Education System in Japan

Education is a vital part of the Japanese culture whereas the state provides unparalleled support to both the teachers and the students. Parents are also expected to play a great role in instilling discipline and motivating their children to strive academically. 

The country implements mandatory education throughout the primary and middle school levels. Though most of the schools in Japan are state-funded, there are still several public institutions where the students/parents must shoulder the cost of the books, uniforms and lunches (hugely subsidised). Japan modelled its educational structure after the United States where the student’s educational journey will go through several stages such as: 

• Yochien- Kindergarten
• Shogakkou – Primary School (6 years)
• Chugakkou- Junior Secondary School (3 years)
• Koutougakkou- Senior Secondary School (3 years)
• Tertiary/University Level – (4 years)

The pressure in getting accepted to the country’s top universities is common where other students even attend juku (cram schools) that’ll prepare them for university entrance examinations.

Grading system 

Academic Year

The academic year in Japan has a total of 240 days which usually starts in April and ends in March. A typical school day is from 8 am to 3 pm where students have a one-hour lunch break. Almost 20 days of the whole school year is spent on vacation due to the number of Japan’s holidays, festivals and other national activities. 

A majority of the students in Japan attend the public schools and national universities. Foreign nationals relocating to this country are allowed to enrol their kids in any of the state-funded institutions. However, most expat parents choose international schools especially if they are only in Japan for a temporary assignment. Those who will be staying in the country for a longer period can consider the local schools so their children can get more integrated with the Japanese language and culture.