Daycare Center Admissions Guide
From April 2024 to March 2025
Published in October 2023

Contact Information

The Childcare Institutions Management Division,
Children Services Department of Tsukuba City
1-1-1 Kenkyu-gakuen Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8555

Phone: 029-883-1111 (Extensions: 1532 - 1534, 1553, and 1554）

Official website ofTsukuba City (Pageon daycare centers)

Contents● Daycare Centers: What is Hoikusho? ....................................................

● Eligibility Approval (Nintei) ....................................................................

● Application Process ................................................................................

● For Tsukuba residents applying for a daycare center place outside thecity and non-Tsukuba residents applying for a daycare center place inthe city ......................................................................................................

● Points to Note .........................................................................................

● Required Procedures after an Application and Admission .................

● Childcare Fees .........................................................................................

● Q&A (Frequently Asked Questions) ......................................................

● List of Daycare Centers. .........................................................................

Daycare Centers: “What are hoiku-sho?”Daycare centers (hoikusho) are places which provide childcare for parents and guardians who cannot
take care of their child during the day due to work, illness, or other reasons. Regarding types of
daycare centers, there are Ninka Hoikusho (authorized daycare centers), Nintei Kodomoen (certified
centers for early childhood education and care), and Chiikigata Hoiku Jigyo (community daycare
services), all of which are referred to as ‘daycare centers’ in this guide.
Please note that you cannot send your child to a daycare center for the purpose of providing
education or experiences among other children, getting ready for elementary school, or taking careof the child’s younger siblings. If you would like to use childcare services for above-mentioned
reasons, please consider using other childcare services such as a kindergarten or temporarily
childcare.
Ninka Hoikusho (authorized daycare centers) are operated in accordance with the Child Welfare Law
in regards to the capacity, number of staff and size of premises. Tsukuba City accepts applications,authorizes admissions and collects childcare fees for both public and private authorized daycare
centers in the city.
Nintei Kodomoen (certified centers for early childhood education and care) are childcare facilities thatprovide both kindergarten (Yochien) and daycare center childcare services in the same location.
Please note that application for kindergarten (Approval Category 1) at Nintei Kodomoen is acceptedat the respective facility, while application for daycare center (Approval Category 2 and 3) at Nintei
Kodomoen is accepted at Tsukuba City Hall. Childcare fees are collected at the respective facility.
Chiikigata Hoiku Jigyo (community daycare services) in Tsukuba City offers small-scale childcare
services (the number of children is less than that of Ninka Hoikusho) for children aged between 0 and
2. The application for Chiikigata Hoiku Jigyo is accepted at Tsukuba City Hall, while the fees arecollected at the respective facility.

Eligible Age for Childcare Services
Classes by age for FY2024 (Classes are determined by the age of children as of April 1, 2024.)
Classes by age
Date of birthChildcare services can be offered until school starts*
Age 0
April 2, 2023 Until March 31, 2030
Age 1
April 2, 2022 – April 1, 2023 Until March 31, 2029
Age 2
April 2, 2021 – April 1, 2022 Until March 31, 2028
Age 3
April 2, 2020 – April 1, 2021 Until March 31, 2027
Age 4
April 2, 2019 – April 1, 2020 Until March 31, 2026
Age 5
April 2, 2018 – April 1, 2019 Until March 31, 2025
*Small-scale childcare services accept children until the end of March of the fiscal year in which they turn 2.

Precautions for FY 2024 Application
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Application will only be accepted online and will NOT be accepted over the counter or by post.
Note: However, if you have any difficulties with online application, please contact the Childcare
Institutions Management Division.
You should apply for daycare center places where you can pick-up and drop-off your child. We
recommend you visit daycare centers before you apply, though you can apply without visiting.
Collect the documents you need for your application in advance. Please refer to page 6 fordetails of which documents you will need to provide.
If you wish to apply for a daycare center place outside Tsukuba City because you are going tomove out of the city, you need to apply to the municipal office of the area where your preferred
daycare center is located. Please see page 9 for details.
Application period for April admission
First round: From Wednesday, November 1, 2023 to Monday, November 20, 2023 (by 4:30 pm)
Second round: From Tuesday, November 21, 2023 to Tuesday, February 13, 2024 (by 4:30 pm)
Online application form: https://www.city.tsukuba.lg.jp/kosodate/kosodate/hoikujo/index.html(only available in Japanese)We will improve facilities of our public daycare centers to meet the
new earthquake resistance standards.
To secure safe childcare environment, we are going to rebuild facilities or transfer the operation of our nine public daycare centers in Tsukuba City (Kamizakai, Inaoka, Ue-no-muro, Kami-hirooka, Kami-yokoba, Takamihara, Shiroyama, Iwasaki and Oda daycare centers) which do not meet the new earthquake
resistance standards because they were built before the standards had been applied. With safety as the top priority, we will start working on the daycare
centers with lower earthquake resistance and aim to complete the improvement projects in FY2025.

How and when the improvement projects will be completed
Daycarecenters

How

School year
2023

School year2024

Kami-zakai

Transfer the operation of the
daycare center to a private
daycare centerTransfer

The operation starts at a private daycare center in
FY2024.

InaokaTransfer the operation of the
daycare center to a private
daycare centerTransfer

The operation starts at a private
daycare center in 2025.

Transfer the operation of thetwo daycare centers to a
private daycare centerTransfer

The operation starts at a private
daycare center in 2025.

Ue-no-muroKami-hirooka

Kami-yokoba

Takamihara
Shiroyama

School year
2025

School year 2026

Transfer the operation of the
daycare center to a private
daycare centerTransfer

The operation starts
at a private daycare
center in 2026.

Transfer the operation of thetwo daycare centers to a
private daycare centerTransfer

The operation starts
at a private daycare
center in 2026.

IwasakiRebuild the building of
Iwasaki Daycare Center on
the site of Iwasaki
Kindergarten

Oda

Other public daycare centerscarry on its mission.

Rebuild

The operation starts in the newly build public
daycare center in 2024.

Close

The operation
starts at anotherpublic daycare
center in 2026.*

Children who started one-year-old to three-year-old classes at Oda Daycare Center in school year 2024 will be offered a place at public daycare center in
the Northern part of Tsukuba City including Hojo and Oho Daycare Centers in 2026. Please note that your preferred daycare center may not be available.

Frequently asked questions
Q1: Why are the operations of public daycare centers transferred to private daycare centers?
A1: With safety as top priority and in response to growing population and diversified needs of childcare services, we are going to transfer the operation of ournine public daycare centers in Tsukuba City which do not meet the new earthquake resistance standards to private daycare centers so that the improvements canbe made in a short span of time. We will choose private daycare centers which are operated by trusted social welfare corporations, school corporations and otherorganizations.
Q2: Will the nine daycare centers stop accepting new children?
A2: They will continue to accept new children until the school year when they start transferring their operation with the safety measures of buildings in place.
Q3: How will children change their daycare centers?
A3: Children going to one of the nine public daycare centers will change their daycare centers to a new daycare center when it is ready. Please note that you willneed to complete the procedure to change daycare centers if you wish to change daycare centers before the transfer process starts..
Q4: I am concerned that changing daycare centers may be stressful for children.
A4: As soon as we know which private daycare center children will go to, we will hand over all the necessary information to the new daycare center, and also send
the childcare workers at the public daycare center to the new private daycare center to provide childcare services together so that we can keep the stressminimum for children.
Q5: Are the current daycare center buildings which do not meet the new earthquake resistance standards dangerous for children?
A5: Structural faults were detected in daycare center buildings in the anti-earthquake assessment in 2017. Among these faults, we have already completed a typeof repair that can be made easily and quickly for each building. We will also continue to work on safer childcare environment by checking the safety of thebuildings on a daily basis and repairing if required.

