The prefectural government of Osaka has just announced that it is to add \50,000 to the national government lump sum of \350,000 given to parents starting with their third child. The measure aims to fight the falling birthrate.

Members, and their spouses, of the national health insurance scheme will be eligible from fiscal 2007. In fiscal 2005, around 18,000 births qualified for the government money in Osaka prefecture. The prefecture estimates it costs around \500,000 to have a child.

A representative of a citizen's group stated that the authorities needed to improve the environment for raising children instead of distributing money without careful consideration.