Japan's ruling coalition and a small opposition party on Tuesday formally agreed on measures to ensure free high school education and advance social security reforms, clearing a major hurdle for enacting the state budget for the next fiscal year.
The agreement marks the culmination of efforts by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito party to win over the Japan Innovation Party, which has hinted at supporting the government's budget plan if its requests are met.
Seeking to bolster its support base beyond the Kansai region centered on Osaka, the JIP has called for increasing subsidies to make high school education free, regardless of household income and trim medical expenses by 4 trillion yen a year.
Ishiba, Komeito chief Tetsuo Saito and JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura formalized the tripartite agreement during a meeting at the Diet.
"It's significant that the ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement after constructive discussions, demonstrating how parliament should work," Ishiba said.
Yoshimura, who is the governor of Osaka, said the agreement allows his party to fulfill its campaign promise of providing free education. "We will continue to follow through on the promises we've made to our supporters," he said.
As the ruling coalition no longer controls the powerful House of Representatives after losing its majority in the general election in late October 2024, the LDP and Komeito need support from opposition parties to pass budgets and bills.
Ishiba, who took office just weeks before the lower house election, has emphasized the importance of thorough parliamentary debates and listening to the views of the opposition camp.
Under the agreement reached by the three parties, the government will provide 118,800 yen per year to households with a high school student, irrespective of school type or income level, in fiscal 2025.
Starting in fiscal 2026, households with a child attending a private high school will receive up to 457,000 yen per year, rising from the current 396,000 yen, bringing it in line with the average private high school tuition.
The three parties aim to reduce annual medical expenses, with a target of 4 trillion yen as requested by the JIP. They also plan to make sure that the next fiscal year's budget reflects their agreement, allowing it to be implemented promptly before the end of March.
The development comes ahead of the March 2 deadline for a draft budget plan to take effect automatically before the next fiscal year begins on April 1. Citing a tight Diet schedule, an LDP executive had said it would be difficult to have it approved by the lower house in time.
Under the Constitution, a budget is enacted 30 days after being approved by the lower house and sent to the House of Councillors, or upper house.
Even if the budget plan is revised and clears the lower house after Sunday, it can still be put into effect before the next fiscal year begins, depending on the progress of deliberations in the upper house.
The government's budget plan submitted to parliament is already the largest on record, at 115.54 trillion yen. It aims to boost defense spending and cover ballooning social security costs due to the rapid aging of society.
Separately, the ruling bloc has been in talks with another opposition force, the Democratic Party for the People, on how much the 1.03 million yen income tax threshold should be raised to help households hit by inflation. But they are struggling to reach a consensus.
© KYODO
58 Comments
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JeffLee
More spending, bigger national debt, I guess. If you want to reduce the debt, you're going to have to raise corporate taxes. Japan's corporations are the only ones with money in this country these days, and they continue to rake it in big time. Time for them to contribute rather than take.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Free High School or Vocational Education ought to be a right. We have achieved this in the US, for example.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Bonus points if they crack down on parents enabling their kids not to go.
fluffy_canyons
Man that room is depressing. This government needs to enter the 21st century
sakurasuki
No, still love fax for communication.
sakurasuki
No Majority anymore, thanks to recent election and inflation.
Yubaru
Uh, no, not all high schools are free in the US, quite the opposite. If one chooses to go to a private HS, there is no money coming from the government to support your choice.
Public HS on the other hand has been free for damn near forever, nothing special "achieved" there.
Oh and "vocational" education is post high school damn near everywhere in the US.
Want to make a better comparison, use any number of European countries, particularly in Scandinavia.
Yubaru
I think you misunderstand the meaning of the "coalition"
Aly Rustom
agree 100%
Volsi
No Junior High school is not free in Japan, In my town the uniform and the bicycle cost 300,000 yens and it is mandatory.
dbsaiya
It sounds like a deeply flawed policy if they’re going to just hand out cash to households across the board., asinine to be frank. They don't want to do the hard work and figure out a more efficient policy and as always, just want to throw money at the problem and chalk it up for the next election.
Reducing medical costs means more out of pocket costs for those who need care the most. If the goal is to reduce government healthcare spending, shifting costs to patients—especially the elderly and those with chronic illnesses—seems counterproductive. Many of these people are already struggling financially, and higher out-of-pocket expenses could lead to delayed or skipped treatments, worsening health outcomes, and ultimately higher long-term costs for the healthcare system. There has been a lot of talk from advocacy groups saying that there was not enough deliberation on this matter. So, just like the education initiative, it’s a quick, feel-good policy designed for praise rather than real impact.
diobrando
The question is also free high school will it be for foreign national?
The plan for free tuition at university for families with 3 kids or more exclude foreign national...
Yubaru
You misread the post you are responding to here. It was about high school, not junior high school, and btw, junior high school in Japan, IS "free" tuition wise, and vouchers/subsidies are given to families who send their children to private schools, up to the price of tuition.
You are talking about something totally different than what is referred to in the article, they are talking about tuition only.
