Western Japan City Marks 50 Years of Free School Bag Project
Settsu, Osaka Pref., Jan. 28 (Jiji Press)--The western Japan city of Settsu marked the 50th anniversary this fiscal year since starting to give out its originally designed "randoseru" traditional school backpack for free to all children getting enrolled in elementary schools in the city, an initiative aimed at helping ease the financial burdens on households.
To commemorate the milestone, the city in Osaka Prefecture redesigned the backpack for the first time, such as by increasing its capacity, in the fiscal year that started in April 2024.
According to the country's association of randoseru makers, which is part of the Japan Luggage Association, prices of randoseru purchased for children who entered elementary schools in the nation in spring last year averaged 59,138 yen.
Following in the footsteps of Settsu, some other municipalities have launched similar initiatives, at a time when many families with children entering elementary school are believed to be feeling a heavy financial burden from buying a randoseru.
The city of Komagane in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, began in fiscal 2022 to provide free of charge school backpacks made by outdoor equipment maker Montbell Co. The backpacks have been well received, with parents saying they are light and have a good design.
(2025/01/28-16:04)
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