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Education
Home » Japan » Japan - People and Culture » EducationOne of Japan’s original goals when it opened to the world in 1868 was to catch up with Western standards of education. Japan’s educational system was reformed through German and French models which were regards as the must suitable and advantageous to sample.
After World War II, an American twist was added to the Japanese education system – mainly the use of six years of elementary school, three years of junior high school, three years of senior high school and four years of university or two years of junior college.
Required education includes elementary school and junior high school. Over 90% of Japanese students graduate from high school and over 40% from university or junior college. A higher percentage of men attend universities, while a higher percentage of women attend junior college. There are a very low number of students enrolled in graduate programs.
The Japanese school year starts in April and consists of three terms, separated by short holidays in spring and winter, and a longer, one-month summer break.
A unique characteristic of the Japanese school system are entrance exams, and which bring high level of competitiveness among students. Most high schools, universities and even a few private junior high schools and elementary schools require applicants to write entrance exams. In order to pass these exams – especially to get into the institutions – many students attend special preparation schools on top of their regular classes or between high school and university.
The most prestigious universities are the national University of Tokyo and University of Kyoto.
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