1.	Objectives

This longitudinal, approval statistical survey follows the same subjects over a long period and has been conducted since Fiscal Year 2001. The purpose of this survey is to obtain basic data for planning and implementation of various policy measures, including countermeasures to the falling birthrate, designed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare through monitoring of situations surrounding babies born in the first year of the 21 century and changes across the ages.

2.

Scope

The subjects consist of all babies, including twins and triplets (targeted respectively), who were born during the periods from January 10 - 17 and July 10 - 17 in 2001.

3.	Date of the survey

August 1, 2003 for infants born in January
February 1, 2004 for those born in July
(The babies are 30 months old infants)

4.	Contents of the survey

Situations surrounding family members living together; caregivers; type of dwelling; concerns about children's eating behaviors and rules on giving snacks to children; their bedtime/wakeup time and nap frequency; their playing; TV watching hours; usual play areas; whether or not they have friends to play with of their age in the neighborhood; paid lessons; illness and injuries; height and weight; development status of children; monthly expenditures on children by families; ideal image of children; advantages of raising children; burdens of raising children; counseling on child care; household and child rearing responsibilities shared among fathers and mothers, fathers' and mothers' occupation, how fathers spend their day off.

5.	Method of the survey

Mailed questionnaires to selected subjects from the Vital Statistics Data (jinko dotai chosa shusseihyo).

6.	Collection of Questionnaires, etc

The numbers of questionnaires delivered and the number of responded are as follows: