Japan – Education and Schools

How strong is Japan’s education system?

Japan’s education system commands enormous respect globally, underpinned by demanding academic standards and a rigorous national curriculum. Governance at the national level falls to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The country’s performance in international benchmarking studies reflects this reputation clearly: in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Japanese students recorded mean scores of 516 in reading, 536 in mathematics, and 547 in science — comfortably above the OECD average in every category, and consistently so across successive rounds of the assessment.

To put these results in context: in mathematics, the primary focus of PISA 2022, 15-year-olds in Japan scored 536 points against an OECD average of 472. Reading scores averaged 516 compared to the OECD’s 476, and science scores reached 547 against an OECD baseline of 485. These outcomes place Japan firmly in the top five or six education systems worldwide. Countries with resilient, digitally capable school infrastructure — Japan among them — managed to weather the COVID-19 pandemic without a decline in academic performance, and in fact recorded improved scores over this period.

Across the student population, 88% of pupils in Japan achieved at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics — a notably higher proportion than the OECD average of 69%. Furthermore, 23% of Japanese students reached Level 5 or 6 in mathematics, classifying them as top performers, compared to only 9% on average across OECD countries. For the most current rankings and assessment data, the OECD PISA website is the authoritative source. Japan’s current educational priorities also encompass lifelong learning, advanced vocational education, and greater internationalisation of its universities.

At what age does compulsory education begin in Japan, and how is schooling organised by age?

Compulsory schooling in Japan spans nine years in total: six years of elementary school followed by three years of lower secondary school. This covers children between the ages of 6 and 15. Although nine years falls short of the OECD average of eleven years for compulsory education, the quality of learning outcomes — as measured by PISA — is outstanding. Prior to the compulsory phase, early childhood education holds considerable cultural importance. Children may attend kindergarten from age 3 to 5 before entering elementary school at 6.

The structure of Japan’s school system by stage is as follows:

• Nursery school / daycare (hoikuen): A voluntary childcare option for children from infancy through to age 6, managed by the Ministry of Health rather than MEXT.
• Kindergarten (yochien): An optional early education setting for children aged 3 to 5, oriented around child development and socialisation skills.
• Elementary school (shōgakkō): Compulsory attendance beginning at age 6, covering six years across grades 1 to 6. Children start first grade in April after their sixth birthday.
• Junior high school (chūgakkō): Compulsory education lasting three years, covering ages 12 to 15 following the completion of elementary school.
• High school (kōtōgakkō): A three-year upper secondary phase running from age 15 to 18. Attendance is not legally required, yet 99% of junior high school graduates in Japan continue into upper secondary education.

One aspect of the Japanese system that frequently surprises newly arrived families is that the school year begins in April rather than September. Children are grouped into year cohorts based on birthdays falling between April 2nd and April 1st of the following year. This cut-off differs from countries where the academic year runs September to July or January to December, and may affect the grade a child is assigned when relocating from another system — something worth planning for well ahead of arrival.

What kinds of schools can families choose from in Japan?

Both public and private schools operate throughout Japan. State-funded public schools at the compulsory level charge no tuition, while private schools come with considerably higher fees. All public schools receive equal government funding, follow the same national curriculum, and are expected to deliver equivalent outcomes. This uniformity stands in contrast to systems like the UK’s, where academies and free schools can introduce considerable variation between state schools in different localities. In Japan, a public school in a rural town and one in central Tokyo operate to the same national standard.

The main categories of school available to families in Japan include:

• Public schools (kōritsu): Government-funded and free at the compulsory education level. They follow the national curriculum established by MEXT and represent the most common schooling choice for resident families.
• Private Japanese schools (shiritsu): Operated by private foundations or organisations, these schools draw students from across the country without geographic restriction. They frequently offer more specialised programmes — academic, vocational, or internationally oriented — and entry requires sitting the school’s own entrance examination and interview.
• International schools: Growing in number alongside Japan’s increasing foreign resident population, these schools typically deliver instruction in languages other than Japanese and follow overseas or internationally recognised curricula (covered in detail in a dedicated section below).
• Cram schools (juku): A distinctive feature of the Japanese educational landscape, juku are supplementary learning centres that students attend after regular school hours — usually from around 4 p.m. — to reinforce academic skills or prepare for competitive entrance examinations. Though not a formal school type, juku are deeply embedded in how Japanese families approach education, and expat parents should be aware of their existence and their role in the wider system.

What curriculum and qualifications do Japanese schools use?

Under the School Education Act, the national government — through MEXT — establishes curriculum standards for elementary, secondary, and special needs schools to ensure consistent educational quality across all regions. These national standards are reviewed and updated on a ten-year cycle, producing a degree of coherence similar in principle to national curriculum frameworks found in countries like France or Germany, though the specific content and assessment approaches differ markedly.

