Many parents who want to send their children to day care facilities from next April are gearing up preparations, the first step of which includes having a tour of the centers they want to apply for to see if one would be better than another.

But many are canceling such tours in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, prompting voices of concern from potential applicants, since the visits are the only way for parents to see children, teachers and the centers' everyday scenes.

“I got rejected by my first choice of day care, and now I don’t know which day care I should apply for,” said a 36-year-old working mother in Tokyo who has a 1-year-old daughter.