Eligibility Approval (Nintei)
Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational and Childcare Facility

If you wish to send your child to a daycare center or kindergarten transitioned to new system
which offers daycare services, you are required to get an eligibility approval from Tsukuba
City. The approval is called Kyoiku Hoiku Kyufu Nintei (Eligibility Approval to Use Educationaland Childcare Facility).
Application for a daycare center place and eligibility approval are merged into one form, so you
can complete applications at the same time.
Whether or not your child is offered a place at a daycare center, all the applicants will receive a
written Eligibility Approval called Shikyu Ninteisho. Please keep it at home.



Details of Eligibility Approval
An Eligibility Approval contains 4 items; Approval category, childcare hours, reason for requiring
childcare, and approved period.
1. Approval category is determined by the child’s age and the type of a facility.
Category
Types of Childcare Facility
Eligible Age
1Facility which provides early childhood education Kindergarten age (3 years old or above)
Children aged 3 to 5 (From one day before turning 3 to one day
2
before starting school)
Facility which provides daycare center services
3Children aged 0 to 3 (Until 2 days before turning 3)

2. Childcare hours: Either one of the following childcare hours will be approved according to yourapplication reasons and other conditions.
a. Standard childcare hours: 11 hours maximum (Calculated based on full-time working hours)b. Short-time childcare hours: 8 hours maximum (Calculated based on part-time working hours)
3. Reason for requiring childcare
Reasons

Approval Period

Work

Until your child starts school

Study

Until you graduate

Required Childcare Hours- If your working or credit hours are 120 or more hours/month,
you are eligible for standard childcare hours.
- If your working or credit hours are less than 120
hours/month, you are eligible for short-time childcare hours.
(Childcare hours are determined based on either one of theparents’ working hours or credit hours, whichever shorter.)Caring for someone who is ill,
Until the day specified in a medical certificate issued
disabled or has other condition
by a hospital or other relevant documents
Being ill or disabled
Pregnancy or childbirth*

From 6 weeks prior to the due date (10 weeks for
pregnancy with twins or more) to the end of themonth in which the 8th week from the delivery falls

Disaster recovery

Until deemed necessary

Parental leave

Until the end of a parental leave (This reason isapproved if you take your parental leave after yourchild have started a daycare center.)

Seeking a job

Up to 3 months from the day you start job hunting or
your child starts a daycare center

Other

Please inquire at the Childcare Institutions Management Division.

Standard childcare hoursorShot-time childcare hours

Shot-time childcare hours

Other conditions such as actual working hours, and pick-up and drop-off time will be taken into consideration.
You can send your child to a daycare center during an approval period only.
If you are approved for standard childcare hours, you may opt for short-time childcare hours.
*For pregnancy or childbirth, an approval period is limited. Please see *1 of page 6 for details.

Application Process
From application to admission for FY2024

4-1

If the result is ‘Provisional Admission (Nyusho
Naitei 入所内定)’

・If your child is offered a place at a daycare center, you will receive

1

Apply for the approval and daycare center places

・Apply for daycare center places where your child can definitely
go to once offered a place. We recommend that you visit yourpreferred daycare centers in advance though you can apply
without visits.
・Please refer to page 5 for the application period.

a letter of ‘Provisional Admission’. Your child will have aninterview and health check at the daycare center by the end of amonth before he/she starts the daycare center.
・ Based on the report from the daycare center about theinterview, you will receive a letter of admission confirmationand confirmation of childcare fees.
N.B. If accepted for a certain period of time under a specific reason
such as job-hunting, pregnancy, or childbirth, your child will haveto leave the daycare center when this period ends.

2

Screening

・We will assess applications based on points and availabilities.
・Screening is not first-come-first-served basis.

4-2. If the result is ‘Admission On Hold (Nyusho Horyu 入所保留)’・If your child is not offered a place, you will receive a letter of‘Admission On Hold (nyusho horyu 入所保留)’. This letter will besent after the first-time assessment only.

3

Screening results will be sent by post around the 17th

・If you wish to receive the letter and the list of available facilitiesof each month.

for the next-time assessment onwards, please contact the・We will send screening results by post.
・If none of your 3 preferred facilities have offered a place, youChildcare Facility Management Division.
・Your application will be valid and assessed every month until
March, 2025.

will receive availability information at facilities other than those 3

N.B. While your status is ‘Admission on Hold’, your application will

under the condition that you requested the information at the

be assessed based on your first application details. If there are any

time of application. If you wish to send your child to one ofchanges to the details such as leaving your job, changing jobs,

available facilities, you need to apply online for a place accordingly

taking time off from work or being pregnant, please notify us ofby the deadline. Please note that this information will be provided

the change immediately.
If you wish to cancel your application, please submit aafter the first-time assessment only, and it does not mean that you
will definitely be offered a place.

cancellation request form to the Childcare Institutions
Management Division by the deadline.

・In principle, we cannot inform screening result over the phone.

For the details of screening process, please refer to ‘Admission Criteria for Daycare Centers in
Tsukuba City’ on the official website of Tsukuba City.
1. All applicants are provided with standard points. Extra points may be added to or deductedfrom your standard points depending on your application reasons and other conditions.
2. Children whose parents have higher points will be prioritized.
3. If the number of your total points is the same as another applicant’s, a priority list will bereferred to in order to decide which child should be offered a place.
4. If the result of #3 is the same for you and another applicant, your facility preference ranking
will be taken into consideration.
5. If all the above conditions are the same as another applicant, it will be decided by lot.

1)






2)

Application Period
Application for admission in April:
Application period

When to send the screening result

First roundapplication

From Wednesday November 1 to Monday, November
20, 2023 (Closed at 4:30 p.m.)

Around February 7, 2024 (The exact date will be
updated on the official website of Tsukuba City.)

Second roundapplication

From Tuesday, November 21, 2023 to Tuesday,
February 13, 2024 (Closed at 4:30 p.m.)

Around March 7, 2024 (The exact date will be
updated on the official website of Tsukuba City.)

If your child is not offered a place for the first-round application, the result will not be issued and yourapplication will continue to be assessed automatically for the second-round application. You do not have to do
anything to be assessed. If you wish to change your preferred daycare centers, please do so by the end of thesecond-round application. Your ‘Admission on Hold’ letter will be issued after the second-round assessment.
If you wish your application to continue to be assessed for the second-round application though your child isoffered a place, you need to apply again.
We will notify you of the availabilities of daycare centers other than your 3 preferred daycare centers after
the second-round application screening (around late February), if you requested the notification (for April
admission only).

Application for admission in a month other than April (Closed at 4:30 p.m. on the day ofeach deadline.)

