Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima announced plans to ease the financial burden on families by considering free lunches for public elementary, junior high, and special needs schools. Currently, monthly school lunch costs are ¥4,200 for elementary students and ¥5,000 for junior high students, borne by parents.
During a city council session on December 12, Takashima noted that Fukuoka City has already absorbed price hikes for ingredients, maintaining lunch quality. However, rising living costs necessitate broader support for families. With the city’s tax revenues reaching record highs, Takashima pledged to pursue more robust measures, including free lunches, as part of expanded child-rearing assistance.
The city estimates that eliminating school lunch fees for about 120,000 eligible students would cost ¥5.8 billion annually. Discussions on the scale and timing of the initiative are ongoing. Some municipalities in Fukuoka Prefecture, such as Oto and Ashiya, have already implemented free school lunches. Source: NHK
Photo from Public Interest Fukuoka City School Lunch Corporation.
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