Tokyo, Feb. 16 -- The Japanese Cabinet on Friday approved a Bill to deal with the country's declining birth rate by expanding the coverage of monthly child allowances to high school-age children, Kyodo News reported.

The Bill underlines Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's efforts to tackle the sharp decline in birth rate in the country, according to the report.

According to the plan, the existing income limit for households receiving the benefits will be removed and a new funding scheme will be set up, requiring each person to pay an additional 300 to 500 yen (USD 2 to USD 3.3) in the form of monthly health insurance premiums from fiscal 2026.

It will start in October this year, and the eligibility to receive 10,000 yen a month wil...