Compulsory subjects taught throughout the Japanese school system include arithmetic and mathematics, science, social studies (incorporating history, geography, and civics), and foreign languages — predominantly English. All textbooks used in Japanese elementary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools must pass a certification process administered by MEXT before they can be adopted.

At the close of junior high school, students sit a standardised high school entrance examination that determines which upper secondary institution they will attend. The high school curriculum then divides into compulsory subjects — including Japanese language, social studies, mathematics, science, and English — alongside a range of electives such as music, art, physical education, and additional foreign languages.

Japan does not operate a GCSE or A-level equivalent as found in some other education systems. Instead, high school graduates receive a diploma, and entry to university is primarily determined by the national entrance examination (daigaku nyūgaku kyōtsū tesuto) rather than coursework-based qualifications accumulated over time. For families who may relocate before their child completes secondary school, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma — offered at a number of international and private schools in Japan — provides a globally portable qualification. The IB World Schools directory lists authorised IB institutions across Japan.

What are the typical school hours and holiday periods in Japan?

Japan’s school year runs from 1 April to 31 March of the following year and is divided into three terms: the first from April through July, the second from September through December, and the third from January through March. Admission takes place in April and graduation occurs in March. This three-term structure contrasts with the two-semester or four-term models used in many other countries, and the April start date means families arriving in summer or autumn will need to make careful arrangements for interim schooling or a delayed enrolment.

The longest school holiday is the summer break, which runs from late July to early September — approximately six weeks in total. Additional breaks fall around the New Year period (late December to early January) and in spring (late March to early April). This shorter summer vacation, compared to the eight to ten weeks common in several European countries, is one of the notable calendar differences families should factor in.

Classes take place Monday to Friday, with some schools occasionally holding sessions on Saturdays. At elementary level, the school day typically begins around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. and concludes at approximately 3:00 or 3:30 p.m. A school-provided lunch (kyūshoku) is a distinctive feature of Japanese schooling: pupils eat together in their classrooms and take turns serving meals and cleaning up, reinforcing community values alongside academic learning. High school days may run somewhat longer, and after-school club activities often continue well into the late afternoon or evening.

How do you register a child for school in Japan?

In Japan, children of all nationalities are entitled to the same educational rights. Foreign families who wish to enrol their child in a public elementary or junior high school are permitted to do so. While participation in Japan’s compulsory education system is not legally obligatory for foreign nationals, the option is fully open to them provided their address is registered with the relevant local authority. Enrolment is processed through the local municipal board of education (kyōiku iinkai) — typically the city, town, or ward office — rather than directly through the school.

The typical steps for enrolling a child in a Japanese public school are:

1. Register your address: Complete your residency registration at the local municipal office (shiyakusho or kuyakusho). This registration is a prerequisite for accessing public school placement.
2. Receive notification from the municipal education board: Following your registration, the local board of education will generally send you details about the school assigned to your area and the steps required to complete enrolment.
3. Prepare your documents: Documents typically requested include proof of your residential address, your child’s residence card (zairyu card), birth certificate (or an officially translated version), and vaccination records. Previous academic transcripts or school records may also be required.
4. Visit the designated school: Arrange a meeting with school administrators to discuss your child’s Japanese language ability, appropriate grade placement, and any available language support. Where a child would struggle to follow instruction at their age-appropriate grade level, it is possible to request placement in a lower grade to ease the transition.
5. Complete enrolment paperwork: Submit all required forms to the school and receive confirmation of your child’s start date. Entry typically coincides with the April start of the academic year, though mid-year enrolment can also be arranged.

For private school enrolment, the process is considerably more competitive. Applications for April entry are usually due in December or January, and admission requires passing the school’s own entrance examination and interview. Families should begin planning six to twelve months in advance. Detailed guidance in English on the enrolment process for foreign residents is available through the MEXT official website. Always confirm current documentation requirements and timelines directly with the relevant school or local education board.

What international schools operate in Japan?

The growth of Japan’s foreign resident population has driven a corresponding expansion in international schooling options. These schools are concentrated in the major metropolitan areas — primarily Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Kyoto, and Nagoya — though some also operate in smaller cities where expat communities have established themselves. International schools in Japan offer a variety of curricula, including American, British (with IGCSEs and A-levels), and the International Baccalaureate. Their student bodies typically include families on corporate postings, long-term residents seeking English-medium or multilingual education, and bilingual households wanting a dual-language environment.

