児童手当、１８歳まで月１万円　少子化対策で拡充―政府

　政府が児童手当について、２０２４年度にも新たに１８歳まで月１万円を支給する方向で調整していることが２４日、分かった。現在は中学生までとなっている支給対象を拡大する。多子世帯支援策として、３歳から小学生の第３子以降への支給額は現行の月１万５０００円から３万円に倍増する方向だ。
　児童手当の拡充は、岸田政権が掲げる「異次元の少子化対策」の目玉施策。２４年度からの３年間で集中的に取り組む「加速化プラン」に盛り込まれた。所得制限の撤廃を含め、政府は「こども未来戦略会議」で方向性をまとめ、６月に策定する経済財政運営の基本指針「骨太の方針」に反映させる。（2023/05/24-11:23）

Japan is considering expanding its child benefit program in order to newly give 10,000 yen per month per head to high school age children up to 18 years old, sources said Wednesday.
   As part of its efforts to combat the country's falling birthrate, the government is also preparing to double the benefits to 30,000 yen per head for a third and later child between the age of 3 and junior high school age.
   The expansion is a key policy of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, aiming to implement "measures on a different level" to stop the birthrate from declining further. It is also part of a package of measures to be implemented intensively over the three years from April 2024.
   The government will decide details of the planned expansion of the program, including whether to scrap the income limit, at the Children's Future Strategy Council, chaired by Kishida. The decision wiill be reflected in the government's annual basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines to be released in June.
   At present, monthly benefits stand at 15,000 yen per child under 3 for families with annual income less than certain levels.