Japan’s PM frontrunner Suga vows insurance coverage for fertility treatments

TOKYO: Yoshihide Suga, the frontrunner to become Japan's next prime minister, on Wednesday (Sep 8) proposed insurance coverage for expensive fertility treatments.

At a candidacy speech for the premier's role, Suga said the country's low birth rate was a long-term challenge, and pledged to create an "environment where women can stay healthy and play an active role in the community".

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His comments drove up shares in makers of fertility treatments, with ASKA Pharmaceutical Ltd rising 16 per cent.

"In order to broadly support households that want childbirth, we will make infertility treatment applicable to insurance," Suga said.

READ: Japan ruling party launches race for Abe's successor

The outgoing prime minister Shinzo Abes policies to boost the role of women in the economy and politics, dubbed “womenomics”, was a pillar of his efforts to cope with Japans low birth rate and ageing population.

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But Japan's gender gap widened under Abe's adminstration, and the country's birth rate hit another record low last year.

The Abe administration, which has called the rapidly graying population and falling number of births a “national crisis”, introduced free preschool education and daycare services for children from last yearRead More – Source