Tuition fees at international schools are considerable. In major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Kobe, annual fees at high school level typically fall in the range of ¥2.5 million to ¥3.8 million per student (as of 2026). Across twelve years of schooling from elementary through to high school, cumulative costs could reach between ¥24,000,000 and ¥36,000,000. These figures are indicative only — fees differ significantly between schools and change from year to year, so always verify current costs directly with the institutions you are considering. Application, registration, and capital levy charges are commonly added on top of annual tuition.

A number of Japanese schools, including international ones, operate scholarship and tuition reduction programmes for eligible international students. To identify accredited international schools, consult the Council of International Schools (CIS) school search or the International Schools Consultancy (ISC) directory. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also publishes information relevant to foreign residents navigating the schooling landscape.

What higher education pathways exist in Japan?

Japan’s higher education sector encompasses colleges of technology, junior colleges, and universities. Colleges of technology provide vocationally oriented programmes leading to associate degrees after five years of study. Junior colleges deliver two- to three-year associate programmes, predominantly in humanities, social sciences, and teacher preparation. Universities confer four-year bachelor’s degrees along with two-year master’s and three-year doctoral qualifications. Specialised training colleges and miscellaneous institutions — largely in private hands — round out the sector with practical vocational and technical programmes.

Japan’s most prestigious universities — including the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Osaka University — are internationally recognised and appear regularly in global rankings. National and public universities receive government funding and operate under MEXT-set fee structures. For the 2024–2025 academic year, the standard annual tuition at national universities is ¥535,800, with an enrolment fee of ¥282,000. Private university fees are generally higher, ranging from approximately ¥700,000 to ¥1,500,000 per year in tuition, plus enrolment fees of roughly ¥200,000 to ¥350,000. Certain specialised disciplines — such as medicine, dentistry, or the arts — can carry significantly higher annual costs of ¥2,000,000 to ¥10,000,000 or more. Always check with individual institutions for the most current figures.

International and expat students may apply to the same institutions as domestic students, though degree programme entry typically requires success in the relevant entrance examinations, which are generally conducted in Japanese. Japan’s current higher education policy actively promotes international student enrolment, and the government has funded scholarships for overseas students since 1954. Seven categories of Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship are available, covering research students, teacher training students, undergraduate students, Japanese studies students, college of technology students, specialised training college students, and Young Leaders Programme participants. Full details are available at the Study in Japan official website.

What should expat parents understand about the language used in Japanese schools?

Japanese is the language of instruction throughout the public school system and in the vast majority of private schools. For expat families whose children do not yet have Japanese language skills, this is one of the most significant practical challenges to navigate. Unlike certain countries where second-language instruction exists within the state system — such as Welsh-medium schools in Wales or French-medium education in parts of Belgium — Japan’s public schools operate almost entirely in Japanese with no parallel-language alternatives.

English is a compulsory subject within the junior high and high school curriculum, and some elementary schools introduce English from the middle grades onward. This relates to English taught as a foreign language subject, however, not to English being used as a medium of instruction. It is worth noting that approximately 41.5% of international students attending Japanese public schools require additional language support, illustrating how common this need is across the system.

If a child struggles to follow instruction at their age-appropriate grade level, parents can request that the school place them in a lower grade — an arrangement frequently made for newly arrived foreign children who need time to build their Japanese language foundation. Many local authorities now offer some form of Japanese language support for children who have recently arrived, though the range and quality of these services varies considerably from one municipality to another. Families should enquire with their local board of education before enrolment to understand what assistance is on offer.

In terms of language acquisition, children immersed in Japanese public schools typically develop conversational fluency within six to twelve months, though reaching academic literacy in Japanese tends to take substantially longer. For families committed to settling in Japan over the long term, this immersive approach can be very effective. Families on shorter placements or those who need their children to maintain continuity with a previous curriculum will generally find international or bilingual schools a more practical solution. Some private schools also offer bilingual or internationally oriented programmes, though the majority deliver instruction in Japanese following the national curriculum.

What financial assistance or subsidies are available to support education costs in Japan?

State elementary and junior high schools charge no tuition, as they form part of Japan’s compulsory education system. This applies to all children who are registered residents in Japan, regardless of nationality. Although tuition itself carries no cost, families should plan for ancillary expenses including school lunches, uniforms, stationery, and extracurricular activities. Typical one-time entry costs are modest (often only a few thousand yen), but uniform sets can amount to around ¥40,000–¥50,000, and monthly school lunch contributions run to approximately ¥12,000.