Admission month
May
June
July
AugustSeptember
October

Application period
Wed. March 6 – Fri. April 5, 2024
Sat. April 6 – Tue. May 7, 2024
Wed. May 8 – Wed. June 5, 2024
Thu. June 6 – Fri. July 5, 2024
Sat. July 6 – Mon. August 5, 2024
Tue. August 6 – Thu. September 5, 2024

Admission month
November
DecemberJanuary
February
March

Application period
Fri. September 6 – Mon. October 7, 2024
Tue. October 8 – Tue. November 5, 2024
Wed. November 6 – Thu. December 5, 2024
Wed. November 6, 2024 – Mon. January 6, 2025
Wed. November 6, 2024 – Wed. February 5, 2025

Availability will be updated on the Tsukuba City’s official website around the 29th of the previous 2 months of the desired
month of admission.

Points to note for children starting a daycare center in April
1) If your child is provisionally accepted at a public daycare center, you will receive an offer letter
along with ‘Pre-admission Health Check Form ( 入所前乳幼児身体検査票 Nyusho Mae Nyuyoji
Shintai Kensahyo)’. Please fill in the form and take your child for a health check at an affiliatedhealthcare facility. You and your child will then have an interview at the daycare center, basedon which the facility will decide whether or not your child is suited for group nursing. If
considered suitable, he/she will be officially offered a place. If your child is provisionallyaccepted at a private daycare center or other type of daycare center, please follow instructions
included in an offer letter, because the procedures depend on each facility.
2) Your child will start a gradual transition period (see page 10) in April. Please note that a gradualtransition period cannot be started in March if your child is offered a place to start in April.
Please ask the starting date of a daycare center directly as it varies depending on each facility.
3) If you are returning or starting to work sometime during May, you must apply for May admission.
Even if you are returning or starting to work on May 1, your child is not allowed to start a gradualtransition period before May 1. This applies to admission in June and onwards.
4) If you miss the deadline of the second-round application, your child cannot start in April.
5) If you are expecting a baby by March 4, 2024, who will be registered as a resident of Tsukuba
City, you can apply for a daycare center place before your baby is born. However, please notethat if your baby is born on March 5, 2024 or after, April admission will be cancelled and you
need to apply for May admission separately.
6) If your application reason is ‘scheduled to be employed’, you need to submit a ‘Certificate of
Employment (就労証明書 shuro shomeisho)’ in April. You also need to request to change your
Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational or Childcare Facility’ (see page 12). If yourapplication reason is parental leave, you need to return to your work in April and submit a
Certificate of Employment (which clearly indicates the date of returning to work and issued after
this date) within one month. (You can submit online.) If your application reason is seeking a job,
you need to start working within 3 months after your child starts a daycare center and submit
a Certificate of Employment. You also need to request to change your Eligibility Approval to
Use an Educational or Childcare Facility.

7)

If you have decided to cancel your application, please submit a cancelation form. Otherwise,
your application will be continued to be assessed until the end of the fiscal year.
Required
Requireddocuments
documentsTake
Youclearneedphotos
to takeof
photosrequiredof thedocuments
required anddocuments
upload themand uploadto the them
onlinetoapplication
the onlineform.
application f

1)

Proof of being unable to look after your child during the day (Both parents’ proof required)・The proof is required for anyone aged 18 or more to less than 65 living with your child, except
students.
・The proof must be less than 3 months old.
・For documents marked with ‘●’, use a designated form (available on the Tsukuba City’s official website).
The minimum working or credit hours is 60 hours or more per month if your application reason is between① and ⑥.
Application reasons

Required Documents① Work●Certificate of Employment (就労証明書 shuro shomeisho)② Parental leave●Certificate of Employment (就労証明書 shuro shomeisho)③ Scheduled to be
employed●Certificate of Employment (就労証明書 shuro shomeisho)① ●Certificate of Employment (就労証明書 shuro shomeisho)② Copy of Starting Business Notification Form(開業届 kaigyo-todoke) or⑤ Engaged in farming
Copy of both page 1 and 2 of Tax Return (確定申告 kakutei-shinkoku)
Certificate of Enrollment issued by university/school (在学証明書 zaigaku⑥ Student (A school must be
shomeisho) and ●Curriculum
run by the national or
N.B. Certificate must contain your academic year; Home schooling (including
municipal government, or
correspondence college) is not approved as an application reason; Schools
school corporation.)must be run by national/municipal government or school cooperation.
④ Self-employed⑦ Caring for a family
member who is ill or
disabled*2

Notes
If you are about to change jobs, you will needcertificates from your previous and future employers.
When you apply, you will need to provide a certificate
stating the period of your parental leave. When you
return to work, you will need to provide anothercertificate stating your return date and date of issuing
the certificate which must be after the date of return.
Within one month of your child starting daycare
center, you will need to provide another certificate(Date of issue must be after your employment date).
You will need to provide both ① and ②.
You will need to provide both ① and ②.

Credit hours (hours spent at university/school) mustbe at least 60 hours per month.

① ●Medical Certificate (Nursing Care) (診断書 介護 shindansho kaigo) OR You will need to provide both ① and ②.
a copy of Nursing Insurance Certificate (介護保険被保険者証 kaigo hoken The requirement is that you spend at least 60 hours
hihokenshasho)
per month to care for a family member who is ill or② ●Report on Nursing Care (看護等状況申告書 Kangotojokyo shinkokusho) disabled.

●Medical Certificate (of yourself) (診断書 本人 shindansho honnin) OR a
copy of a certificate including Physical Disability Certificate(身体障害者手帳⑧ Being sick or disabled *2 shintai shogaisha techo), Rehabilitation Certificate (療育手帳 ryoiku techo),
Mental Disability Certificate (精神障害者手帳 seishin shogaisha techo andDisability Pension Certificate(障害年金証書(shogai nenkin shosho)
A copy of your Mother and Child Health Handbook (母子健康手帳 boshi⑨ Childbirth *1
kenko techo) (Page showing parents’ names and expected due date)⑩ Disaster recovery *2

Disaster Damage Certificate (罹災証明書 Risai shomeisho)

Certificate showing the extent of damage caused by anatural disaster.

⑪ Risk of abuse or domestic
Please consult with Child Institutions Management Division
violence●Job-Seeking Report (求職活動に関する申立書 kyushoku katsudoni⑫ Seeking a job or preparing
kansuru moshitatesho)
to start business and cannot
If you go to a job center called “Hello Work”, please
N.B. You must start working within 3 months from the day your child starts
take care of your child once
submit a document issued by the center.
daycare center and provide a Certificate of Employment otherwise your childthe job starts
will have to leave the daycare center.
*1: If your application reason is #⑨, your child will start daycare center from 6 weeks (10 weeks for twins or more) prior to the due
date to eight weeks after the birth (more precisely, until the end of the month in which eight weeks and one day after giving birthfall). This is called Limited-Term Admission 期間入所. If you wish your child to stay in the same daycare center after this period,
you need to apply again.
Example: If your baby is due on Monday, August 19, 2024, the approval period is from Monday, July 8 which is 6 weeks before thedue date to Tuesday, October 31, 2024 which is the last day of the month in which the next day of 8 full weeks after childbirth(Monday, October 14) falls. Pease notify the Childcare Institutions Management Division when the baby is born, if your baby is
not born on the due date, because the approval period will be adjusted accordingly.
*2: If your application reason is #⑦, ⑧ or ⑩, the approval period will be determined according to the period of the certificate.
If the duration of care, hospitalization, or recovery work from disaster becomes longer than expected, you need to submit thecertificate again before the end of your approval period.
*3: If your due date is getting close while being waitlisted under a reason other than #⑨, your application reason will become#⑨ which means your child will have to leave the daycare center by the last day of the month in which 8 weeks and one day

fall after giving birth. If you wish your child to stay in the same daycare center, because you are planning to return to workwithout taking a parental leave, please contact the Childcare Institutions Management Division.

