Fifth ProposalーーEstablishment of a Maternity Pension as Compensation for Motherhoodーー

This proposal addresses the structural flaws in Japan’s current childcare and maternity support systems, which remain temporary in nature and biased toward formally employed women. As a result, childbirth and childcare—irreversible and nationally vital forms of labor—are unequally valued and compensated depending on employment status. To correct this injustice, the proposal advocates the introduction of a lifelong “Childbirth Pension.” The baseline design is a lifelong monthly payment of 50,000 yen to each mother per childbirth, with potential adjustments based on the number of children or years of caregiving. This framework is not an extension of temporary allowances, but a structural reform that positions motherhood as socially and economically valuable labor that must be guaranteed by the state. Establishing a childbirth pension would restore the dignity of motherhood and serve as a foundational measure to overcome demographic decline.