Fathers with dependent children also seek child-rearing allowances

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Fathers with dependent children also seek child-rearing allowances

“The child-rearing allowance should be paid to male-headed single-parent households, too,” fathers of single-parent households petitioned to bipartisan members of the Diet at a study session held on November 18 at the House of Representatives Members’ Office Building.

A father said, “To earn enough money to support the four of us, my parents, my child, and myself, I have two jobs and have to work nightshifts 21 times a month. When I think of the future possibility of nursing-care costs for my aged parents, I cannot help but worry about the future.”

Japanese Communist Party Yamashita Yoshiki (House of Councilors), JCP Sasaki Kensho (House of Representatives), and about ten other lawmakers, including Democratic Party of Japan legislators, took part in the study session.

Yamashita said, “As an opposition party that constructively acts in the public interest, the JCP will do its utmost to establish a system of child-rearing allowances to single-father families in cooperation with other political parties.”

At present, the child-rearing allowance of up to 42,000 yen is paid monthly only to single-parent households of mothers with dependent children based on their income.

- Akahata, November 19, 2009