Namco Bandai expanding support system to employees with children

Namco Bandai Games recently took a proactive stance against Japan's declining birth rate. The publishers behind the Pac-Man, Tales of, and Tekken series will be giving more monetary support to employees who have children, according to a report on the Nihon Keizai Shimbun news site.

In this program, parents who are having a third child or beyond will be given a support bonus of 2 million yen ($26,045). Parents having their first or second child will get 200,000 yen ($2,605). The support bonus is applicable to both male and female employees on the condition that they take a week off within the first 56 days of the child's birth to write a child-rearing report.

The company is also creating a child care space called the "Kids Room," which will be located in the Shinagawa office this winter. The room will have a professional child care provider along with games and toys made by the company. Employees can schedule to have their children in the room during summer and winter breaks. Namco Bandai is planning on opening more child care spaces near areas where the majority of its employees live.