Taiki Jido: Japan's Daycare Waiting List Challenge

Understand what taiki jido means, how the numbers have changed since 2017, and how daycare points and applications work for families in different cities.

Published October 19, 2026 at 11:40 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Taiki jido means "waiting children," the children who applied for a place at a licensed daycare in Japan and could not get one. The national count peaked at 26,081 in 2017 and fell to a few thousand, though big cities still see shortages. Admission is decided by each city, usually through a points system.

What taiki jido means

Taiki jido is a government term for children who are waiting for a place at a licensed hoikuen (daycare) because the facility they applied for was full. The word became familiar in the 2010s, when news about parents unable to return to work after parental leave spread widely. The national government tracks the figure each year as of April 1 and releases it through the Children and Families Agency.

The number is a count of children on official lists, not a complete picture of every family who wanted care. Counting rules are set nationally and have been adjusted over time, and municipalities may apply them in slightly different ways. For that reason, the figure is best read as a trend indicator rather than an exact measure of everyone who is looking for a place.

From 26,081 to a few thousand

The national count reached 26,081 in 2017, the highest figure in recent years. After that, it dropped sharply. A report on the 2018 survey put the number at 19,895, the first time since 2008 that it fell below 20,000. By April 2022 it was 2,944, below 3,000 for the first time since the survey started in 1994. Official reports credit new facilities, support for company-run childcare, and a falling number of young children.

In 2024 the figure was 2,567, down 113 from the year before, according to the Children and Families Agency. More recently, the count was 2,435 in April 2026, up 181 from a year earlier and the first rise in nine years. The agency pointed to concentrated demand in Tokyo, where the number rose to 1,113 from 339, after free childcare for first-born children began in 2025.

Why the picture differs by city

Waiting lists are mostly an urban issue. In 2024, only 217 municipalities, about 12.5 percent of the total, reported any waiting children, so roughly 87.5 percent had none. About 61 percent of waiting children were in the seven prefectures of the Tokyo and Kinki metropolitan areas or in other designated and core cities.

Several factors explain this. Land is costly in city centers, which makes building new daycares hard. Large apartment developments can bring many young families at once, and a shortage of nursery staff can hold back openings. Children aged 1 and 2 made up about 85 percent of those waiting in 2024, because places for babies and toddlers need more staff per child.

How the points system works

Most cities use a points system, sometimes called a shisu (index), to decide who gets a place when applications exceed spaces. Points reflect each family's situation. Common factors include parents' work hours, single-parent households, illness or disability in the family, caregiving duties, and, in many cities, whether a sibling already attends. Families with a stay-at-home parent may receive fewer points.

Thresholds differ by city. One city sets the baseline at both parents working at least 16 days and 64 hours a month, while another describes certification for employment of 48 or more hours a month. These examples show why a method that works in one city may not apply in the next. The official admission criteria, usually published each autumn, explain exactly how points are calculated.

The application calendar

For an April start, many cities open applications in autumn. One city states that applications begin in October for admission in April, while another sets a first screening in early to mid October and a second in January and February. Monthly intakes happen as well, so applying mid-year is possible, though spaces are scarcer outside April.

Typical documents include the application form, My Number details, identification, a household form, income certificates, and proof of work or other circumstances. An interview at the first-choice daycare is common. Waitlisted applicants may remain in the process until March. Because dates and paperwork change by city and by year, always check the current schedule on the municipal website or at the childcare counter.

Hokatsu: preparing for the application

Hokatsu is a casual word for the activities families do to secure a daycare place. It can include learning the local system early, visiting daycares, ranking several choices, and gathering documents on time. Because the form usually allows several preferences, listing more facilities, including ones slightly farther away, often improves the chance of a place.

Families may also look at other types of facilities, such as small-group childcare for ages under 3, licensed centers run by companies, or certified kodomoen. Some cities run free or low-cost consultations to explain options. Parents on leave sometimes plan their return date around the April intake, since many cities treat it as the main admission period of the year.

It can also help to read the city's published admission results from past years, where available, to see how competitive each facility tends to be. These figures are not a promise for the coming year, but they give a realistic sense of how many choices to list on the form.

Tips for overseas parents

Begin early. Visit the ward or city office during pregnancy or soon after birth to ask about the schedule, the points table and the documents needed. Many municipalities publish English or multilingual guides, and counters can sometimes explain the process with the help of a Japanese speaker, which is worth asking about when booking an appointment.

Keep a folder of papers: residence card, My Number, parents' work certificates and income documents, and the child's health record. A work certificate often has to be completed by an employer, so requesting it early can avoid delays. Daycare fees also depend on the city and on household income, and free-childcare policies are changing, so the fee table is worth reading at the same visit. Remember that this guide describes general patterns and that rules, fees and schedules change, so confirm the current details with the city before relying on any figure here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does taiki jido mean a child cannot get daycare at all?

No. It refers to children who applied for a licensed facility and were not placed on April 1 of the survey year. Many families find a place, sometimes in another type of facility. The count is a national statistic, and the situation differs greatly by city and by the age of the child.

Are waiting lists still a problem in Japan?

Nationally the count is far below its 2017 peak, and most municipalities report none. Even so, some cities, especially around Tokyo, still have waiting children, and the 2026 figure rose for the first time in nine years. Local conditions matter more than the national average, so the best question is how things look in the specific ward or city where a family lives, and for the specific age of the child.

How can foreign families improve their chances?

Apply on time, list several facilities, and prepare every document the city asks for. Points depend on family circumstances such as parents' work hours, so make sure certificates are complete. Ask the city about support in English or other languages and about alternative facilities if the first choice is full.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Japanese Parenting Secrets That Create Calm, Independent Children is available on Amazon.

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More guides from Tokyo Paul: Hoikuen: How Japanese Daycare Centers Work, Nintei Kodomoen: Japan's Hybrid Early Childhood Centers and The Japanese School Year: April Starts and Cherry Blossoms.