Society

Govt. revises guidelines tackling child poverty

Nov 30 (NHK) - Japan's revised guidelines for tackling child poverty call for more detailed analysis to provide "seamless support" for struggling families.

The government approved the guidelines on Friday. First adopted in 2014, they are to be reviewed every five years.

The guidelines say the government will introduce indicators to grasp the reality of child poverty more accurately, with broader perspectives.

In addition to the conventional child poverty rate -- the percentage of children living in relative poverty -- the new guidelines include the percentage of families that have had difficulty buying food or clothes.

They also take into account the percentage of those who have fallen behind in utility bill payments or have no one to rely on financially.

The government plans to implement policies such as free preschool and higher education for low-income families.

The guidelines call for improving consultation systems so that seamless support will be provided from pregnancy and childbirth to when children finish education and start working.

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