TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Starting April 2026, Japan plans to cover hospital fees for childbirth as part of the effort to boost its falling birth rate.
This decision was made following the recommendation from a panel of experts who assessed the need for the government to cover childbirth costs as part of the national health insurance system. The clear objective is to address the birth rate crisis in the country over the past nine years.
As reported by Independent, up to this point, childbirth costs in Japan are not covered by national insurance, except in cases of procedures like Caesarean section. The average cost of a standard delivery in the first half of 2024 reached 518,000 yen,…