SHIGA, Feb 26, 2026 (News On Japan) - A proposed ordinance in Otsu, western Japan, that would effectively lower salaries for public kindergarten teachers by aligning them with the lower pay scale of nursery staff has drawn strong backlash, with a citizens’ group submitting more than 8,000 signatures to the Otsu City Council chair on February 26th calling for a review of the plan.
Under the proposal, starting monthly salaries would drop by roughly 14,000 yen, prompting concern among residents who question the move at a time when wage increases are being widely discussed. Some fear the change will further reduce the number of people willing to become kindergarten teachers.
At the heart of the issue is a shortage of childcare capacity in Otsu. At Uminoko Nursery School, which has an approved capacity of 90 children, director Yamamoto Hitoshi says enrollment has climbed to around 112 or 113. Otsu has recorded the highest number of children on waiting lists for two consecutive years and is the only municipality with more than 100 children still awaiting placement.
Former educators and advocacy groups supporting early childhood education have voiced strong opposition to the planned pay cuts for teachers working under already strained conditions. Otsuka Kiyotaka, head of a group dedicated to protecting preschool education, warns that lowering wages will make it difficult to attract qualified staff and could undermine the quality of education provided before children enter elementary school.
City officials say the proposal reflects shifting childcare needs and aims to integrate kindergarten, nursery, and certified childcare center staff into a unified “education and childcare” workforce, allowing personnel to be moved from kindergartens—seen as having relatively more capacity—to nursery schools that continue to operate beyond their limits.
However, a kindergarten teacher in Otsu disputes the notion that kindergartens have surplus capacity, saying there is no real room to spare. The teacher explained that providing careful, attentive support to children already leaves staff short on time and that the prospect of a pay cut is deeply discouraging for those striving to give their best to the children in front of them.
Otsuka also criticized the logic of lowering kindergarten teachers’ wages to match those of nursery staff, arguing instead that the city should work to raise nursery teachers’ pay to a comparable level.
On February 26th, the group submitted more than 8,000 signatures to the chair of the Otsu City Council calling for a review of the proposed ordinance. Matsuzaki Arisumi, another member of the group, said supporters hope the petition will encourage serious discussion about how the city should support teachers responsible for educating Otsu’s future generations.
Source: YOMIURI