2)

Specific documents #➀ required if you are transferred away from your family on a job assignment, a single
parent, foreign national and/or if you wish to change your application status:

Your circumstances
You are transferred outside Ibaraki Prefecture
without your family on a job assignment.
You live separately from your spouse and arenegotiating divorce settlement, though notdivorced yet.
You, your spouse and/or your child is foreign
national.

You chose to defer your child’s admission but
now wish to send your child to daycare center.
(The deducted 20 points will be added.)3)

Required Documents
A proof of residence such as utility bill or a copy of lease contract which shows that you resideoutside the Prefecture. (The document must contain your address and name.)
One of the following documents: Transcript of the content-certified mail regarding cooperative
divorce, subpoena for mediation date, Certificate of Divorce Pendency at Family Court, certificate of
mediation failure, etc. (Without the documents, points for single-parents will not be provided.)・If you have a valid residence card: A copy of all family members’ Residence Cards or Residence
Certificates (juminhyo 住民票)
・If you do NOT have a valid residence card:- A copy of all family members’ Special Permanent Resident Certificate (tokubetsu eijusha shomeisho
特別永住者証明書), or their Residence Certificate (juminhyo 住民票)
- A copy of Permission to engage in an activity other than those permitted by the status of residence
previously granted (shikaku gai katsudo kyoka sho 資格外活動許可証)(You need the permission to work, if your visa status is student or dependent. Without the work permit,
you cannot apply for daycare center places under the reason of work.)
Application form called Nyusho horyu kibo kaijo shinsei sho (入所保留希望解除申請書)

Specific documents #② required if you are not registered as a resident of Tsukuba City at the time of
application including a case where you are transferred away from your family on a job assignment:Childcare fees are determined based on your state of municipal taxation. If either of the conditions described
below applies to you, you should provide one of the documents accordingly. Without the document, youreligibility may be affected and you may be charged the highest childcare fee of level 13 (see page 15).

Persons applying for admission between April and August 2024 andwere not registered as a resident of Tsukuba City as of January 1, 2023

Tax/Tax Exemption Certificate (kazei shomeisho/hikazei shomeisho) of
FY2023 issued at the municipal office of your residence as of January 1, 2023

Persons applying for admission after September 2024 and are notregistered as a resident of Tsukuba City as of January 1, 2024

Tax/Tax Exemption Certificate (kazei shomeisho/hikazei shomeisho) of
FY2024 issued at the municipal office of your residence as of January 1, 2024

N.B. If you cannot submit the above-mentioned tax certificate because you were living outside Japan orother reasons, please contact the Childcare Institutions Management Division.

4)

Specific documents #③ required if you are eligible for fee reduction:
If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible for childcare fee discount. If you cannot submit
the required document at the time of application, please submit it at a later date before your childstarts daycare center. Depending on your taxation status, you may not be approved of the discount.
Please inquire at the Childcare Institutions Management Division for details.

1. If you have another child or children aged under 18 living in a separate
household who you support financially, you may be eligible for Reduction for
Family with Many Children.

A copy of Residence Certificate (juminhyo) of the child living inthe separate household

2. If you receive Child Rearing Allowance or Benefit for Single-mother Householdfrom Tsukuba City, you may be eligible for Reduction for Family in Need.

A copy of a recipient certificate (jukyushasho)

3. If one of your household members has a disability certificate, you may be
eligible for Reduction for a Family in Need.

A copy of a disability handbook or a copy of recipient certificate
of Child Rearing Allowance or Basic Disability Pension

4. If you are a single-parent with no marriage record, you may be eligible for
Reduction for a Deemed Widow(er).

A copy of a mother or father’s Family Register (A Family register
is issued for Japanese nationals only. )5. If you are negotiating a divorce, you may be eligible for Deduction for Single
Parent provided that you are living in separate households and can prove it byyour Certificate of Residence (jumin-hyo).

A transcript of the content-certified mail on demand for divorce
by agreement, the subpoena for mediation date, the Certificate
of Divorce Pendency at Family Court, a certificate of mediation
failure, etc.
N.B. You will become eligible for the reduction in the monthfollowing the month in which you have provided the document
or separated from your spouse, whichever comes later.

6. If you are receiving Livelihood Protection (seikatsu hogo), you may be eligible

A copy of recipient certificate (jukyushasho)for Reduction for Families on Livelihood Protection.

How to apply
Application will only be accepted online and will NOT be accepted over the counter or by post. If you have any difficulties with
online application, for example you cannot read Japanese or there is something wrong with your computer, contact the Childcare
Institutions Management Division.

1)

2)

3)

If you have your My Number card, computer, and IC card reader compatible with My Number card:
Access the official online application and notification services of Ibaraki Prefecture called Ibaraki Denshi
Shinsei Todokede Service Tsukuba City (いばらき電子申請・届出サービス(つくば市)), fill in the application
form after registering yourself as a user, and complete the application by verifying your identity using an IC
card reader.
If you have your My Number card and smartphone compatible with My Number card:
Access the official online application and notification services of Ibaraki Prefecture called Ibaraki Denshi
Shinsei Todokede Service Tsukuba City (いばらき電子申請・届出サービス(つくば市)), fill in the application
form, and complete the application by verifying your identity using your smartphone compatible with My
Number cards.
If neither 1) nor 2) applies to you (Either you do not have a My Number card or you have the card but do nothave a device compatible with My Number card):
Step 1: Access the official online application and notification services of Ibaraki Prefecture called Ibaraki
Denshi Shinsei Todokede Service Tsukuba City (いばらき電子申請・届出サービス (つくば市)), andcomplete the application form after registering yourself as a user.
Step 2: Download and print out a My Number Form (マイナンバー記入用紙) from the official website ofTsukuba City, fill it in, attach documents from List 1 and List 2 below to the form and send it to the Childcare
Institutions Management Division by post.

List 1: A copy of one of the following documents verifying your My Number① Back of your My Number card ② My Number Notification Card ③ Certificate of Residence showing your My Number(Please note that a notification letter of your My Number is not valid.)
List 2: Identification Document
A copy of one of the documents listed below:
If you cannot provide a document on the left, please provide
1. Front of My Number card
a combination of two documents below:
2. Driver’s license or certificate of driving history
8. Health Insurance card
3. Basic Residents’ Registration card with a photo
9. Certificate of child allowance or certificate of child-rearing
4. Passport
allowance
5. Physical Disability Certificate, Certification of the Psychiatric 10. Pension handbook
Disorder, or Rehabilitation Certificate
11. Student ID (with photo)
6. Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate
12. Identification document issued by the national or local
7. Certificate of qualification with photo issued by thegovernment (with photo)
national or local governmentPlease note that incomplete attachments, such as unclear images and password-locked files,
will be treated as incomplete application and your points may be deducted.



