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Yomiuri Shimbun
7 days ago
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Record-Low Reading Interest, Even as Book-Loving Students Achieve Higher Scores; Number of Books at Home Also Factor
Students who enjoy reading tend to score better on tests and their performance rises with the number of books they have at home, according to analysis by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry released on Thursday. Many students were also found to struggle with constructed-response questions, which ask them to present evidence and organize their ideas in writing. The ministry combined questionnaire responses with results from the national assessment of academic ability for sixth grade elementary school students and third year junior high school students conducted in fiscal 2025. Pupils who in the questionnaire section answered 'I like reading' outperformed their peers in all six tested subjects — elementary- and junior high-level Japanese; arithmetic or mathematics; and science. For example, the overall average correct-answer rate in elementary Japanese was 67.0%. That rate rose to 73.6% for children who like reading, while it fell to 56.2% for those who do not like reading, creating a gap of roughly 17 percentage points. The share of sixth graders who said they like reading declined to 36.6%, a drop of 5.5 points from fiscal 2024. Among third year junior high school students, the figure fell 7.6 points to 30.4%. Both percentages are the lowest since the survey began. Achievement also improved in step with the number of books the students have at their homes. In elementary Japanese, a test with 14 questions, students with 0–25 books at home answered an average of 8.5 questions correctly, those with 26–100 books averaged 9.7 correct answers, and those with 101 or more books averaged 10.2. 'Reading forms the foundation that supports language activities in every subject, so it is essential to help children feel close to books,' a ministry official said. Detailed item analysis for junior high-level Japanese pointed out that many students 'have difficulty writing sentences that clearly convey their own ideas while presenting supporting evidence.' The ministry will release the survey results in three installments this fiscal year. The first, on July 14, provided average correct answer rates by subject. The release announced on Thursday is the second. Average scores of prefectures and cities designated by government ordinance are expected to be published around autumn.
Yomiuri Shimbun
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Teachers Committing Indecent Acts: Schools Obliged to Check Individual History of Punishment
There has been no end to cases of school teachers committing indecent acts against children, causing great anxiety among parents and guardians. Despite these circumstances, can it not be said that schools and other places of education lack a sense of urgency to tackle the situation? It has recently been discovered that 5,480 corporations operating private kindergartens and elementary, junior high and high schools did not use a national database to check whether people they may hire as teachers have been punished in the past for indecent acts against children. The figure accounts for 75% of the corporations that responded to a survey conducted by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry. The database currently lists 2,698 people, including former teachers who have had their teaching licenses revoked for committing indecent acts. The database has been in use since fiscal 2023 so that boards of education across the nation and private school corporations could search the records to help them determine the suitability of candidates when hiring teachers. Of the corporations that responded to the ministry's survey, 42% had not even registered themselves as database users, and 33% had registered but did not use the system. Using the database is required by law, and failure to do so constitutes a violation, but many corporations said they were unaware of this obligation. There have been cases in the past where teachers who had committed sex crimes were hired in another prefecture and committed similar crimes again. To prevent such situations from occurring, utilizing the database is essential. It is appalling that many private schools have neglected to use the database. It can be said that their lack of awareness of the situation has been exposed. No matter how good a system is, if it is not used, it is meaningless. As for public schools, the boards of education in Hokkaido and Nagoya were among those that did not make proper use of the database. Viewing the situation as serious, the ministry has decided to also look into the precise picture of the system's use by national and public schools nationwide. As well as checking whether the database is being used, it is also necessary to ensure that teachers with problems have not already been hired. In fiscal 2023, 157 teachers were punished for committing indecent acts against children. Earlier this year, a shocking case came to light in which elementary school teachers in Nagoya and others allegedly shared videos of children secretly filmed on a social media group chat. The government is said to be launching a system dubbed the Japanese version of the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) in late 2026, for employers to inquire about the sex-related criminal history of individuals working in jobs involving contact with children. Inquiries will apply not only to candidates to be hired but also to those already employed. Making inquiries with the envisaged system will be mandatory for schools and childcare facilities, while private businesses such as cram schools and sports clubs can use the system on a voluntary basis. Combined with the database of teachers' records of punishment, the wide use of the planned system will help protect children. The government must strive to make these two systems thoroughly known among relevant establishments and encourage their use. The mental and physical trauma suffered by children who have been betrayed by adults they trust runs deep. The despicable sexual violence that abuses hierarchical relationships must not be tolerated. Once again, schools and other places of education must share that understanding. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 28, 2025)
Straits Times
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Japan to ease overseas student enrolment caps at universities in bid to attract talent
