Characteristics & Features

A Japanese school year is different from its counterparts in the west. Their schools operate on a trimester system, which consists of three terms in a school year. A new school year starts in April and ends in March of the following year. This was patterned after France’s own education system. Officially, there are 35 weeks of schooling in one year.

Compulsory education is required of all students in elementary and junior high school. The Japanese term for that is called “gimukyoiku”, and its time period is nine years, with six spent in elementary school and three in junior high school.

High school is not considered compulsory education, but the rate of attendance is high just the same, around 96 percent and nearing 100 percent in the cities.

As in the United States, the Japanese also follow a K-12 curriculum. Some of the subjects they study include social/civic studies, geography, Japanese and world history, politics, economics, and sociology.

At the University level, there are more than 500 national, public, and private universities. There are 425 private universities, 53 public universities, and 98 national universities. More than 40 percent of all high school graduates go on to university or junior college.

In 1947, women were also granted the right to enter any public or private university of their choice.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is responsible for supervising the curriculum and all the schoolbook content, and much of the same content is taught nationwide. Because of this endeavor, a higher standard of education is more reality than fantasy in Japan. Even with high praise given to Japanese education all over the world, many Japanese feel that the system is not diversified enough for student interest and needs.

This is why in 2001, MEXT decided to implement their “Rainbow Plan”, a seven-step program that includes improving learning environments, enjoy cultural activities, make schools trusted by the parents and communities, and encouraging youth to participate in community programs and services.