A Study on the Status and Policies of Young Carers in Japan

Abstract

This article examines the current state of and policies in place for young caregivers in Japan and makes recommendations for policy in Korea. Some ten years ago, Japanese civic society and academia began to pay attention to the issue of young carers. As a result, some Japanese cities established ordinances to support young carers. In recent years, the Japanese government has surveyed carers among primary and secondary school students. However, the Japanese government's strategy in this regard does not extend much beyond bringing young carers to public attention and identifying them early on, leaving the country unable to systematically address the problem of young carers resulting from the current family-oriented welfare system. The Japanese experience highlights the need for Korea, which has a welfare system akin to Japan’s, to analyze the root causes of the problems it has to address for its young carers.