As children’s short stay programs, nursery schools accept children on temporal basis to help their parents who temporally have difficulties looking after children at home due to consecutive work assignments for one to three days, hospitalization for sickness, child-delivery or nursing of elderly family members. Fees differ among municipalities.

Family support centers cater to their members who need assistance for childcare and who are willing to offer such assistance in membership mutual help systems run by municipalities. These centers temporally accept children when their parents need medical attention, nurse their family members or to take a break. These services cost about 600 yen per hour (different among municipalities), but they are available whenever the members need them. To use these services, you need to sign up for membership beforehand. For further details, please contact your local municipal administrative office.