Int'l school construction booms in Japan amid increasing demand for global education

TOKYO, Japan - Japan is seeing an international school construction boom as renowned global education providers set their sights on catering to the needs of affluent families from both Japan and other Asian countries.

Harrow International School, a prestigious British boarding school, opened a new campus in Japan in August last year in the mountain environment of Appi Kogen in Iwate Prefecture.

Two other British-branded schools, Malvern College and Rugby School, are set to enroll students in their new campuses in Japan in September this year. The British School Tokyo will open its new campus in Tokyo in August to cope with increasing applications.

There are at least 80 international schools in Japan, a significant increase from about 60 a decade ago, Japanese newspaper Nikkei cited Manabu Murata, editor-in-chief of the International School Times in Japan.

Like in most countries, the primary source of students for international schools in Japan are the children of families who have been assigned to work in Japan, as well as foreign families who have settled in the country.

According to data from Japan's Immigration Services Agency, the number of foreign residents in Japan hit a record high of 3.07 million as of the end of 2022. The total included over 760,000 from China, the largest group by nationality, followed by Vietnam.

Although education in Japan has been reputed for emphasising manners, independence and relaxed workload, there are also issues that parents are concerned about, such as excessive emphasis on collective discipline, insufficient competitiveness in public schools, and unequal access to the private school system.

Chinese parents whose children attend international schools in Japan told Xinhua that Chinese families in Japan are inclined to choose international schools as long as their financial situation allows, and that ratio is increasing.

In some international schools that focus on a balanced ratio of nationalities, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Chinese families to apply due to space restrictions.

The tuition for most international schools in Japan averaged 2 million to 4 million yen (about US$14,820 to US$29,640) a year. New students usually pay a one-time registration fee and school development fee when they enroll.

As Japan's economy continues to struggle and its population ages, there is also an emerging trend among more affluent local families who are opting to send their children to international schools to cultivate a global perspective and broaden their future career paths beyond Japan.

Japan's reputation for safety and stability and its culture are major attractions for Asian parents looking for a nurturing environment for their children.

According to education experts, the building boom of Japanese international schools is also attracting affluent Asian families outside Japan. An anonymous Chinese parent whose child enrolled in the Harrow International School in Japan told Xinhua that the proportion of Chinese students is about 20 per cent to 25 per cent.

Analysts noted that potential demand for higher quality educational courses will remain, and international schools will further increase their presence in Japan. - BERNAMA-XINHUA