Authorized daycare in Minato:fees and meals are fully free

Official name

Minato Ward Authorized Daycare Fees (港区認可保育園等利用者負担額)

Authorized daycare (認可保育園), certified centers for early childhood education and care (認定こども園), small-scale childcare facilities (小規模保育事業所), and Minato Ward's own daycare rooms (港区保育室) all charge ¥0/month basic fees for every household, every age, every birth-order child.

Universal free coverage was reached in September 2025, when Minato Ward extended free care to the first child age 0–2 in tax-paying households (the last group still paying). Lunch (給食費) is also free.

What still costs money: extension-care fees for care after 18:15 (the most you pay in a month is ¥2,000, ¥6,000 or ¥10,000, depending on your tier), the early-morning care fee at Shinmei Daycare (神明保育園, the only daycare that offers it, ¥200–¥600 per day), and items each daycare collects separately, such as event and materials fees.

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Basic fees and meals are fully free

Regardless of income, regardless of age, regardless of how many children. Authorized daycare, certified kindergartens, and small-scale childcare in Minato are all ¥0/month for the basic fee. Lunch is also free. Extension-care and per-school fees are separate.

EXTENSION-CARE FEES

The 3-tier extension-care fee schedule

You pay only when you use extension care after 18:15 (registered in advance with the daycare). The fee depends on your household's resident-tax bracket. This table is for ward-run daycare and certified centers; private facilities set their own fees.

Tier	Eligibility	7:15–19:15 (per hour)	6:15–7:15 / 19:15–22:00 (per hour)	Monthly cap
A	Welfare recipients and certain repatriate-support recipients, plus all other households exempt from ward resident tax	¥0	¥200	¥2,000
B	Ward resident tax (income portion) under ¥200,000 (excluding Tier A)	¥200	¥400	¥6,000
C	Ward-tax (income-portion) of ¥200,000 or more	¥400	¥600	¥10,000

Tax bracket is determined using your resident-tax (income-portion) amount after the standard adjustment deduction and the special fixed deduction. Note: dividend deductions, mortgage deductions, donation (furusato) deductions, and foreign tax deductions are NOT subtracted — so you cannot reduce your daycare extension fee through furusato nozei or mortgage deductions. Households who haven't filed resident tax (or don't yet have a tax record in Minato) are placed in Tier C until documents are submitted.

FAQ

Common questions

Really free for high-income households too?

Yes. Minato Ward removed the last income-related fee in September 2025. The 35-tier income-based fee schedule that used to apply (up to ¥77,500/month at the top tier) is no longer in effect. The FY2027 (令和9年度) enrollment guide, published October 2026, states that the basic fee is free at authorized daycare, small-scale childcare facilities, certified centers and Minato Ward daycare rooms (基本保育料は無償です).

Lunch costs?

Lunch (給食費) at authorized daycare, small-scale childcare facilities, certified centers, and Minato Ward daycare rooms is also free. Excluded: per-school items like field trips, special materials, white rice (if the daycare requires you to bring it from home), and bus fees.

When does the extension-care fee apply?

When you use extension care after 18:15, booked in advance with the daycare, charged by the hour. You are also charged if you pick up after your certified hours without booking, or if a child with a short-hours certification (保育短時間) stays beyond those hours. Ward-run facilities offer extension care Monday to Friday only (not on Saturdays). Children must be at least 1 year old (and on the final stage of weaning food) to use it.

Private authorized daycare and small-scale childcare — same rules?

Yes for the basic fee (¥0). Extension-care fees at private daycare, Minato Ward daycare rooms and community-based facilities (地域型保育事業) may differ from the table above, so confirm with the facility. Home-visit care for children on the waiting list (待機児童向け居宅訪問型保育事業) charges ¥1,000 per hour for extension care.

My household just moved to Minato — am I auto-enrolled in Tier C?

If Minato Ward cannot confirm your resident-tax information and you have not submitted the documents, yes — you are placed in the highest tier (C). Parents on childcare leave with no income still need to file a resident-tax return. If you cannot get a tax certificate (for example, income from abroad or embassy staff), the fee is calculated from your annual income.

How does this compare with non-authorized daycare?

At a non-authorized daycare with a certificate (認可外・証明書交付あり), families pay the daycare and Minato Ward pays the basic fee back up to a monthly cap: ¥103,700 for ages 0–2 and ¥100,300 for ages 3–5 (for use from October 2026; ¥100,000 / ¥97,000 until September 2026). At a Tokyo-certified daycare (認証保育所), the basic fee is covered up to 220 hours a month (160 hours for ages 0–2 in tax-paying households with a short-hours certification). Anything above the cap is paid by the family.

SOURCES