OkinawaRider
Benefits of LDP having to co-operate with opposition to pass the budget. Hopefully they will not regain their majority ( and trademark arrogance that comes with it ) at the next election.
Volsi
YubaruToday 08:24 am JST
You are right this article is about high school but for high school it's the same in my city a uniform is mandatory and its price is out of logic, much too expensive just for clothes, it's a form of tax in my opinion.
For families here it's a significant expense, people don't care about the name but its a tax.
Spitfire
JeffLee spot on as usual.
WoodyLee
NOT GOOD ENOUGH,
Free Education from the cradle to the Grave.
This is a basic RIGHT for every Human Being that many nations not as wealthy as Japan has already adopted.
Japan could NEVER just Give and Forget even to it's own people. always strings attached, HOW SAD.
WoodyLee
The next step is to provide FREE Uniforms which costs and arm and a leg, then offer FREE Meals, and FREE Transportation to and from Schools.
This is how you build generations of educated and inspired young work force.
Mr Kipling
Spend more money again? So taxes will go up again?
But better on education than more US weapons because the US orders the purchase.
Abe234
tax money shouldn’t be used to subsidize the wealthy who want to send their kids to private high school. It maybe free but let’s look at the university debt. I think the U.S has just shifted the bill onto university students. I won’t even get into healthcare.. America land of the free…. More like land of the FEE!
blimp
More of a question than a comment, and doesn't just cover the High School level. Does Japan, central or local government, intent to subsidies school uniforms? This is by far the biggest cost for parents to children that go to public school. The argument that it becomes cheaper with a uniform compared to private clothes is a mute since the school uniforms are rather expensive, even the once that are not designed by Armani.
Yubaru
Why? University is not a requirement, for that matter neither is HS, but it is nearly always accepted that HS should be required education, yet University is not.
Why should tax payers money be used to support your children's education, when they probably have zero plans to stay here in Japan and "pay it back" through working as a valuable member of society?
TokyoLiving
Well done Japan..
Yubaru
For reasons that I am sure you wont want to hear or accept you are unfortunately wrong.
There is no requirement for your child to go to high school here, it's your choice to send them. (Put all your arguments aside for a moment and consider that statement)
Yeah the uniform is required, it's required in JHS and some ES as well, and people buy it, because in the long run it is literally cheaper, by far, to wear a uniform, than to purchase "regular" clothes. Like it or not, you will spend far more money on "regular" clothes over the course of the three years of HS than by purchasing a uniform.
Oh and just for information here, it's not just "your" city, it's actually prefecture, as the high schools here are run by the prefecture and not the local ward or city. Pretty much all the HS in Japan require uniforms, with the exception of some that are either private, or created by the prefecture for students with different needs.
TokyoLiving
Free school with daily shootings..
Pathetic..
LOOOOOL
kohakuebisu
To pay for tuition at a public senior high in Nagano, you need at salary at something like the 90% percentile. Which isn't as rare as it sounds, because the poorest men increasingly don't marry or have kids. In Tokyo I don't think you pay if you're on less than 9 million, but don't quote me on it and I'd be happy for someone to correct that.
So my understanding is that this is mostly grandstanding about something most people already don't pay for. There were already subsidies for private SHS, but it sounds like they've got larger, that's all.
Perhaps what people should note is that the Japanese government increasing welfare at a time when governments around the world are cutting it. This blows out of the water simple claims that Japan is "right wing" and claims that you cannot spend money on welfare due to "what markets might think", "too many old people" "financial prudence" or all the claims welfare-cutting Westerners say.
OssanAmerica
The bicycle is mandatory? A student has no right to walk or take a bus to school?
wallace
High school education should be compulsory unless opting for a vocational college.
Chico3
Great! I have three girls, most of whom in junior high and one starting junior high next year. That's a bit of a load off. I can use that money to save and invest for their future education after high school. High school should be mandatory/compulsory, or else, what can you legally do without a high school education?
Ben P. Dosanko
Nothing the government does is “free.” It’s paid for by taxpayers.
Chico3
The only problem I see with this is that parents still need money for books, uniforms, trips, and other school fees, but every bit helps.
OkinawaRider
Sure , but it is much better than nothing.
Cephus
"FY2025 budget to ensure free high school education, advance social security reforms."
Excellent!! That's what equality should be all about.
Volsi
OssanAmericaToday 10:03 am JST
Yes, the bike is mandatory for my child, he is not allowed to walk. We also cannot choose the bike we want to school.
Simon Foston
I wonder how much money is being used to pay doctors to see people who don't really need treatment. For instance, anyone who goes to the doctor every time they have a cold.
Aly Rustom
absolutely.
Mr Kipling
Abe...
In Japan most of the private high schools are for the students who were not smart enough to pass the public school exams. They are for the dim not the rich.