As part of the review, the ministry will consider whether international students can adequately cover their enrolment costs. TOKYO – To attract highly talented international students, the education ministry has decided to ease the cap on university enrolment through implementing a special measure to start from the 2026 academic year. In the case of large departments or faculties with an admission quota of 300 or more, international student enrolment will be allowed to exceed the fixed capacity up to an amount less than 110 per cent, according to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry. Under the current system, large departments are subject to a strict overall enrolment cap of less than 105 per cent capacity to ensure educational quality. If universities exceed this limit, they face penalties such as cuts to government subsidies. The special measure will apply to universities that have met specific criteria over the past three years, including having no legal violations, an overall enrolment capacity rate of 90 per cent or higher, and sound financial conditions. Universities are required to submit their plans on increasing the number of international students. The ministry will review the plans and examine how they manage enrolment, particularly focusing on the dropout rate of such students, to grant certification on a per-faculty basis. As part of the review, the ministry will consider whether international students can adequately cover their enrolment costs. To promote diversity, emphasis will be placed on plans to increase student enrolment from the Group of Seven nations, India and South-east Asia – regions that have been designated as government priority areas. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole removed; road remains closed for repairs Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Life Vet Talk: Pet owners and vets need to work together to prevent infectious zoonotic diseases Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Singapore For Singapore to do well, PAP govt has to continue to hold its own: SM Lee Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 Singapore Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024 Business Already owning 5 properties, woman wanted elderly dad's 4 homes A survey by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development found that undergraduate international students made up 16 per cent of the student population in the Britain and 14 per cent in Canada, while in Japan it remained at only 3 per cent in 2021. In April 2023, the government's Council for the Creation of Future Education recommended raising the cap on international students to 400,000 by 2033. The council also called for more flexible university enrolment management. On July 25, the ministry began soliciting public comments regarding the introduction of this special measure. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Yomiuri Shimbun
27-07-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan to Ease Intl Student Enrollment Caps at Universities in Bid to Attract Talent
To attract highly talented international students, the education ministry has decided to ease the cap on university enrollment through implementing a special measure to start from the 2026 academic year. In the case of large departments or faculties with an admission quota of 300 or more, international student enrollment will be allowed to exceed the fixed capacity up to an amount less than 110%, according to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry. Under the current system, large departments are subject to a strict overall enrollment cap of less than 105% capacity to ensure educational quality. If universities exceed this limit, they face penalties such as cuts to government subsidies. The special measure will apply to universities that have met specific criteria over the past three years, including having no legal violations, an overall enrollment capacity rate of 90% or higher, and sound financial conditions. Universities are required to submit their plans on increasing the number of international students. The ministry will review the plans and examine how they manage enrollment, particularly focusing on the dropout rate of such students, to grant certification on a per-faculty basis. As part of the review, the ministry will consider whether international students can adequately cover their enrollment costs. To promote diversity, emphasis will be placed on plans to increase student enrollment from the Group of Seven nations, India and Southeast Asia — regions that have been designated as government priority areas. A survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that undergraduate international students made up 16% of the student population in the United Kingdom and 14% in Canada, while in Japan it remained at only 3% in 2021. In April 2023, the government's Council for the Creation of Future Education recommended raising the cap on international students to 400,000 by 2033. The council also called for more flexible university enrollment management. On Friday, the ministry began soliciting public comments regarding the introduction of this special measure.
Yomiuri Shimbun
04-07-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Flexible Curriculums Foster Well-being at Schools
To ensure that all students in Japan receive a high-quality education regardless of their school, the national government sets curriculum standards. These standards specify what must be taught at each grade and for how many hours. Textbooks and class schedules are strictly aligned with these standards. However, within this rigid system, more and more students are losing sight of why they are learning, and they are struggling to engage with their studies. A once-in-a-decade revision of the curriculum standards is now underway, with the aim of creating schools where everyone can enjoy learning and lead a happy school life. With special permission from the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, public elementary and junior high schools in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward have changed their allocation of class hours since last year. The schools divide their days into two parts: Mornings are devoted to core subjects like Japanese, math and science, while afternoons are focused on inquiry-based learning including 'integrated studies time.' Inquiry-based learning is a process aimed at developing the problem-solving skills needed to thrive in an unpredictable future. Integrated studies employ cross-disciplinary, inquiry-based learning and form an integral part of the current national curriculum standards. Since Shibuya's approach was presented as a model in discussions at the Central Council for Education, I visited the ward's Jinnan Elementary School at the end of May. With the school set to be rebuilt next year, the sixth-grade classes chose 'the school of the future' as their shared theme for this year's inquiry-based learning. Students have been envisioning the ideal learning environments, school events and classroom designs for their new school. Their results will eventually be presented to the local government and could bring real changes. On the day I visited, a class was held in the gymnasium and an employee of tech giant DeNA was working alongside teachers as a guest instructor. At the students' request, DeNA prepared a video introducing overseas education systems. The video was paused at intervals for the class to