Japan's government has approved measures to address the country's declining birthrate by increasing financial support for people raising children.

The government aims to spend about 25 billion dollars annually for the next three years to focus on the issue.
The measures include removing the limit on household income for receiving childrearing allowances from the government.

Coverage will also be expanded to children in senior high school.

Families will be able to get a monthly allowance of 15,000 yen, or about 107 dollars, for each child under age 3, and 10,000 yen per child from age 3 through senior high.
Families will get 30,000 yen per month for their third child and onward regardless of age, through senior high.

The government plans to start the changes next fiscal year.

To reduce the cost burden of post-secondary education, the government proposes reducing tuition or offering scholarships for more students.

Japan also plans to increase financial support for childbirth such as by having related expenses covered by public health insurance.

Officials also aim to raise benefits so that even if both parents take childcare leave, their disposable income will not change for up to four weeks.

To fund the measures, the government plans to reform social welfare spending and establish a new support system.

Officials say they could temporarily issue government bonds, but that they will not raise the public financial burden.

The government plans to study support measures and financing schemes further and finalize the plans this year.