Tokyo to Boost Capacity of Elderly Care Homes

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)--The Tokyo metropolitan government said Thursday it plans to boost the capacity of nursing care facilities in the Japanese capital. Ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the metropolitan government will take steps to make the capital more friendly to foreign visitors, it also said in a report on its long-term vision. By the end of fiscal 2025, the total capacity of special nursing care facilities for elderly people with severe disabilities will reach 60,000 tenants, 1.5 times the level at the end of fiscal 2013, which ended last March, according to the report. In calendar 2025, a quarter of all Tokyo residents will be 65 or older, the report said, calling for boosting the capacity of group homes for elderly dementia sufferers 2.3-fold to 20,000 tenants and doubling the capacity of serviced apartments for the elderly to 28,000 tenants. The Tokyo metropolitan government will provide subsidies to those opening child care centers, aiming to raise the capacity for such facilities by 40,000 children to 275,000 to eliminate waiting lists for such centers. The metropolitan government also aims to increase the annual number of foreign tourists to 18 million by 2024 from 6.81 million last year. Free Wi-Fi will be made available at a larger number of places, according to the report. The metropolitan government will create a so-called English village for elementary through high school children in fiscal 2018 to give them the opportunity to spend time in an English-language environment. END