Japan's free high school policy may provoke exodus from public schools
Shunsuke Nakamura teaches English at Tokyo Metropolitan Itsukaichi High School in the suburbs of Tokyo on June 5.
By Junko Horiuchi
Japan's decision to make high school tuition virtually free, even for private institutions, is raising alarm among educators and policy experts, who warn it could accelerate an exodus from public schools and deepen inequalities.
While aimed at easing households' financial burdens amid inflation, the policy -- rushed through as part of a political deal -- also risks undermining the role that public high schools have long played as "safety nets" for students with diverse needs.
Critics say the government has failed to pair the tuition measure with adequate support for struggling public schools, many of which are already facing shrinking enrollment and budget shortfalls, putting their very survival in question.
So far, public schools have adapted to various social changes, but they have also grappled with challenges such as excessive teacher workloads and more frequent cases requiring individualized responses such as bullying and truancy.
In one English lesson at a public high school in a mountainous town in the suburbs of Tokyo, 11 first-year students took turns interviewing each other about daily activities. The 40-minute class was mostly spent with students standing and practicing conversation.
Teacher Shunsuke Nakamura walked around the classroom, encouraging them to make eye contact, checking their grammar and applauding correct responses. His hands-on approach was designed to boost student confidence and foster a more engaging environment.
"Although it increases the workload for teachers, I focus on offering care and education tailored to their individual needs and on motivating them to learn," Nakamura said, stressing the importance of being inspired by classmates to lift the overall level of the class.
He said the school's roughly 260 students include individuals with developmental disabilities, some of whom struggle to attend regularly, and others living in poverty, with a portion enrolled in evening classes at Tokyo Metropolitan Itsukaichi High School.
While praising Nakamura's efforts, Principal Mariko Matsuzaki said she feels that the school's shortcoming lies in its promotional strategy, even as unique courses are being introduced utilizing the abundant natural resources of the nearby valley.
"Our school carries out educational activities in collaboration with community entities, but its unique features are not even fully recognized by local residents," Matsuzaki said, as it joins other Tokyo-run facilities in failing to fill seats.
Another public institution, Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School, near the capital's Shibuya district, said its strength is accepting teenagers from a range of backgrounds, with a third of its about 715 students being either Japanese children returning from living abroad with their families or foreign nationals.
At the school's annual highlight occasion, students confidently delivered speeches in English on topics of their choice -- such as overcoming nervousness, passion for movies and feminism -- before an audience of around 700 in the gym.
Participants also gave presentations in fluent Chinese, French, German, Korean and Spanish -- languages taught at the school as part of its curriculum -- showcasing the linguistic diversity and global outlook of the student body.
An official at the institution said the move to make tuition effectively free at public and private high schools, which began earlier in Tokyo in 2024, has contributed to a drop in applicants and enrollment, even though the entrance exam remains competitive.
Asked what the school offers compared with private counterparts that also promote global education, Haruki Honma, a teacher in charge of English, said, "Here, every day -- whether inside or outside class -- is international exchange, thanks to the makeup of our students."
"I doubt other Japanese private schools have this much diversity in their student makeup. Students naturally learn from each other's different cultures and backgrounds, both inside and outside class," Honma said.
Momentum to reform Japan's high school tuition exemption program picked up late last year as the minority ruling coalition, led by Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party, and the opposition Japan Innovation Party drew closer.
The ruling camp agreed to adopt the JIP's signature policy of tuition-free high schools to secure its support for passing the fiscal 2025 draft budget in parliament.
From the 2026 academic year, income limits for aid to families with children in private high schools will be scrapped and the maximum subsidy raised to about 457,000 yen ($3,150), near average tuition levels. The cap was removed in fiscal 2025 for public schools.
At this juncture, families earning under 9.1 million yen annually receive 118,800 yen in tuition support for both public and private high schools. For private schools, those earning less than 5.9 million yen may receive up to 396,000 yen in aid.
In the Osaka prefectural and Tokyo metropolitan governments, which have already implemented their own free high school education programs, a shift away from public high schools has been observed.
Analysts say debate by policymakers has centered only on addressing household financial burdens, with little discussion on how tuition subsidies could affect the overall education system, including the role of public schools as safety nets.
The state-led policy "pressures public schools" to attract more applicants but lacks funding or extra teachers, leaving them unable to "compete with private schools" on an equal footing, said Hideyuki Konyuba, a professor of education policy at Teikyo University.
"It is necessary that the state provide resources -- money and teachers -- for public" institutions, he said, adding it must also craft a vision for Japan's high school system, which while not legally compulsory is effectively viewed that way with nearly 99 percent of junior high students enrolled.
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