Tokyo's Hoicil Joins One-Stop Childcare Support Service for 2024

Streamlining Childcare Access in Tokyo: Hoicil's Role

The city of Tokyo is taking significant steps to ease the challenges faced by parents looking for daycare facilities for their young children through an initiative called the "One-Stop Childcare Support Service." For the second year in a row, Hoicil, a service provided by Kodomon, is participating in this essential program, which will be expanded starting July 18, 2025.

Hoicil serves as a vital bridge between parents and educational facilities, making it easier for families to navigate the often complex landscape of childcare. Families can now search for daycare centers, schedule visits, and complete enrollment applications all online, effectively minimizing the cumbersome process of finding suitable care.

In the 2024 fiscal year, this service was available in 123 facilities across three municipalities in Tokyo: Itabashi, Adachi, and Chofu. The following year will see this expand significantly, as 16 more municipalities, including Minato, Koto, and Shibuya, join the initiative. In total, the service will be available across 19 municipalities and over 1,070 facilities in Tokyo.

Addressing Parental Challenges in Childcare Search

The concept behind the One-Stop Childcare Support Service arises from the pressing needs of parents. Searches for authorized daycare centers typically require gathering a multitude of information, creating stress and confusion. Parents often face questions such as when they can begin facility tours or when enrollment applications will be accepted, with the answers varying widely from one institution to another.

Moreover, the way information is shared is inconsistent. While some centers maintain informative websites, others require parents to call for inquiries, or even visit in person to check posted notices. Applications for center tours often necessitate phone calls, and it can be challenging for parents to reach staff who are busy balancing administrative duties and interactions with children, which can lead to missed communication opportunities.

Recognizing these hurdles, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched the "Tokyo Digital 2030 Vision," with the intent of transforming services for its residents, particularly through the initiative called "Childcare DX." This cooperative effort between the Tokyo government, GovTech Tokyo, and private companies such as Kodomon aims to leverage technology to alleviate the burdens placed upon parents during the childcare process.

Benefits of the One-Stop Service

The advantages of using the One-Stop Childcare Support Service are considerable:

For Parents

- Access to comprehensive and centralized information about daycare facilities.
- Ability to search for childcare options based on specific needs directly from Hoicil’s interactive map.
- Convenient online scheduling for facility visits at any time.
- Easy navigation from Hoicil’s pages to the relevant local government's enrollment websites.

For Daycare Facilities

- Enhanced online visibility to communicate the unique offerings of each facility.
- Reduced administrative burden related to managing phone inquiries for facility tours.

The One-Stop Childcare Support Service represents a collaboration unlike any seen before between municipal governments, daycare centers, and businesses aiming to facilitate access to quality childcare. It creates a system where parents can search for facilities, reserve visits, and complete enrollment applications all within an accessible online environment, significantly reducing the workload on families.

About Hoicil and Kodomon

Hoicil, operated by the company Kodomon, is designed to connect parents and seekers of childcare services with educational facilities. The service specializes in creating dedicated websites that showcase individual facility strengths, enabling local parents and job seekers to connect with the right resources more effectively. In a market challenged by declining birth rates and staffing shortages, Hoicil has become an integral resource, utilized by over 5,000 facilities across Japan and providing the highest number of listings for facility visit bookings.