For upper secondary education, which is not formally compulsory, the government operates a tuition support scheme designed to reduce the financial pressure on households and help all high school students continue their studies. The scheme provides a tuition support fund to students in households where the combined municipal graded income tax paid is below ¥304,200 — broadly equivalent to a gross annual household income of under approximately ¥9.1 million — regardless of whether the school attended is national, public, or private (based on the most recently published eligibility thresholds).

Households with lower incomes (below approximately ¥5.9 million annually) may receive up to ¥396,000 per year in assistance toward private school fees under current published rates. Since the 2020 academic year, tuition support grants have also helped reduce costs at private high schools. For international schooling, some cost reduction may be achievable through grants or online learning options, though international schools generally fall outside the scope of Japan’s domestic school subsidy framework. Eligibility for financial support should be confirmed directly with MEXT or your local municipal office, as entitlements can depend on your residency status and visa category.

At the higher education level, scholarships from MEXT, the Japan Student Services Organisation (JASSO), and individual universities can substantially reduce study costs. The MEXT Scholarship, for instance, covers tuition fees, accommodation, a monthly living allowance, and round-trip airfare between the student’s home country and Japan. A comprehensive overview of available funding can be found on the Study in Japan scholarships page.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child attend a Japanese public school without speaking Japanese?

Yes. Children of all nationalities have equal rights in Japan, and foreign families are entitled to enrol their children in public elementary or junior high schools. Most public schools will welcome non-Japanese-speaking children, and many municipalities provide some level of dedicated language assistance. The extent of this support varies significantly between areas, so it is advisable to contact your local board of education before enrolment to find out what provision is available. Children generally pick up conversational Japanese relatively quickly, though achieving full academic fluency takes considerably longer.

Are there waiting lists for international schools in Japan?

At well-regarded international schools in cities such as Tokyo and Yokohama, certain year groups — particularly at elementary level — can be oversubscribed, and waiting lists are not unusual. Families are strongly advised to begin researching and submitting applications as early as possible, ideally at least twelve months before the target start date. Current availability and application deadlines differ between schools, so contact institutions directly for up-to-date information.

How does the Japanese academic year affect my child if we arrive mid-year?

Because Japan’s school year runs from April to March, families arriving outside of the April intake period may find the transition into public school less straightforward. That said, mid-year enrolment in public schools is generally possible and should be coordinated through the local municipal office. International schools typically operate more flexible admissions procedures and may be able to accept students throughout the year, subject to available places.

Are foreign qualifications recognised in Japan for university entry?

Japan broadly accepts overseas secondary school qualifications as a basis for university applications, though specific requirements vary by institution. Applicants from abroad are often required to sit the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU), which assesses academic aptitude and — for many programmes — Japanese language proficiency. At postgraduate level, some universities will consider international qualifications without additional examinations. Always confirm requirements directly with the international admissions office of the university concerned.

What childcare options are available for children under school age?

Before compulsory schooling begins, families in Japan can access nursery schools (hoikuen) — daycare facilities catering to children from infancy up to age 6, primarily for families where both parents work — and kindergartens (yochien), which provide educational programming for children aged 3 to 5. Early childhood education is held in high regard in Japan and is seen as laying the groundwork for future academic and social development. The government offers financial assistance to help make these options more accessible. In urban areas, demand for hoikuen places is especially intense, and families should register their interest with the local ward or municipal office as early as possible.

Can expats access higher education in Japan on the same terms as local students?

Expats with long-term residency in Japan can generally attend national and public universities on the same fee basis as Japanese nationals, and all students — regardless of nationality — are typically required to pay an enrolment fee upon admission. University fees in Japan are generally lower than those in the United States or United Kingdom, and many institutions offer scholarship and tuition reduction programmes specifically for international students. Those applying from outside Japan as international students will typically follow a separate admissions pathway with different requirements.

What is “juku” and should my child attend one?

Juku are private supplementary learning centres — often called cram schools — that large numbers of Japanese students attend outside regular school hours to strengthen their academic performance or prepare for competitive entrance examinations. Sessions usually begin around 4 p.m. and can run well into the evening on weekdays. Juku attendance is especially widespread among students approaching high school or university entry exams. Expat children enrolled in the Japanese system may encounter some expectation or peer pressure to attend — this remains entirely a personal and family decision, dependent on your child’s individual goals and study load.

What support is available for children with special educational needs in Japanese schools?

Japan operates a dedicated special needs education system that includes both specialised schools and designated support classes integrated into mainstream schools. Prefectural boards of education are responsible for establishing and overseeing special needs education schools. The level and nature of provision varies between schools and local authorities. Expat families whose children have additional learning or developmental needs are encouraged to contact both the local board of education and any prospective schools directly to clarify what support can be provided. Some international schools also maintain learning support departments — enquire with individual institutions for specific details.