Asuka Publishes Case Study on Niihama City’s Use of “Hoikushi Scout” to Address Childcare Worker Recruitment Challenges

Asuka Co., Ltd., a nationwide provider of staffing services specializing in the childcare sector, has published a case study on how Niihama City in Ehime Prefecture used its “Hoikushi Scout” service to address childcare worker recruitment challenges. The case highlights a shift from conventional recruitment that waits for applications to an approach in which the municipality actively reaches out to candidates. It introduces the effects Niihama City experienced through scout-based recruiting and the structural challenges behind municipal hiring. Niihama City’s Childcare Division had long faced difficulties such as receiving few applications and failing to complete hires. In municipal childcare worker recruitment, public job postings are the standard method, but many municipalities struggle with low applicant numbers and lengthy hiring timelines. Prolonged hiring difficulties can lead to chronic staff shortages, increased workload for existing staff, and operational concerns. To address the issue, Niihama City introduced Asuka’s Hoikushi Scout service. This allowed the city to move from waiting for applicants to proactively contacting job seekers. The goals included improving low application volume, speeding up hiring decisions, and creating contact points with a broader pool of candidates. After implementation, the city was able to directly approach job seekers it had not previously reached, creating new application opportunities. Communication through chat also made interactions more efficient and flexible than phone calls, contributing to faster recruitment activity. The service was also evaluated as easy to operate, with users noting that there were no difficult procedures and that they quickly became accustomed to it. Although Niihama City is one example, childcare worker recruitment challenges are common among municipalities across Japan. Many municipalities face issues such as difficulty attracting applicants, long hiring timelines, and limited ability to respond to midyear vacancies. At the same time, the importance of securing talent with an eye toward post-hire retention is increasing. Municipalities now need not only to fill positions, but also to match candidates with workplace needs and provide ongoing follow-up. Hoikushi Scout addresses challenges that cannot be solved by temporary staffing alone. While temporary staffing has been useful for immediate personnel shortages, it is less suited to situations where applicant volume itself is insufficient, where municipalities want direct employment, or where they need medium- to long-term talent acquisition. Hoikushi Scout is positioned as a method that simultaneously supports talent pool development and the creation of hiring opportunities. Asuka says it will continue expanding successful cases like Niihama City’s to municipalities nationwide. Beyond staffing referrals and dispatch services, the company aims to support the creation of workplace environments where childcare workers can settle in and remain active over the long term, contributing to sustainable childcare systems. Asuka also plans to continue publishing municipal challenges and use cases in interview format. A detailed version of the case study, including the full Niihama City interview, is being distributed free of charge as a performance reference document exclusively for municipal officials across Japan. Asuka Group operates childcare-focused staffing, dispatch, and direct recruiting services from 21 locations nationwide, supporting roles such as childcare workers, kindergarten teachers, nurses, child instructors, after-school childcare support staff, cooks, and nutritionists, with dedicated coordinators providing support from hiring through retention.