Japan to Give Full Insurance Coverage to Childbirth Costs

Tokyo, Dec. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health ministry plans to give full public health insurance coverage to the cost of childbirth, it was learned Wednesday. The plan, aimed at eliminating out-of-pocket childbirth expenses, is expected to be presented to the medical insurance subcommittee of the Social Security Council, which advises the health minister, on Thursday. The government hopes to submit related legislation to next year’s ordinary parliamentary session at the earliest, seeking to start the full insurance coverage in fiscal 2027 or later. Public insurance coverage is set to replace the existing lump-sum childbirth allowance, which will be abolished. The allowance amount was set at 300,000 yen when the aid program began 1994 to support expectant mothers, but this has been raised gradually in line with increases in childbirth expenses. It was hiked from 420,000 yen to 500,000 yen in principle in 2023. But childbirth costs have continued to rise due to factors such as inflation, with the nationwide average in fiscal 2024 hitting 519,805 yen. There are also significant regional disparities, with expenses reaching around 650,000 yen in Tokyo, far higher than about 400,000 yen in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. To address the economic burden on expectant and nursing mothers, the ministry plans to set a nationwide uniform amount for childbirth expenses and fully cover this with health insurance, eliminating out-of-pocket costs. Meanwhile, postpartum women will be fully charged for the costs of beauty treatments and special meals they receive. The share of out-of-pocket costs for cesarean sections, which are already covered by health insurance, will remain at 30 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]