Public schools across Japan are seeing a sharp rise in students who cannot adequately speak Japanese, with new government figures showing the number requiring language instruction has climbed to the highest level ever recorded.
According to a survey released by Japan’s Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, 84,759 students in public elementary, junior high, high, and special needs schools were identified as needing Japanese language support during fiscal 2025. The figure rose by 15,636 students compared to the previous survey conducted in fiscal 2023 and has doubled over the past decade.
Officials said the majority of the increase came from foreign-national students. Of the total, 73,313 students were foreign nationals while 11,446 held Japanese nationality but still required language assistance due to limited conversational ability.
The ministry’s survey, conducted across all 1,788 boards of education nationwide, found that students needing language instruction were enrolled in 12,668 schools, accounting for roughly 40 percent of Japan’s public schools. 28 schools reported having at least 100 students requiring Japanese support.
The numbers pressure local education systems especially in municipalities that have not traditionally dealt with large immigrant populations. Around 10,000 students were reportedly not receiving sufficient support, according to the ministry.
Government officials are now preparing new programs aimed at dealing with the growing issue. Starting in fiscal 2027, the ministry plans to establish model education hubs where newly arrived children can learn even just basic Japanese and become familiar with school rules before entering regular classrooms, reports Japan News.
Authorities also said they will expand online teaching systems and develop teaching materials tailored to children learning Japanese for the first time. Several municipalities with both heavily concentrated and more dispersed foreign populations are expected to participate in pilot projects.
The survey also showed immigrant populations are spreading into more regions across the country while remaining heavily concentrated in certain urban areas. Cities such as Yokohama and Hamamatsu have already established dedicated language education centers, while many smaller municipalities continue handling the issue school by school.
Japan’s government formally adopted new policies regarding foreign nationals earlier this year, including plans to significantly strengthen early Japanese language education beginning in 2027. The issue has increasingly become a national concern as immigration levels continue rising.
According to a survey released by Japan’s Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, 84,759 students in public elementary, junior high, high, and special needs schools were identified as needing Japanese language support during fiscal 2025. The figure rose by 15,636 students compared to the previous survey conducted in fiscal 2023 and has doubled over the past decade.
Officials said the majority of the increase came from foreign-national students. Of the total, 73,313 students were foreign nationals while 11,446 held Japanese nationality but still required language assistance due to limited conversational ability.
The ministry’s survey, conducted across all 1,788 boards of education nationwide, found that students needing language instruction were enrolled in 12,668 schools, accounting for roughly 40 percent of Japan’s public schools. 28 schools reported having at least 100 students requiring Japanese support.
The numbers pressure local education systems especially in municipalities that have not traditionally dealt with large immigrant populations. Around 10,000 students were reportedly not receiving sufficient support, according to the ministry.
Government officials are now preparing new programs aimed at dealing with the growing issue. Starting in fiscal 2027, the ministry plans to establish model education hubs where newly arrived children can learn even just basic Japanese and become familiar with school rules before entering regular classrooms, reports Japan News.
Authorities also said they will expand online teaching systems and develop teaching materials tailored to children learning Japanese for the first time. Several municipalities with both heavily concentrated and more dispersed foreign populations are expected to participate in pilot projects.
The survey also showed immigrant populations are spreading into more regions across the country while remaining heavily concentrated in certain urban areas. Cities such as Yokohama and Hamamatsu have already established dedicated language education centers, while many smaller municipalities continue handling the issue school by school.
Japan’s government formally adopted new policies regarding foreign nationals earlier this year, including plans to significantly strengthen early Japanese language education beginning in 2027. The issue has increasingly become a national concern as immigration levels continue rising.
