The "day care room," which was supposed to be bustling with children, has its doors shut while the washbasin and lockers faintly stand out in the dim light.
This is the only day care center on Tonaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, but since its establishment in 2019, it has remained closed without a single child setting foot inside.
Meanwhile, in the same building on a recent day, elderly residents were gathering at a welfare facility for one of its three weekly sessions. Their lively voices stand out in contrast to the silence in the day care space for children.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.