Day Care Centers Open in Japanese City Parks

Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. urban / ˈɜr bən / (adj) – having the characteristics of a city
    Example:

    Urban areas are usually busy.


  2. amendment / əˈmendmənt / (n) – the process of changing parts of a law
    Example:

    Majority of the lawmakers have agreed with the amendment of the Urban Park Law.


  3. accommodate / əˈkɒm əˌdeɪt / (v) – to provide space for someone
    Example:

    One room can accommodate four people.


  4. house / haʊz / (v) – to serve as a shelter
    Example:

    The museum houses famous paintings dating back to the 1800s.


  5. reluctant / rɪˈlʌk tənt / (adj) – not willing to do a certain thing
    Example:

    The mother was reluctant to leave her child at home.


Article

Read the text below.

Day care centers will be opened in urban parks across Japan to address the shortage of childcare facilities.


Due to the growing need for more day care centers in cities, the government has lifted the law that prevents the building of day care centers inside urban parks. Following this amendment, 13 day care centers are set to be built in parks by April 2019 to accommodate around 1,200 children.


Tokyo’s Shioiri park was one of the first parks to house a day care center. The day care center can accommodate up to 162 children from ages zero to five. The center is equipped with cameras and self-locking gates to ensure security.


Other day care centers have also opened recently in parks across Tokyo, Fukuoka, Sendai, and Yokohama. Additional centers are expected to begin operations in Osaka and some other parks in Tokyo by September 2017.


Establishing day care centers in parks is part of the government’s efforts to reduce the number of children on the waiting list for existing day care centers. Based on national statistics, around 23,553 children are still waiting to be accepted to centers as of April 2016.


Because of lack of facilities for childcare, some working parents are reluctant to have more children. Nevertheless, the government assured that it will accommodate all children on the waiting list.


As day care centers have been permitted to operate in parks, land shortage will no longer be a major concern. Local government officials are now hoping to achieve cooperation between day care workers and landowners.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of having day care centers in urban parks?
• Aside from urban parks, what areas can be used to accommodate more day care centers?

Discussion B

• In your opinion, what should day care centers look like?
• What should be the qualifications for a day care center staff?