Tsuyako Nakamura is a professor at the Faculty of Global Communications of Doshisha University. Her specialty is women's labor issues in the U.S. and Japan. Currently, she is researching work-life integration and employment policy for women's advancement with Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).Her major publications include co-authored books,Work-LifeIntegration (2021), Human ResourceManagement in the Era of EVP (Employee Value Proposition) (2018), Work-life Balance and Management(2017) and Creating Gender Equal Workplace(2004). She finished her Ph.D. course at Doshisha University after obtaining M.A. at MontereyInstitute of International Studies in California as a Rotary International student. She was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and Harvard University in 2009-2010. She has been active for social leadership programs including TOMODACHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program as the first-year mentor/chaperone(2013), and Kansai Economic Federation's women's empowerment program as coordinator (2014-2023).From June 2021 to August 2024, she served as president of the Japan Academy of Labor Management.

Japan is undergoing a profound demographic transformation, with a total fertility rate of 1.15 and a rapidly aging population. These shifts have led to labor shortages and fiscal pressures, while the rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping employment, demanding more flexible and human-centered policies. In response, the Japanese government has elevated childcare support as a national priority--recognizing that sustainable work-life integration is essential not only for individual well-being but for long-term social resilience.

The Children and Families Agency(CFA), established in 2023, coordinates childcare policy and promotes inclusive family support. Its initiatives emphasize qualitative improvementsenhancing access,workforce capacity, and digital integrationover mere expansion. Recent reforms to the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act,effective April 2025, introduced the Postpartum Paternity Leave Support Benefit, offering up to 80% wage compensation for fathers within eight weeks of childbirth. With exemptions from social insurance premiums and tax, the effective income replacement approaches 100%. These measures contributed to a record male parental leave uptake rate of 40.5% in FY2024, up from 30.1% the previous year. Large companies are now required to disclose male leave statistics annually, reinforcing accountability and cultural change.

Childcare provision has also expanded. As of April 2025, licensed childcare enrollment reached 2.83 million children, while waiting lists declined to just 1,215. Corporate involvement is diversifying: while some firms operate enterprise-led childcare facilities-6,217 nationwide serving over 110,000 childrenmany others support employees through subsidies, partnerships with local centers, or flexible work arrangements. Notably, 56% of enterprise- led facilities are jointly operated, enhancing regional access and cost efficiency.

Broader government initiatives include increased child allowances, expanded parental leave eligibility, and plans to integrate childbirth costs into public health insurance by 2026. Municipalities and employers continue to invest in childcare infrastructure, supported by managerial training and public awareness campaigns.

In the age of AI, care work remains irreplaceable. While technology enables remote work and task automation, it cannot replicate empathy, emotional labor, or the parent-child bond. Japan's approach highlights care as a strategic investmentand positions work-life integration not as a personal compromise, but as a societal imperative for inclusive growth and economic sustainability. This presentation argues that childcare support is not merely a demographic countermeasure-it is a blueprint for a more integrated, adaptable, and compassionate society.