Please also note that all required documents are valid for 3 months. Documents that areissued more than 3 months prior to the application date will be considered invalid and yourpoints may be deducted.
[Online application for daycare center admission]◀ Please scan the code and see details. (Only available in Japan)

For Tsukuba residents applying for a daycare center place outside the city and nonTsukuba residents applying for a daycare center place in the city
If you are moving to Tsukuba City
1)
2)
3)

Where to apply: The Childcare Institutions Management Division of Tsukuba City (Online application)
Required documents: Please refer to #3 of page 6.
Important points to note
・ Your child must be registered as a resident of Tsukuba City by the last day of the month prior tothe month of admission. Please inform the Division after you register your child.
・ If you do not register your child by the said date, you will lose the daycare center place.
・ If you are offered a place, you will receive a document called Provisional Admission (nyusho-naitei
入所内定). If you are not offered a place, you will receive a document called Admission On-hold(nyusho-horyu 入所保留).
・ If your child was in a daycare center before you move to Tsukuba City or if you are going to apply
for daycare center places both in and outside the city, you may need to complete separate
procedures. Please inquire at the relevant division of your previous municipal office.

If you reside outside Tsukuba City and wish to apply for daycare center places in Tsukuba City:(Your child will go to a daycare center in Tsukuba City from an area outside the city.)
1)
2)

Where to apply: A division in charge of daycare centers in your current municipality.
Required documentsi.
Application form and documents required by the municipality where you currently reside.
ii.
A document called koiki nyusho kakunin sheet 広域入所確認シート (Downloadable from the
Tsukuba City’s official website.)3) Important points to note
・ Your child will be allowed to stay in a daycare center until the end of March maximum. If you
wish your child to stay for the following year, you are required to apply again.
・ Infants under 1-year-old are not accepted. (However, infants whose parents are a childcare
worker, nursery or kindergarten teacher, or nurse working in an authorized daycare centers in
Tsukuba are eligible for a place. Also, if you have moved out of the city in the middle of a fiscal
year but would like your baby to stay in the same daycare center, you can do so.)・ If you are applying for a daycare center place due to work or study, you will need to meet Tsukuba
City’s requirement of at least 60 working or credit hours per month.

If you are applying for daycare center places outside Tsukuba City due to moving out the city
1)
2)
3)

Where to apply: Division responsible for childcare institutions management of the municipality
Required documents: Please check with the municipality you are going to move to.
Important points to note: We do not accept applications at Tsukuba City Hall. Please tell themunicipality which you are moving to that we do not accept applications in Tsukuba.

If you are applying for daycare center places outside Tsukuba City without moving out the city1)2)

Where to apply: At the Childcare Institutions Management Division, Tsukuba City Hall (In person)
Required documents: Required documents of both Tsukuba City and the municipality where the
daycare center that you wish to apply is located.
3) Important points to note
・ Your child will be allowed to stay in a daycare center until the end of March maximum. If you wish
your child to stay for the following year, you are required to apply again.
・ Please check required documents, deadline, and eligible age with the municipality where the
daycare center you wish to send your child is located and apply 7 days prior to the deadline.
・ If your child goes to a Nintei-kodomoen (certified centers for early childhood education and care),and if you wish to change the type of services from kindergarten (Approval Category 1) to daycare
center (Approval Category 2), you need to apply for that.
・ You cannot apply online or by post. You must come to the city hall to apply in person.

・ Tsukuba City will inform you of the screening result over the phone.

Points to note
Points to note regarding admission in general
1)
2)

3)
4)

5)
6)
7)
8)

9)
10)

11)

12)

13)

Please note that you will need to apply separately for 2023 and 2024 daycare center places.
If you wish to turn down the place you were offered, submit a Cancellation Form for Daycare Center
Application ( 保 育 施 設 入 所 申 込 取 下 げ 届 hoiku-shisetsu nyusho moshikomi torisage todoke)(available online). By turning down the offer, your application will be automatically cancelled. If
you wish to be wait-listed for other daycare centers, you will have to start the application process
all over again. We will not issue an Admission On-hold (入所保留通知 nyusho horyuu tsuuchi) if you
turn down an offer.
You can change your preferred daycare centers online as long as it is within the deadline.
Even if your child is provisionally offered a place at a daycare center, the facility could still cancel theoffer if they determine that your child is not suited for group childcare based on an interview andhealth check. Please also note that depending on the degree of illness or disability of your child,there may be cases where you are asked to provide a medical certificate stating that your child iscapable of group childcare or your child is asked to wait until the daycare center is ready to accept
your child safely. These documents will be accepted by the city and may be shared with the daycare
center where your child is offered a place.
If your application reason is childbirth and your child is approved ‘Limited-term Admission 期間
入所’, you cannot extend the term by changing the application reason to parental leave.
If you are on parental leave for your younger child, you cannot apply for a daycare center place foryour older child without going back to work.
The starting day of a daycare center is normally the first day of a month. (If you are on a parental
leave, your child will start daycare center on the first day of the month in which you start working.)
If you wish to cancel your application, submit Cancellation Form for Daycare Center Application (保育施設入所申込取下げ届 hoiku shisetsu nyusho moshikomi torisage todoke) downloadable on
the official website of Tsukuba City. Without the form, you will be automatically wait-listed.
(available online)
Please note that if you requested to change daycare centers and the change is approved, your childcan no longer stay in the current daycare center, because another child is offered a place.
If there are changes in application reasons or in family conditions after you submitted application
form, please submit extra documents required for the change or contact us at the Childcare
Institutions Management Division.
If you have moved out of Tsukuba City, your child will have to leave his/her daycare center at theend of the month you moved out. If you wish your child to stay after moving out, you will need tocomplete procedures for it (See #2 of page 9).
When you return to your workplace, your child will have to leave his/her daycare center if either
one of #➀ - #➃ below applies to you:
① You have resigned from your work place. (Excluding a case where you are starting a new job
by the end of the month in which your child starts daycare center.)② You are not going to return to your workplace by the end of the month in which your childstarts daycare center.
③ Your working days or hours will become shorter than before. (Excluding a case of shorter
working hours for childcare.) This rule applies to your new workplace.
④ You have a contract with a dispatch company but they do not have a workplace for you.
N.B. Your child will also have to leave his/her daycare center if you do not return to your workplaceby the end of the month in which your child starts daycare center due to being on paid holiday,
your child being ill or other reason.
If you are a nurse working at a licensed daycare center in the city, points will be added. Pleaseindicate the condition in the notes section of the Certificate of Employment.

Gradual Transition Period at Daycare Centers (Narashi hoiku)
It is difficult for infants and small children to get used to a new environment immediately. To reduce theirmental and physical stress, anxiety, and fear little by little, some daycare centers have a period called‘gradual transition period (short-time childcare)’ so that they can gradually get used to being separated
from their parents. Children who start daycare center for the first time or move to a different daycare
center will normally have first 5 weekdays as a gradual transition period. If your child’s daycare center has
this period, you should be aware that your child cannot stay for long hours in the beginning. Please notethat a gradual transition period cannot be started before 1 st of the month you have offered on.

Children who may have special needsChildren who may need verbal or physical support including children with slow development
regardless of he/she has a medical certificate or rehabilitation certificate, and children with illness
or disability are considered as children who may have special needs. Children who use a hearing aid
or glasses are also considered as children who may have special needs.

