【Perspective Series ③】
How Can We Truly Support Children? Re-examining the Push to Increase Foreign Nursery Teachers in Japan　（日本語版）【対立する視点シリーズ③】日本の保育を守るには？外国人保育士受け入れ拡大の本質と向き合う

While introducing foreign nursery teachers may offer a quick fix for labor shortages, the issue is far more complex. We must carefully consider how such changes would impact the quality of childcare, the sustainability of the system, and the daily realities faced by workers.

I believe that improving the working conditions and salaries of domestic childcare staff should be the first priority. When caregivers are supported and respected, staff retention increases and so does the overall quality of care. We cannot overlook existing problems by treating immigration as a simple labor supplement.

That said, there is much we can learn from other countries. In Northern Europe, for example, staff-to-child ratios are far more generous than in Japan. UNICEF’s 2022 report “Childcare in Rich Countries” emphasizes how well-structured childcare systems contribute to both children’s development and staff wellbeing.

Rather than framing the issue as a binary choice—Japanese vs. foreign workers—we should ask deeper questions: What kind of society do we want to create? What does “the best interest of the child” truly look like? Effective policy must reflect the voices of those on the frontlines and families raising children, not just economic logic.

If foreign nursery teachers are to be welcomed, they must be supported with appropriate training, language education, and fair working conditions. Multicultural inclusion means building an environment where everyone—regardless of background—can thrive and contribute meaningfully.

Let us use this debate as an opportunity to reflect on and improve the childcare system in Japan as a whole.

#ChildFirstPolicy #ChildcareReform #SupportEducators #LearnFromOtherNations #CulturalIntegration #FutureOfChildcare

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