discuss it. Watching American high school students go from passive learning to active exploration, some children remarked, 'It's similar to what we're doing.' Inquiry-based learning for Shibuya's elementary and junior high students is comprised of three parts: 'foundations,' a 'grade-level shared theme' and 'personal themes.' During the first 30–50 hours, students develop foundational skills, learning among other things how to use graphic organizers to structure and analyze information, how to give effective presentations and how to leverage digital tools for research and sharing ideas. Simultaneously, students spend another 70–90 hours exploring a theme shared across their grade. At Jinnan Elementary, for instance, while sixth graders plan 'the school of the future,' fifth graders focus on disaster prevention and fourth graders on welfare. By working on these common themes, students learn the process of problem-solving: defining a question, gathering information, analyzing it and presenting the results and findings. While many schools focus only on common themes, students in Shibuya explore both common and individual themes, and ample instructional time is provided to this end. Students spend 15–35 hours on 'my inquiry learning.' At Jinnan, each student has a small pouch attached to their desk in which they can deposit notes with questions or topics they are curious about. These help form the questions each student should explore. For example, students who learned how to draw portraits in art class explored online techniques to improve their work. Others, inspired by their history class, researched their favorite era more deeply. According to Principal Nobutada Yamaguchi: 'The questions that students hit upon in class tend to be topics worth exploring. Many students now look forward to the afternoons because they can ask their own questions and learn at their own pace.' The students have acquired a variety of skills. 'I naturally developed thinking skills, communication skills and the ability to express myself,' said sixth-grader Koki Itano. Another sixth grader, Kohei Denda, added: 'Once you find a conclusion, a new question arises. This built up my ability to keep learning and to keep pushing ahead.' Hanako Nakamura, 11, said: 'Digital devices are only there to support people in what they're doing. There are many ways they can help with inquiries, but we shouldn't forget that it's still us doing the investigating.' To provide this enriching learning, the schools partner with outside groups. Shibutan, a support organization founded by former and current PTA leaders, works with the local board of education and connects schools with businesses, universities and organizations. Yusuke Yamada, a 45-year-old company employee and the organization's executive director, noted: 'We've heard from some schools that children who were reluctant to come to school now attend regularly. That may be because they can do what they want to do.' 'We must value children's interests and their curiosity,' said Superintendent Rintaro Ito, sounding hopeful about expanding inquiry-based learning, and not so concerned about core subjects getting less time. 'Teachers are helping students to tackle challenges they have set for themselves, and so we are shifting from traditional 'teaching' to 'learning together' or 'running alongside' students. Some students have even visited central government offices as part of their inquiries.' Following a request by the education minister last December for a review of curriculum standards, the Central Council for Education has begun in-depth deliberations, aiming to introduce a revised curriculum in fiscal 2030 or later. At issue for this revision is the growing number of students who cannot learn on their own because they do not understand the reasons for learning. Some find classes too difficult or too easy. Others are absent from school altogether. Recently, there are students who have academic potential but who struggle with Japanese due to their international background, as well as those who only excel in specific areas. Even students without notable challenges have diverse interests and needs. To embrace this diversity, the education ministry has proposed a two-tier curriculum. In the first tier, all children — regardless of their background — can enjoy and engage in active learning. This includes flexible decisions about what is learned at which grade and for how many hours. Where that isn't sufficient, the second tier allows for special exceptions. In the first tier, schools may introduce new subjects or even use part of class time for teacher training. Expanding inquiry-based learning, as in Shibuya Ward, is also viewed as a viable option. The current curriculum standards already emphasize inquiry-based learning together with 'education open to society' to prepare children for unpredictable times. However, this emphasis has been limited in impact due to obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic. The council is looking at how to further enhance inquiry-based learning, especially through integrated studies, and how to cultivate skills like effective information use in the age of generative AI. Not only does inquiry-based learning allow for spontaneous problem-solving — it also has great potential to include diverse learners. If lessons are designed based on individuals' interests, strengths and traits, they can be made enjoyable for everyone, helping to build inclusive and welcoming classrooms. For teachers, this approach can be fulfilling and reduce stress. Even students who need Japanese language support can now participate in discussions using AI translation tools, fostering a richer, more multicultural learning environment. With inquiry-based learning likely to expand under flexible curriculum standards, teachers are starting to think about what they want to do in their classrooms. In late June, I visited Yamagata City for the national conference of the Japanese Association for the Education for Living Studies and Integrated Studies. Among the more than 700 people who attended this event, it was the young participants who stood out. High school students invited as panelists impressed researchers and teachers with their insights on learning. In themed workshops, young teachers listened intently to presentations, and in some cases even made presentations themselves. In many places, young teachers could be seen exchanging information and views about inquiry-based learning. To ensure that all students can enjoy learning and have a happy school life, we must at the very least avoid obstructing their passions. And similarly, enthusiastic young teachers should be supported in shaping this kind of learning through policy and systems. If students acquire a taste for learning, they will be able to take charge of their own lives in uncertain times and ultimately blossom into a wealth of possibilities. Political Pulse appears every Saturday. Makoto Hattori Makoto Hattori is a staff writer at the Yomiuri Research Institute
