Overview
- MHLW published prefectural totals showing about 225,000 people awaiting admission to special nursing homes as of April 1, 2025.
- The backlog has decreased by roughly 50,000 since the 2022 survey, which officials attribute to expanded home-care services and added facility capacity.
- Approximately 206,000 on the list are certified at care-need level 3 or higher, including about 86,000 waiting while living at home.
- The Social Security Council’s long-term care subcommittee approved charging fees for care plans in residential-type fee-based homes, while keeping care planning free for people receiving services at home.
- Plans to broaden the 20% user co-pay and to shift some services to municipal programs were left undecided, with conclusions slated before FY2027 after consideration of options including a monthly 7,000-yen cap.