The Japanese government has announced plans to offer free public preschool education. It's another measure meant to slow the country's falling birth rate. However, the measure is facing mounting criticism that it would place more burden on the preschool education system while doing little to resolve the issue. Terrence Terashima reports.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the declining birth rate and fast aging society are the biggest problems facing the nation. And so the government formally approved the expansion of child care and education support, including free public preschool education, for children aged between 3 and 5, from October 2019. The government will also make daycare services free for children up to the age of 2 if they come from low-income households. All of this is to encourage families to have more children, by alleviating the financial pressure.

TERRENCE TERASHIMA TOKYO "Expanding child care and higher education support sounds promising, but experts warn that without solving issues pertaining to preschool education first, this new scheme will only make things worse."

The country is facing shortages in nurseries and kindergartens. There are over 55,000 children on a waiting list to enter these facilities. Not to mention, a nationwide shortage of teachers for a job that tends to be low-paid.

MASAYUKI YOSHIDA, CEO RESEARCH INST. FOR CHILDCARE & CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SYSTEMS "The policy is inconsistent. It tries to reduce the household burden by offering free education, but because there are not enough facilities or teachers they have to give consent to unauthorized preschools, which they have kept a tight lid on. It's a patch-work scheme with lots of room for failure."

Teachers say free education should be introduced to provide better education for children but that it is instead aimed at working women. It could end up encouraging more young mothers to entrust their children to these facilities, which are already packed. That would in turn increase the number of children on the waiting list adding burdens -- not getting rid of them.

MASAYUKI YOSHIDA, CEO RESEARCH INST. FOR CHILDCARE & CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SYSTEMS "Preschool fees are calculated based on the income of the parents. The more you earn, the more you have to pay. But if it becomes free, it gives parents more incentive to work longer, more income, relying on longer hours of free nursing care, and putting more burdens on an already over-stretched system."

Nursery school teachers are calling for more attention on improving the school and nursery environment first which is on the verge of collapse. Terrence Terashima, CGTN, Tokyo.