Even if your child does not find it inconvenient at all at home, he/she might need special attention
in a group environment at a daycare center. Please note that there may be cases where children who
may have special needs have to wait to start a daycare center, if the daycare center requires somemore time to accept them safely.
We recommend that you visit daycare centers which you wish to apply for in advance.

Please consult with the Childcare Institutions Management Division in advance if your child has a
medical condition which requires medical care, such as sputum suction, tube
feeding, and urinary conduction because there will be additional requirements
and documents. Please refer to the official website of Tsukuba City for details.
Scan the QR code to see the details of how children requiring medical care are
accepted at public daycare centers. （Only available in Japanese）

If you are going to give birth after your older child starts daycare center, and take a parental leave

If you are going to give birth after your older child starts daycare center under the reason of work,and you are planning to take a parental leave after giving birth, your child can stay in the daycare
center for a specific period of time. If you wish your child to stay in the facility after this period, youneed to return to work.
If you are going to take a parental leave for your younger child while your older child is in a classfor ages from 0 to 2: Your older child can stay in his/her daycare center until the end of March of
the year in which your younger child turns 1 year old. If you wish your older child to stay in his/herdaycare center after this period, you must return to work.
If you are going to take a parental leave for your younger child while your older child is in a classfor ages from 3 to 5: Your older child can stay in his/her daycare center until he/she starts school,provided that you return to work. (Your child will have to leave if you are going to resign.)

Please see the table below for how long your older child can stay in his/her daycare center:
Your younger child’s date of birth:
From April 2, 2023 to April 1, 2024
Your older child’s date of birth (Class for
From April 2, 2018 to April 1,
After April 2, 2021
FY2024):2021 (class for ages 3 to 5)(classes for ages 0 to 2)
Your older child can stay under the reason ofYour older child starts school
March 31, 2025
parental leave until:

1.
2.

3.
4.

Important points to note:
You cannot change your child’s daycare centers during your maternity and parental leave.
When you take your parental leave, you must submit a Certificate of Employment (就労証明書) thatclearly shows the period of the parental leave. When you return to work, you must submit another
Certificate of Employment (issued after returning to work) which clearly shows the date you return
to work and request to change your ‘Eligibility Approval’.
If your child is offered a place at a daycare center before and after your childbirth for a limited
period of time, you cannot extend the period by taking parental leave or starting job hunting
If you do not return to work at the end of your maternity leave and have decided to leave thecompany, your child must leave the daycare center regardless of the above-mentioned period. (Thisdoes not apply to you if you leave your current job to work for another workplace.)

Required Procedures after Application and Admission
You must notify the Childcare Institutions Management Division of the following changes regardless ofwhether you are in the application process or your child is already in a daycare center. Depending on thechange, your Eligibility Approval, points, and/or childcare fees may be subject to change.
1) You are going to change your address (e.g., you are going to move out or within Tsukuba City, leave
Japan for more than one month, return to your home country, and change your phone number). If
you are moving out of the city, return the written Eligibility Approval before moving out.
2) You have become able to take care of your child at home (e.g., you have quitted your job, recovered
completely from illness, and taken a parental leave). Please note that there may be cases where
you are asked to return your written Eligibility Approval to the Childcare Institutions Management
Division, Tsukuba City Hall.
3) Your household condition has been changed (e.g., birth, death, divorce, remarriage, and othercases - such as you have separated from your spouse, moved away from family for work, andstarted to receive livelihood protection).
4) There have been changes to your work or school conditions (e.g., change of workplace, working
days or hours, and curriculum).
5) You wish to change your approval period (e.g., you wish to take your child out from the daycare
center before your approval period ends, and you wish to extend your approval period.)

Procedures for Leaving a Daycare CenterIf your child is going to leave his/her daycare center due to moving out of the city or other reason,
submit a form called Taisho Todoke 退所届 (downloadable from the Tsukuba City’s official
website) to the Childcare Institutions Management Division before your child’s last day at his/herdaycare center.

Procedures for Changing Daycare Centers
If you wish to change your child’s daycare centers, you are required to complete the same procedures
as applying for daycare center places for the first time. In general certificates such as a Certificate of
Employment are effective for 3 months after they are issued. If the issue date is before 3months, it isinvalid. You do not have to ask your workplace to issue another Certificate as long as it was issued lessthan 3 months ago. Do not forget to cancel the application for changing daycare centers, if you no longer
wish to do so. Please note that your child will have to go through gradual transition period at a new daycare
center.
Points to note:
If your child is offered a place at a different daycare center, please submit a form (called taisho todoke
退所届) to inform that your child is going to leave the current daycare center.

If you are on maternity leave or parental leave, you cannot change daycare centers. However, you
may request to change daycare centers after your maternity or parental leave ends.

Please note that if you have requested to change daycare centers and the request is approved, yourchild can no longer stay in the current daycare center, because another child is offered the place.

Changing Eligibility Approval
1)

2)

If your younger child is provisionally offered a place, you do nothave to go through any procedures for your older child.

Changing your Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational or Childcare Facility
If you need to make any changes to your approved conditions such as childcare hours (short or
standard hours), application reason, and/or approval period, please notify these changes bysubmitting a change request (e.g., you are going to take a maternity/parental leave, and you are going
to quit your job and start job-hunting).
Required documents for requesting a change (You need to submit all 3 documents below.)➀ Change request form for Eligibility Approval of Using an Educational or Childcare Facility (教育・保育給付認定変更申請書 kyoiku hoiku kyufu nintei henko shinseisho)
The form is available at the Childcare Institutions Management Division or at each public daycare
center. You can also download the form from the Tsukuba City’s official website.
② Your written Eligibility Approval (shikyu ninteisho)
You will need to return your previous shikyu ninteisho, as it will be replaced with a new one. If you
cannot find it, please inform the Childcare Institutions Management Division.
③ Proof of being unable to look after your child during the day (see page 6)
If you cannot get the proof ready by the end of the month prior to the month in which yourapproved conditions change, please submit the above mentioned document ➀ and ② first andthen submit the proof at a later date.
Important points to note
1) Where to submit (accepted via post or in person): Childcare Institutions Management Division at
the City Hall (Inform your child’s daycare center of the change in advance.)2) To change childcare hours, please inform your child’s daycare center of the change in advance.

Childcare Fees
Payment of childcare feesChildcare fees should be paid by direct debit as a general rule. Please submit a direct debit request
form to your bank in person or online after admission. Paying by direct debit will prevent you frommissing a payment, so please make payments in this way where possible.
If you choose not to pay by direct debit, it is possible to pay at any banks or convenience stores, orby a QR code or credit card, using a fee payment slip.

If your child is going to a daycare center run by ‘Nintei-kodomoen (certified centers for earlychildhood education and care)’ or local-based childcare services, ask the facility directly
regarding the payment procedures.

It is possible to deduct the childcare fees from your child allowances. Please inquire at theChildcare Institutions Management Division for details.

If your child starts in April, you will receive a letter about your childcare fees around mid-April.
If your child starts in the middle of a fiscal year, you will receive the letter around end of theprevious month. If any changes are made to your childcare fees after September, you will be
informed of the change around the mid-August via post.
[Information on childcare fees][Information on direct debit](only available in Japanese)(only available in Japanese)

Delinquency in payment
Please keep in mind that if you are late in in payments, it is not fair on other parents/guardians
who make payments without any delay, and parents/guardians who are on waiting lists.
Furthermore, late payments can interrupt stable operations of daycare centers. Please also notethat failure to pay childcare fees can result in the seizure of assets, including property, savings, andwages.

