- The following is content from the press release -
EY Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Masami Katakura), commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to support the spread of "baby tech," which uses technology to support child-rearing, will conduct a pilot study in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture from January 2022 on four services to support child-rearing and improve childcare and household chore efficiency. The survey will be conducted in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, starting in January 2022. This survey will be conducted in cooperation with Odawara City, Odakyu Electric Railway, and other businesses in and outside Odawara City to verify the effects and issues of BabyTech in collaboration with local stakeholders.
Background
From the viewpoints of both resolving the declining population caused by the declining birthrate and promoting the younger generation's active participation in the workforce, there is a growing need for support for balancing childcare and work. Against this backdrop, products and services that utilize technology to support childcare ("baby tech" (*1)) are beginning to be created, and it is expected that childcare will become safer, more secure, and more efficient. In this context, products and services that utilize technology to support childcare ("baby tech" (*1)) are beginning to be created, and it is hoped that they will make childcare safer, more secure, and more efficient.
EY New Japan will conduct a study commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) (*2) to investigate the effects and issues for the diffusion of BabyTech, as well as conduct a demonstration of the BabyTech project in collaboration with Odawara City, which is actively involved in childcare support, including consideration of introducing BabyTech. We will also investigate and verify the significance and role of collaboration with stakeholders in the community.
Demonstration in Odawara City
Starting in January 2022, BabyTech will conduct the following demonstration project in collaboration with businesses in Odawara City and beyond (Odakyu Electric Railway Company, NPO mama's hug, PIAZZA Corporation, PIAZZA Corporation, and Kids Public Corporation), and will conduct the demonstration as follows.
Business 1) First Ascent Co.
We will have child-rearing families use "ainenne," a smart bed light that supports children's sleep, to support the formation of infant sleep rhythms, manage children's health, and test its effectiveness in reducing the burden of child-rearing.
Business 2: Hamee Corporation
Improvement of center operations to make it easier for parents raising children to use the Family Support Center by simplifying the procedures for using the center through online operations of the city's mutual assistance activities (Family Support Center), which aim to help parents who want help with childcare and those who can help by making them members. We will verify the effect.
Business Operator (3) PIAZZA Corporation
By connecting parents raising children with others through the exchange of child-rearing-related information and the giving away of unwanted items, we aim to alleviate the anxiety and isolation of child-rearing and achieve a more vibrant lifestyle. We will have households raising children use the local SNS "Piazza" to verify its impact and effectiveness on child-rearing.
Business 4: Kids Public Co.
We will have pregnant and lactating families use "Kusuribo," a drug information retrieval system based on the situation during pregnancy and lactation, to verify the effectiveness and convenience of a system that allows easy confirmation of reliable information.
*Introduction page regarding the demonstration project:ONE
3. Odawara City Demonstration Event - Baby Tech Fest in Odawara - We want to know! I want you to know! New child-rearing
On Sunday, February 13, 2022, a demonstration event will be held, followed by a panel discussion and a baby tech exhibition. Experts will discuss issues and prospects for the spread of BabyTech, and the details of the BabyTech service being demonstrated in Odawara City will be presented.
Outline of the event
- Organizer: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Co-organizer: EY Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC, Cooperation: Odawara City, Odakyu Electric Railway Company, J:COM Nishishon
- Date: Sunday, February 13, 2022, 10:00-17:00
- Location:
Panel Discussion: Online delivery from ODAWARA Innovation Lab
Baby Tech Exhibition: ODAWARA Innovation Lab
Schedule for the day (tentative)
| panel discussion | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10:00-10:10 | Greetings from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | Miho Kawamura, Director, Economic and Social Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, METI |
| 10:10-10:20 | Odawara City Greetings | Mr. Teruhiko Moriya, Mayor of Odawara City |
| 10:20-11:00 | BabyTechLab Odawara / Introduction of Demonstration Business | Emi Arakawa (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) |
| 11:00-12:00 | panel discussion | Speakers: (to be confirmed) Moderator: Ms. Emi Arakawa (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) |
| Baby Tech Exhibition | |
|---|---|
| 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Exhibit of products participating in the demonstration project and other baby tech |
Event URL / Venue
- Panel Discussion (Live on the Secretariat's Youtube channel *No pre-registration required):
Odawara City Demonstration Event "Baby Tech Fest in Odawara - We want to know! I want you to know! New Child Rearing - Baby Tech Exhibition
Venue: ODAWARA Innovation Lab.
Minaka Odawara, 1-1-15 Sakae-cho, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa, Japan (Odawara Shinjoshimachi 2F)
1 "BabyTech/BabyTech" is a trademark of Papa Smile Co.
2 The commissioned survey ("FY2021 Industry and Economy Research Commissioned Project (Survey on the Diffusion Potential of Childcare Support Services Utilizing Digital Technology, etc. (Baby-Tech, etc.)") is conducted by EY Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC on behalf of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
EY Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC will be commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to conduct a pilot study of the BabyTech service in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in cooperation with Odawara City, Odakyu Electric Railway and other businesses in and outside Odawara City to verify the effectiveness and challenges of the BabyTech service.
BTAJ2021 award-winning companies will also participate in the demonstration, including First Ascent Corporation, which provides Smart Bedlight ainenne, and Kids Public Corporation, which provides Kusuribo, a drug information retrieval system based on pregnancy and lactation status.
Let's take a look at the details from the press release.