This article is written by a Japanese local.
When dual-career foreign elite families relocate to Japan, securing childcare is an infrastructure hurdle even more severe than finding housing. In Japan, childcare is not automatically provided simply because both parents work full-time.
Slots for “Hoikuen” (nursery schools/daycare) for preschoolers and “Gakudo” (after-school care) for elementary students are allocated based on strict schedules and municipal screening processes. This article outlines the objective application procedures and timelines necessary for both parents to begin working full-time immediately after arrival.
1. The Absolute Schedule for “Hoikuen” (Nursery School) Applications
[Summary] Applications for the primary April admission close around November of the previous year. Mid-year admissions are decided solely based on a strict point system (Index) requiring employment certificates from both parents.
Admissions to licensed nursery schools in Japan are managed by the local municipality (City Hall or Ward Office). The primary application period for “April admission,” when the most slots open, takes place around October to November of the preceding year. If you arrive in spring or summer, you must aim for “mid-year admission,” but the reality is that open slots in urban areas are extremely scarce.
Admission is not first-come, first-served; it is determined by a “Point System (Shisu).” Parents must submit a “Certificate of Employment (Shuro Shomeisho)” issued by their company, objectively proving that both work (or plan to work) full-time for at least 40 hours a week. Slots are prioritized and allocated to households judged to have the highest need for childcare.
2. The Elementary School Hurdle: Securing “Gakudo” (After-school Care)
[Summary] Japanese public elementary schools end around 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Dual-income households must secure a “Gakudo” spot at the city office, or full-time employment becomes physically impossible.
It is a common misconception that childcare problems end once a child enters elementary school (ages 6 to 12). In Japan, a new issue known as the “First-Grade Wall” arises. Because public elementary school classes end around 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM, registering for “Gakudo” (After-school Children’s Clubs) to safely care for children post-school is mandatory for dual-income families.
Similar to Hoikuen, applying for Gakudo requires a visit to the city office and the submission of employment certificates for both parents. If no slots are available in the public Gakudo within your school district, you will need to take the practical step of privately arranging and paying for expensive private after-school programs or international school after-care.
3. The Chicken and Egg Problem: “Resident Registration” is the Prerequisite
[Summary] Having a “Resident Certificate” (Juminhyo) in the municipality is an absolute condition for applying for Hoikuen and Gakudo. You cannot begin childcare applications until your housing lease is finalized.
The biggest legal and infrastructure trap for expats arriving from overseas is the sequence of “housing” and “childcare.” Public childcare services in Japan are provided on the premise that you are a registered resident of the municipality where you apply.
The approach of “let’s secure a daycare first, and then rent a house nearby” generally does not work (except in a few municipalities that allow special applications based on a scheduled move-in). You must build a linear roadmap: finalize your housing (rental property) contract first, complete your resident registration at the city office, and on that exact same day, proceed immediately to the childcare division to submit your application and employment certificates.
4. Practical Q&A (Unlicensed Daycares and the Language Barrier)
[Summary] If rejected from a licensed Hoikuen, use an “unlicensed Hoikuen” or a private babysitter at your own expense to earn bonus points for the next admission screening.
Q. The city office told me all licensed daycares are full. Is it impossible for both of us to work?
A. It is not impossible. The objective solution is to directly contract and use “Unlicensed Daycares (Ninka-gai Hoikuen)”—private facilities outside the city office’s jurisdiction—or private babysitting services. While these are expensive, the objective track record of “paying for an unlicensed facility while working full-time” is evaluated as a strong bonus factor (boosting your points) in the screening for licensed daycares the following year.
Q. Can I submit the application forms in English?
A. As a rule, everything must be filled out in Japanese. Daycare terms of use, allergy confirmations, and required supply lists are all in Japanese, and interviews will also be conducted. If you are not fluent in Japanese immediately upon arrival, it is absolutely essential to secure support from your hiring company’s HR or a professional interpreter before heading to the application counter.
Conclusion: Infrastructure Planning “Calculated Backwards” from Your Start Date
For dual-career elite households relocating to Japan, securing childcare is a top-priority task on par with obtaining a visa. Waiting to look for a daycare until after you arrive will result in a fatal time loss, forcing one parent to take a leave of absence for several months. Calculate backwards from your first day of work in Japan, prepare the company-issued employment certificates in advance, and construct a robust practical procedure to finalize your housing contract and childcare application simultaneously.