Bump to Baby Bonus

[GomiGirl]

Payment for childbirth to rise to 420,000 yen
The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec 14 2008

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has decided to raise the lump-sum payment for childbirth and child rearing from the current 350,000 yen to 420,000 yen from October 2009, it was learned.

The plan was submitted to a meeting of the Social Security Council, an advisory body to the ministry, on Friday.

As a decision to increase the payment from 350,000 yen to 380,000 yen from January 2009 has already been made, the additional sum will be 40,000 yen.

The policy, one of the measures the government is taking to stem the declining birthrate, initially will be implemented for 18 months until the end of March 2011, according to sources.more....

Does one have to be on National Health to get this? Or is this a ward office tax issue? Inquiring minds want to know

[IkemenTommy]

Quick, start making babies now so that you're just in time before October 2009 start date.

This taking in effect in midst of having a low birth rate problem just mind-boggles me.

[Iraira]

Does one have to be on National Health to get this? Or is this a ward office tax issue? Inquiring minds want to know

I'm wondering if I can pull an Arnold Schwartzeneggar "Junior" and get reimbursed......"It's not a tumor!"

[Mike Oxlong]

The hospitals will just boost their fees to make sure the total for mom's stay will come out to exactly the new total...business as usual.

[IkemenTommy]

Oh I guess I read it wrong. They are going to increase the money you get to pay for the hospital bills.

[kurohinge1]

Plan would pay Japanese families to have kids

Yoshiko Sato would love to give her only son a brother or a sister. But money struggles and Japan's cost of living have pushed the mother to wait.
Japanese mother Yoshiko Sato says the proposal "would help us with a second child."

A proposal to pay parents about $3,400 a year per child has got her thinking seriously about expanding her family. The cash for kids plan is the brainchild of the country's new ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which came into power during the elections this week . . . more

I don't know if Ms Lah/CNN did their homework on this one, as (particularly when you compare it to GG's first post, in December 2008 ) it sounds like the new government is trying to claim credit for re-inventing the LDP's wheel.

[yabanjin]

The hospitals have just upped the fees in accordance.Not bloody cheap either..just paid 110,000 today for 8 days and my wife hasn't even started giving birth yet.