Lookmee Integrates with Children and Families Agency's 'Childcare Facility Management Platform' and 'Childcare Activity Information Linkage Platform'

Unifa Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yasuyuki Toki; hereinafter 'Unifa'), which solves social issues related to childcare and child-rearing through the power of technology centered on Childcare AI™, announces that its comprehensive childcare ICT service 'Lookmee' will support system integration with the 'Childcare Facility Management Platform' and 'Childcare Activity Information Linkage Platform' currently being developed by the Children and Families Agency. By supporting these platforms, we will contribute to the realization of a 'society where children come first' by digitizing the various cumbersome documents and analog tasks for parents, childcare facilities, and local governments involved in 'Hoikatsu' (childcare hunting).

Furthermore, Lookmee will continue to promote the use of technology centered on Childcare AI™ and the reduction of operational burdens in childcare settings as a service that meets the requirements for the 'Childcare ICT Promotion Addition' (tentative name), which the Children and Families Agency plans to establish in FY2026.

1. Background In childcare settings, the shortage of childcare workers remains a serious issue. The effective job opening ratio for childcare workers in Tokyo in 2025 was 4.28 times, significantly higher than the average of 1.69 times for all occupations. Additionally, the '2025 Survey on Securing Human Resources for Childcare Centers and Certified Centers for Early Childhood Education and Care' indicates that about 50% of facilities are forced to limit child intake due to labor shortages, making the shortage of childcare workers a critical issue in measures against the declining birthrate.

Moreover, due to the increase in dual-income households, 'Hoikatsu' requires parents to prepare vast amounts of documents and collect information analogically, placing a significant burden on balancing work and child-rearing. Childcare facilities also face complex administrative burdens. To improve this situation and realize a sustainable childcare environment, the Children and Families Agency is promoting the development of a digital infrastructure that serves as the core of childcare DX.

Lookmee will further strengthen cooperation among parents, childcare facilities, and local governments through its support for these platforms. By utilizing technology, we will reduce the operational burden on-site, create time for childcare workers to engage more with children, and contribute to the realization of a society where everyone finds it easy to raise children.

2. Overview of the Platforms ■ Childcare Facility Management Platform This is a nationwide infrastructure for online procedures between childcare facilities and local governments, aiming to realize the 'Once-Only' principle, where information submitted once to administrative agencies does not need to be submitted again. It will launch in FY2026 to drastically reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency for both local governments and childcare facilities.

Childcare Activity Information Linkage Platform This is a nationwide infrastructure for exchanging necessary information among parents, childcare facilities, employers, and local governments to realize a one-stop service for 'Hoikatsu' procedures (facility search, visit reservations, employment certificate issuance, etc.).

Childcare ICT Promotion Addition (Tentative Name) This is a new addition created to evaluate facilities that promote operational improvement through technology. To qualify, facilities must meet three requirements: 1) Use of ICT with four functions (attendance management, parent communication, planning/recording, and cashless payment), 2) Use of the 'Childcare Facility Management Platform', and 3) Use of the 'Childcare Activity Information Linkage Platform'.

3. Future Outlook Lookmee will contribute to solving issues faced by childcare facilities and parents by supporting these platforms. We will continue to strongly support the realization of high-quality childcare environments where childcare workers can demonstrate their expertise and engage more deeply with each child by reducing administrative time through the power of technology.

4. About Lookmee and Unifa Inc. 'Lookmee' series automatically aggregates data such as attendance, temperature, sleep, meals, and photos, and automatically transcribes them into reports and contact books. With over 20,000 cumulative installations, it is a leading service in the industry. Unifa Inc. is a 'Childcare-Tech' startup aiming to solve social issues in childcare. It has been selected for J-Startup and J-Startup Impact, and received the 'Special Jury Award' at the 'Japan Startup Awards 2025' in August 2025.