Osaka eyes offering free school meals starting in April amid virus spread

Mar 18, 2020 | News On Japan

Mar 18, 2020 (Japan Times) - Osaka plans to offer free lunch meals for all students at municipally run elementary and junior high schools starting April amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, Mayor Ichiro Matsui said Tuesday.

The measure, the first of its kind by a major Japanese city, is intended to mitigate the economic impact on households from the virus epidemic, although it is not known whether schools â€” which have closed since March 2 â€” will reopen after spring break through early April.

â€œWe would like to create a situation that would allow child-rearing generations shouldering economic burdens to feel at easeâ€ with the free school lunch program, Matsui said.

The program will cover students regardless of family income, allowing families to annually save between Â¥50,000 ($470) and Â¥60,000 per child, he said.

The city estimates the cost will total Â¥7.7 billion a year, the funding of which for fiscal 2020 starting in April will involve its public finance adjustment reserve.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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