Mr Kipling
I love how the word "free" is banded about on this thread. Someone is paying. NOTHING is free.
iron man
Surely, the elephant in the room is school leaving age. Apologies my u'standing is that further education commences.. after the national school leaving age, tertiary education commences at 18/19yr for academic education by an accredited University ( have been involved in rejecting proposed 'vocational degrees',
Whether the offspring (no longer a child) is schooled / further educated private or public is the parent's decision. i.e the 'bucks' budget. Whichever it is TEACHi-n staff will always desire a bigger slice it is their occupation life. Books, uniforms part of education! expanding business for all you entrpeneurs. apologise for the diatribe, public school+ further Str A. Employed for uni thin sandwich course, fees all paid. Corporates got the money, do the prospects attract them. Still baffled reg. high expense public snr.H better than private? Education costs,!
TaiwanIsNotChina
You didn't advance your argument at all.
Yes, that is why they are private... Nobody is making parents do that nonsense.
Clearly not free in Japan.
I'm not going to research it but you are almost certainly wrong: my HS had a vocational school attached to it.
Yes, we know because you hate the US. Makes a lot of sense.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Still freer than yours.
Indeed.
mountainpear
Where do you live? Demanding that you only use a certain bike is ridiculous! So much entrenched corruption in this country!
iron man
Mr Kipling,,
in Japan most of the private high schools are for the students who were not smart enough to pass the public school exams. They are for the dim not the rich.
Full of smoke without fire, you got any statisticals regarding Uni entrance success, paid for public high v paid for private high???? I am merely encouraging introducing a cost/benefit discussion. Education is a serious cost,
We did a C/B when deciding privet J/H. I have interest in the forum. Education costs, we were fortunate used the trust fund at yr1. if.. (sorry guy) when the grand time comes, oops, do I have the 'bucks'. earl one-offs are cheaper on commissions.
grc
OkinawaRider makes the most on-topic and intelligent comment here. Thank you
Mr Kipling
iron man, just pointing out to many who may have their own countries education system in mine while discussing Japan. Some, in fact many of the worst high schools in Japan are private. There are a few famous name public high schools with good results but most are just bums on seat businesses for profit. With the fall in student numbers, these should be allowed/encouraged to go under.
Mr Kipling
ironman...
iron man, just pointing out to many who may have their own countries education system in mine while discussing Japan. Some, in fact many of the worst high schools in Japan are private. There are a few famous name PRIVATE high schools with good results but most are just bums on seat businesses for profit. With the fall in student numbers, these should be allowed/encouraged to go under.
(edit function please!)
kohakuebisu
Like private hospitals that accept the normal hokensho health insurance, I don't think private schools in Japan are especially bad. They do not bestow privilege or charge ridiculously large fees. They also save the public system from having to provide from however many places. Bad private schools in other countries give rich folks automatic access to privilege. Bad private hospitals let people jump the queue for treatment. That doesn't happen in Japan.
It is very common for people to choose private senior highs because they have good sports programs. Almost every successful baseball school at Koshien is private.
therougou
In general graduating junior high students will have a private school as their backup, with the public school as their first choice. But yeh, I'd imagine private schools would have better facilities for sports, etc.
justasking
It would be cheaper to make more public high schools and so all families have access to education.
iron man
Mr Kipling,
just to point out that I am referring to the Japanese schooling system. You still got smoke w/ statistical facts. You been there a long time??
Some, in fact many of the worst high schools in Japan are private. What statistics please, pretty please. My young guy did ok in private. guaranteed UNi grades for sitting entrance stuffs. mmmh, nah a bit obvious you were not employed by private. I just encourage all parents to do a factual cost benefit, results, sports, uniforms whatever...mmmh and extra-curricular costs. (nobody thrown that one in yet) how do I do a red underline!!
Negative Nancy
This is great news. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction. Yes, there are still a number of costs that will not be covered by this, but perhaps the money saved on not paying for tuition can instead be put towards some of those costs.
ian
Should be illegal for school staff to profit from uniform sales and other school necessities.
Students should be able to source uniforms from sources other than school mandated ones
ian
Are those uniforms at least bid out?
Yubaru
A poster wrote...
And I replied
Stated nothing other than a fact
Yet this poster commented with this at the start
Wasnt arguing anything, just debunking their theory that the US has "free HS and vocational education."
Which everyone, well just about everyone it seems, obviously knows is a fact.
When talking about "education" it helps to have one to understand what is being written.
Aoi Azuuri
It's never "social security reforms", its actuality is just "social welfare reduction".
agreement among ruling parties and far-right opposition party involve "reform" that abandon many patients who fighting illness on the excuse of maintaining system despite wasting immense taxes over ten trillions to unpopular and unnecessary Expo2025.
Past decades, "reforms" that had been told at this country is not for citizen at all, it's just sophistry to deceive public.
TaiwanIsNotChina
When someone says there is free booze, it doesn't mean there must be free single malt scotch involved. It doesn't take an American level education to be able to understand this.
AviBajaj
Just Increase The Minimum Wage Rates 3000/Hour 99 % Of Japan's Problem Will B Solved "Teach Japanese To Fish No Give Fish" Eat For A Day Or Forever Is The Point I M Making
ian
That's teaching to fish? Seems like giving fish to me.
Anyway at current wage rate lots of small businesses went bankrupt already you think the rest can afford the rate you're proposing?