Children from 6 months to 3 not in daycare or kindergarten are cared for by the hour; free for city residents
Azukaru (Childcare Access for All Children) / Koto City (early implementation of a national model program)
Azukaru (Childcare Access for All Children)Koto City6 months to end of fiscal year at 3Children not in daycare or kindergarten
Children not in daycare cared for by the hour; free for city residents
For Koto City residentsFreeUp to 40 hours a month at facilities in the city
- ¥300 per hour for people living outside the city
This program looks after children by the hour who are not enrolled in licensed daycare, from 6 months old until the end of the fiscal year in which they turn 3. It is free for Koto City residents, and ¥300 per hour for people living outside the city. The monthly limit is 40 hours when city residents use facilities in the city. Koto City adds its own 30 hours to the nationwide 10 hours.
Nationality and residence status
The official page (checked in October 2026) sets no condition on nationality or residence status that we found. Eligibility follows the official conditions, not the language of this page; many programs require resident registration in the municipality.
Who is eligible
Children not enrolled in licensed daycare, etc. from 6 months old until the end of the fiscal year in which they turn 3
Notes
Completely free for city residents from September 2025; fully launched from April 2026. It is also included in the FY2026 (April 2026–March 2027) initial budget as the Infant Attendance Support Program at daycare and kindergartens, etc.