How childcare fees are calculatedChildcare fees are calculated based on the total amount of both parents’ income-based municipal tax. (Ifthe child and his/her parents are dependent on their relative for tax and/or health insurance tax, or if their relative is the actual
head of the household, the relative’s municipal tax will be added to calculate childcare fees.)
Calculation
basis









Fees from April to August

Fees from September to March

Amount of income-based municipal tax for FY 2023
(calculated based on your income from January to
December 2022)

Amount of income-based municipal tax for FY2024(calculated based on your income from January to
December 2023)

Income-based municipal tax used to calculate childcare fees do not include certain tax credits suchas a dividend credit, foreign tax credit, special deduction for housing loan, and deduction on
donations. If you have failed to report your income, your childcare fee may be calculated based on
the highest level of 13 (see page 15). Please report your income at the Tax Division or Tax Office, or
provide tax documents to the Childcare Institutions Management Division as soon as possible. The
childcare fee will be re-calculated for the current fiscal year only.
If you have any of the following changes, please inform the Childcare Institution Management
Division; You have married or divorced; Your child has left his/her daycare center in the middle of a
fiscal year; The child’s sibling has left or started to go to daycare center; Or your municipal tax
amount has changed. Your childcare fee of the fiscal year may be subject to change.
If both parents are exempted from tax, childcare fees may be calculated on the basis of the total
amount of municipal taxes paid by relatives living with the child, such as grandparents.
If someone other than a relative is living with the child, the person’s municipal tax will be added to
calculate childcare fees.
If your child leaves his/her daycare center in the middle of a month, childcare fees will be calculated
based on the number of days. Fees will not be reduced even if your child misses a day or days.

Childcare fee reduction for parents/guardians with more than one childIf you have more than one child in preschool facilities such as daycare centers (including corporate
sponsored childcare facilities) and public and private kindergartens, the childcare fee for your second
child will be half of your first child’s and for your third and any younger children, it will be free of charge.
Children above school age are not included in this calculation, however, if your annual householdincome is under 3.6 million or equivalent*1, or if you pay less municipal tax due to household
conditions*2, your child or children above school age are included in this calculation.

General households 1

General households 2
Households with annual
income under ¥3.6million*1
Households eligible for tax
reduction *2

Free

Half a fee

Full fee

Third child

Second childFirst child

Half a fee

Full fee

Third child

Second child

Free

Free

Third child

Second childChildren above
grade 1 will notFirst childFirst childbe included.
Children above
grade 1 will be
included.

*1 Household with the amount of income-based municipal tax lower than 57,700JPY.
*2 Single-parent household or household whose member has a disability certificate (including rehabilitation certificate) with theamount of income-based municipal tax lower than 77,101JPY.

Free pre-school education and childcare services
Based on the policy to make pre-school education and childcare services free, childcare services for age
3 to 5 classes are free of charge. In addition, lunch and snack fees (excluding fees for staple food such as
rice, bread, pasta, etc.) for households with annual income under 3.6 million JPY or equivalent,households eligible for tax reduction, and for the third and any younger children are waivered referring
the #4 of page14.

Quick reference guide for childcare feesChildcare fees

Free

Fees for lunch and snack

Amount determined by each facility (¥4,500 for public daycare centers)

Fees for staple foodAmount determined by each facility (¥1,200 for public daycare centersChildcare fees for 0 to 2-year-old classes

0Households exempted from perincome levy of municipal tax

9,000

8,800

4,500

4,400

Single-parent households

3,000

2,900

0

0

Less than 48,600JPY

12,00011,700

6,000

5,850

Single-parent households

5,000

4,900

0

0

14,00013,700

7,000

6,850

7,000

6,850

0

0

14,00013,700

7,000

6,850

7,000

6,850

0

0

18,00017,600

9,000

8,800

9,000

8,800

0

0

118,000

17,600

9,000

8,800

21,00020,60010,50010,30028,00027,50014,00013,75031,00030,40015,50015,20040,00039,30020,00019,65045,00044,20022,50022,10060,00058,90030,00029,45078,00076,60039,00038,3004

5-1

48,600 – 57,699JPY
Single-parent households

5-2

57,700 – 60,999JPY
Single-parent households

6-1

61,000 – 77,100JPY
Single-parent households

7
5

8
9

6

10
11

77,101 – 78,999 JPY

Amount of municipal tax

6-2

79,000 – 96,999 JPY
97,000 – 124,999 JPY
125,000–168,999 JPY
169,000 – 233,999 JPY
234,000 – 300,999 JPY

7

12

8

13




Please also refer to #4 of page 14 for how to calculate the fee for the fourth and any younger child.
Childcare fees are calculated based on the total amount of both parents’ income-based municipal taxes before applying tax
credits. If you fail to file a tax return, childcare fees will be calculated based on the highest amount (Category 13).
In addition to childcare fees, there may be extra fees depending on each facility such as educational material fees, lunch
fees, and bus fees. For extra fees, please inquire respective facility.
The list above is current as of October 2023 and may be subject to change in the future.



301,000 – 398,999 JPY

childcare00Short-time
hrs.

0

0

Age limit for siblings

00

No age limit

4

0
from

There are restrictions No age limit forparentdepending on sibling’s age. single
house holds

3Childcare fees

Standard childcare hrs.

3Childcare fees

Free of charge regardless of age, amount of income, or hours of childcare service.

Households exempted
municipal tax

Childcare fees

Short-time
hrs.

Households on benefit

2

Third (and any
younger) childonwards

Standard childcare hrs.

Amount of municipal tax

1

2

Second child

Short-time
hrs.

Category by municipal level

1

First childStandard childcare hrs.

