OPINION: Japan Cannot Afford to Leave Foreign Children Behind

By Nobutoshi Kobayashi Commentary Writer Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Asked where she considers home, 32-year-old Juri Afuso paused for a moment. “Japan,” she said firmly. “That’s where I come back to.” Afuso was born and raised in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, to Brazilian nationals of Japanese descent. Although she holds Brazilian nationality, she has always taken for granted that her life would be built in Japan. Today, while working full time, she also helps support the activities of ABC Japan, a Yokohama-based nonprofit organization that provides educational assistance primarily to children of foreign nationality. The group is led by her mother. Her story reflects a reality Japan can no longer afford to ignore: Many children from foreign backgrounds are growing up here and will build their futures in the country. At the same time, Japan still does not adequately guarantee them equal access to education. Education without Guarantees Since the 1990s, Japan has welcomed large numbers of foreign nationals, including many Japanese Brazilians. Many settled down, married and raised families. Their children are now coming of age, and some are raising children of their own. In 2024 alone, more than 20,000 babies were born in Japan to foreign nationals. Others have arrived from abroad with their parents. Many of them will grow up as members of Japanese communities, contributing to local economies and helping sustain a country facing population decline. Yet, according to the education ministry, compulsory education legally applies only to nationals–in other words, Japanese citizens. Children who do not hold Japanese nationality are therefore not legally required to attend school. Japan is also bound by the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, which means foreign children who want to attend school should be afforded the same educational opportunities as Japanese children. If they enroll, they can attend classes, receive school lunches and undergo health checkups. But when they do not attend school, no one is clearly responsible for making sure they do. Neither the central nor local government is held accountable, and their parents or guardians face no penalties. In practice, the gap means that the equal access guaranteed on paper does not always translate into actual school attendance. “The institutional framework is in place,” Yu Korekawa, head of the Department of International Research and Cooperation at the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, said. “But substantive equality cannot be achieved unless authorities go beyond simply accepting those who come, making real efforts to identify these children and get them into school.” According to Yoshimi Kojima, director of the Center for Intercultural Studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, a significant number of children of foreign ancestry in Japan do not attend school, and their rate of advancement to high school is far lower than that of Japanese children. Even among those who do enroll in elementary or junior high school, some struggle to keep up with lessons, sit in class without understanding the content, and eventually stop attending altogether, Kojima said. Some municipalities with large foreign resident populations have stepped up efforts to help, by encouraging school attendance and providing Japanese-language assistants and native-language support staff. Since 2019, the education ministry has also surveyed the enrollment status of foreign children and, based on the findings, supported various local initiatives. But these efforts remain inadequate. The number of students who lack sufficient Japanese proficiency to participate fully in class has doubled over the past decade, reaching roughly 60,000. Policy is not keeping up with reality. Information Is Also a Barrier There are encouraging examples of what can happen when support exists, however. In late February, all 10 students from China, Nepal, the Philippines and Brazil studying at ABC Japan passed the entrance exams for public high schools in Kanagawa Prefecture. Some had already completed compulsory education in their home countries before arriving in Japan. Rather than enrolling in a Japanese junior high school, they prepared for high school entrance exams through the organization. “At a time when many (foreign) children don’t continue their education and instead begin working, it’s remarkable that these students were able to move on to high school,” Chiharu Otani, head of the Yokohama-based certified nonprofit ME-net, or “Multicultural Education Network Kanagawa,” said. “Without adequate information, they would never have made it this far.” Her point highlights a deeper problem. Even in municipalities viewed as relatively advanced in multicultural coexistence, many foreign residents still do not know what educational systems or support services are available, or where to find them. As a result, their children often miss opportunities to continue their education, narrowing their future prospects before their lives truly begin. In response, ME-net has focused on getting information to as many families as possible, including through guidance sessions on the path to high school. Every Child Matters to Society Children are a valuable part of society regardless of nationality. As the national population continues to shrink, Japan should be building a society in which foreign residents who have made their lives here can participate fully and thrive alongside everyone else. That begins with their children. To achieve this goal, Japan must create an environment in which children from foreign families can receive a proper and complete education. That includes ensuring clear, accessible communication about school enrollment procedures and educational opportunities. This is an urgent task that cannot be deferred. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]