also become
easier for children
who need aids bynurses etc. to go toschool.

I hope there are many
places where I can feel free
to do exercise.

We will support growth of children’s bodies.
Children who are injured bytheir guardians etc. can get help.

Children can enjoy
exercise in school.

Children can playsports in theplaces other thanschool as well.

etc.

etc.
13

【Effort２】 We will support child-rearing generation
We will continuously provide a wide variety of support so thatpeople in child-rearing generation can feel secure about having
childbirth and raising children under all circumstances.

Pre-Pregnancy Support

Support for
Pregnancy/Childbirth

Information regarding
infertility test/treatment
and test for recurrent
pregnancy loss issummarized in an easyto-understand way.
“Kounotori (Stork) ”
as advisor for people
trying to conceive

People can receive
information
regarding childcare
apparatus andsupport for childrearing.

People can obtaincorrect knowledge
regarding freeze
storage of ovum.

Pre-Pregnancy

Children of age from 0
to 18 can always livewith peace of mind.

People can leave
their children at
day-care centerswhen necessary.

People can consult theirvarious troubles
regarding pregnancy
and childbirth.

etc.

Support Parents Rearing
ChildrenPeople can receive help
for housework/childrearing after childbirth.

Everyone can takeinterview for pregnant
women and receive
continuous support as
required.

People who suffer frominfertility/recurrent
pregnancy loss canreceive treatment
without worrying aboutmoney or work.

If their parents are facing a.
difficult time, I don’t thinkchildren can live vibrantly

Nursery school

We will provide the space
where child-rearing families
can feel free to use when
they take trains.

etc.
Pregnancy/Childbirth

14

etc.
Child-rearing Period【Effort３】 We will support children’s learning
Focusing on the personality and ability of each child andproviding delicate support
We will put learning by utilizing strengthsof Tokyo.

We will develop the personality and abilityof each child to the maximum extent.
Children canwork harder on
their strongest
subject such as
mathematics andscience etc.

There are someelementary schoolsthat have classes
provided by theteachers specializedin science and PE.

Children can get the
chance to contact
with cutting-edge
technology of Tokyo.

Children can hearfrom the people whohave establishedtheir own companies
about theirexperiences.

People can leannecessary mattersin school after they
become adults.

English and PE
classes can betaught by visiting
instructors.

etc.

etc.

We will support learning for all
children.

We will support children who aims atchallenging in foreign countries.
Presentation
contests in
English are
held.

Children will havemore opportunities
for studying abroad
and international
exchanges.

I hope schools will provide
interesting classes.

Children withdisabilities can learn
what is necessary to
work and go to thenext stage ofeducation.

Both children withdisabilities andthose without
disabilities
can learn together.

Children canstudy English
by lodging
together.

Children can study
for entrance
examinations inschool.

etc.

etc.
15

【Effort４】 We will provide support for children’s smiles
across society.
We will promote the efforts leading to children’s smiles in collaboration with companies, schools andmunicipalities.
I want to change the society
where people consider crying
babies as “annoying” .

We will increase the number ofpeople engaged in promoting efforts.
In order to create thesociety where children
are valued, a lot of
people should be
required to be engaged
in the efforts.

I want to learn not only fromknowledge but by thinking
and acting on my own andhave various experiences.

Creating places for“Play/Learning/Experience”.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Website for Children

It’s design andusability has been
more and more
improved.
Updating website by listening
to children’s ideas and views“Great adventures thatmake children smile”
TMG and companies conductvarious events/efforts.

We have been helping
companies and schools
make efforts in various
ways.

For example・・・
Providing support for the event by inviting
companies that desire to hold events invarious places within Tokyo.
Widely introducing the efforts bycompanies/schools as good role models asa reference for the companies/schools that aregoing to make efforts for the future.

Children can havea wide variety ofexperience during
summer vacation.
Children givepresentations aboutplay and learningChildren participants in the events givepresentations about their experienceas their culmination of learning.

Events for Children
Introducing the efforts
made by TMG throughvarious events.

16

I believe child-rearing is notjust mothers’ work.

We will create the society where both men
and women can be engaged in “Ikugyo” ※.
※Nickname for childcare leave
Changes in the rate of acquiring
childcare leave

83.6%

1.89%

Women

85.1%

Men

13.97%

H24 H25 H26 H27 H28 H29 H30 R1

R2

R3（Materials）Created based on “Basic Survey of Gender Equality
in Employment” by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Childcare is not“holidays” but“important work”.
Disseminating importance of“Ikugyo” by distribution of movie
Introducing best practices incompanies
Support forthecompaniesthat promote“Ikugyo”
Subsidies for thecompanies thatencourage men to
take “Ikugyo”.

In cooperation with municipalities, we will promote
区市町村の子供の笑顔につながる取組を応援
efforts leading to children’s smiles.
We have questions
and troubles aboutchild-rearing・・・？

We want to enjoy
playing sports
greatly.

We need various
kinds ofplaygrounds in ourneighborhood.

Efforts Leading to Children’s Smiles by Municipalities
Hino City“New Sports Program”

Koto City

where everyone can join.

Open field park where
people can gather
anytime.

Skateboarding Classes
held at stylishskateboarding park

“Miraiku” as the landmark forchild rearing, which is to beopened at the end of 2023
(scheduled).

Park under elevatedroad to be rebuilt

Fuchu City
New application to
support childrearing families

KiyoseCityChildren’s center, library andcentral park combined into
one facility

Musashino City

※The photographs and conceptual perspective images of initiatives are provided by the relevant municipalities that have made such efforts.

17