Category by national level

Category details

childcare

2)Childcare fees for 3 to 5-year-old classes

childcare

1)397,000 JPY and more

Q&A
Questions about admission
Q1 Are children accepted on a first-come-first-served basis?
A1 No, it is not first-come-first-served basis. We will use points system where parents/guardians withhigher points are offered a place. Please refer to ‘Application Process’ on page 4. If other parents
with the same points have applied for the same daycare center, priority may be given to parents who
have waited longer within the fiscal year.
Q2 How many daycare centers can I apply for?
A2 You can apply for up to 3 daycare centers, but you may apply for fewer than 3.
Q3 Can I apply for a daycare center place even if it has no availability?
A3 Yes, you can. Even if there is no availability at your preferred daycare center, there may be cases
where it becomes available because some children leave or go to other daycare centers. The latest
availability will be updated on the official website of Tsukuba City around the 29th of the previous 2
months of the desired month of admission, but you can apply before the update. You can also change
preferred daycare centers before the deadline.
Q4 How can I arrange a prior visit to daycare centers?
A4 Please inquire at the daycare center directly that you would like to visit.
Q5 Do I have to provide a Certificate of Employment each time I apply for a daycare center place?
A5 You can use the same certificate as long as it is within 3 months old.
Q6 I would like to look for a job because I do not have one at the moment. Can I apply for daycare
center places so that I can start looking for jobs?
A6 Yes, you can. However, you must find a job within 3 months of your child starting daycare centerand provide a Certificate of Employment. Your child will have to leave the daycare center if you are
not able to provide the certificate.
Q7 Can I apply for both daycare center and kindergarten places?
A7 Yes, you can apply for both. For a daycare center, please apply at the Childcare Institutions
Management Division, and for a kindergarten, at your preferred kindergarten.
Q8 I reside outside Japan. In March, 2024, we are planning to move to Tsukuba City and would
like to send my child to a daycare center from April. What procedures do I need to complete?
A8 Please apply online by the application deadline of Tsukuba City. If required documents such asemployment and tax certificates are written in a foreign language, you will have to have themtranslated into Japanese.
Q9 My child has changed daycare centers. Does my child need to start from a gradual transition
period at the new daycare center, even though this is not the first time for him/her to go to a
daycare center? And if it is required, how long does this period last?
A9 Because a lot of children find it difficult to get used to new environment, all children including
those who used to go to different daycare centers have to go through a gradual transition period.
This usually lasts 5 days, but can be extended. This means that your child will have to leave the
daycare center earlier in the beginning.
Q10 Is there priority admission for children with disabilities?
A10 No. Please note that after you have received an offer letter from a daycare center based on theapplication screening process, there are cases where the offer is canceled, if the daycare center
considers your child is not suited for group childcare based on the interview and/or health check
results. Also, depending on the degree of illness or disability, there are cases where you may be asked
to provide a medical certificate stating that your child is capable of group childcare or you may be
asked to wait until the daycare center is ready to accept your child safely. We recommend that you
visit your preferred daycare center in advance.
Q11 If I turn down an offer from a daycare center, would it be a disadvantage for my futureapplication?
A11 You will not lose any points by turning down an offer. However, if other parents, who have thesame points and conditions as you, apply for the same daycare center, they may be given priority.
Due to cancellations, we have problems where there are delays in the screening process or persons
who could have got a place are not able get a place in time. Please visit your preferred daycare
centers in advance and apply for ones where you definitely would like your child to go. If you decideto cancel an offer, please inform both the Childcare Institutions Management Division and the
daycare center as soon as possible.
Q12 I am currently on parental leave and applied for daycare center places for my two children.
My 3-year-old was offered a place, but my younger child who is under 1-year-old was not. Is
it possible for me to delay going back to work?
A12 No, you cannot delay going back to work. If you do not go back to work in the month your older
child starts the daycare center, the offer will be canceled or your child has to leave the daycare center.
Please consider applying for non-authorized daycare center places for your younger child.
Q13 I am on parental leave at the moment and have received an offer letter from a daycare center.

Is there anything that I should be aware of when I return to work?
A13 ’Return to work’ means that you go back to your workplace which approved your parental leave.
If any of the following conditions apply to you, the offer from a daycare center will be cancelled or
your child will have to leave the daycare center.
1.

You have left your job before taking a parental leave. (Except if you have changed jobs
and start working by the end of the month in which your child starts daycare center.)2.

You do not return to work by the end of the month in which your child starts daycare
center.

3.

Your working days or hours become shorter than before (except shorter working
hours for childcare). This rule applies to new workplace if you have changed jobs.

4.

You are unable to return to work, due to the dispatch company not assigning you toa job.

Please note that you are not allowed to delay going back to work by taking paid holiday or taking
leave to look after your child who is unwell.
Q14 I am planning to take my child out of the daycare center for 2 months. In this case, does mychild have to leave the daycare center?
A14 Your child does not have to leave the daycare center as long as he/she comes once during two
consecutive months. However, if your child does not come to the daycare center for a long period oftime, which leads us to consider that you do not need childcare services, there may be cases where
your child will have to leave the daycare center. Please note that childcare fees will not be reduced
even if your child missed a day or days.
Q15 I do not live with my spouse because we are going to divorce. Do I still need to provide proofof being unable to look after your child during the day for my spouse?
A15 If you started divorce negotiation, you are required to submit documents indicated in page 7. If
you are not able to submit it, you are required to provide the proof for your spouse.
Q16 I live with my parents (the child’s grandparents). Do I need to provide any additional
documents?
A16 If the child’s grandparents are younger than 65-year-old as of April 1, 2024, they will also needto provide proof of being unable to look after your child during the day (see page 6). Without the
document, you will lose 5 points.
Q17 May I apply for daycare center places both in Tsukuba and another municipality?
A17 Yes. However, some municipalities may not allow this, so please ask the municipal office you are
applying for. If you are offered a place from both municipalities, please decline one of the offers.

Q18 I am planning to move out of Tsukuba City. Can my child continue to go to the same daycare
center in the city?
A18 If you meet both of the following requirements, your child can continue to go to the same
daycare center in Tsukuba City until the end of the fiscal year (March).
① The municipality you are moving to has approved that you are eligible to apply for a daycare
center place.
② You work or study at least 60 hours per month which is the requirement of Tsukuba City.
Questions about Eligibility Approval
Q19 I have a Category 2 approval (an approval given to working parents). Can I get a Category 1
approval, send my child to a kindergarten, and use after-hours childcare services?
A 19 Yes, you can. If you wish to use after-hour childcare services at a kindergarten, please inquire at
the kindergarten directly. A separate application is necessary to receive an approval to use theservices free of charge, so please come to the Childcare Institutions Management Division at Tsukuba
City Hall. Please note that after-hours childcare services at public kindergartens are only provided
during long holidays such as summer holidays.
Q20 May I have an Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational or Childcare Facility, even if I do not
apply for a daycare center place? In this case, what do I need to do?
A20 Yes, you can. If you only need an Approval, please submit the following documents.
Required documents (Please refer to page 6):
1 Application Form for Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational or Childcare Facility
2 Proof of being unable to look after your child during the day
Q21 What should I do if my Written Eligibility Approval (Shikyu-ninteisho) has expired?
A21 In principle, if you wish to extend the validity of the approval, you must submit the following
documents to the Childcare Institutions Management Division one month before the validity expires.
1. Change request for Eligibility Approval to Use an Educational or Childcare Facility
2. Proof of being unable to look after your child during the day
Please note that your child has to leave his/her daycare center if you do not complete thisprocedure.

Questions about Childcare Fees
Q22 What happens if I fail to pay childcare fees in time?
A22 If you have failed to pay childcare fees in time, a written reminder will be sent to you. If you
still do not pay, your salary or savings may be subject to seizure. Please talk to the Childcare
Institutions Management Division, if you wish to change how you pay the fees. (For example, we
can make payments by installments or deduct fees from your child allowance.)

Q23 I forgot to pay the childcare fee and my fee payment slip has expired. How can I makepayment?
A23 Even if your fee payment slip has expired, you can still use it at a financial institution or Childcare
Institutions Management Division, so please make the payment as soon as possible. If you wish to
make payment at a convenience store, please contact the Childcare Institutions Management
Division.
Q24 What should I do if the balance in my account is insufficient to pay a childcare fee?
A24 If a childcare fee cannot be deducted from your bank account, a payment slip will be sent to you.
Please pay the fee using the payment slip as soon as possible. As long as it is within the deadline, you
can use the payment slip at a convenience store or bank.
Q25 Does it matter if the name written in the application form and the name of account holder
are not the same?
A25 As long as it is the name of the child’s parent/guardian, it does not matter.
Q26 Are there fees that I need to pay other than childcare fees?
A 26 Please inquire at the facility directly because it depends on each facility.