TOKYO - Childcare workers in Saitama, a prefecture popular among families for its convenient access to central Tokyo, are increasingly leaving for jobs in the capital due to a growing wage gap, creating deep concern in communities that border Tokyo.
Interviews conducted by the program’s investigative team found that essential workers such as kindergarten teachers and nursery school staff are moving to Tokyo in significant numbers, driven by the roughly 30,000-yen monthly pay difference between the two regions. The proximity that once made Saitama attractive to young households has now become a liability, with many teachers opting to cross the prefectural line for better compensation.
Local authorities and operators of childcare facilities in Saitama say they are reaching a breaking point, warning that staffing shortages could lead to longer waiting lists for families seeking childcare. Some municipalities have already begun sounding the alarm, noting that as trained workers leave, the capacity to provide necessary services may decline sharply.
Despite repeated requests from Saitama for measures to correct the wage disparity, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has stated that it cannot accept proposals to equalize pay scales across prefectural lines, arguing that its compensation levels reflect its own cost structures. As Tokyo maintains its current stance, the surrounding areas face a worsening shortage that threatens to undermine childcare access for residents.
Source: FNN
