Teachers Call for Abolition of 'Unlimited Work for Fixed Pay' Law

Feb 15, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - With discussions on improving teacher salaries commencing at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's expert panel, active teachers have called for the abolition of the "Kyutoku Law" (Special Law on the Salaries of Teachers and School Staff), which they say contributes to long working hours.

Professor Yuki Honda from the University of Tokyo stated, "The law allows for work to be assigned infinitely for a fixed salary. As long as the Kyutoku Law exists, the workload and working hours for teachers can expand indefinitely."

High school teacher Yuji Nishimura expressed his distress over the discussions, saying, "Today's discussion was too painful to listen to. I hope the participants realize that every word they say in the discussion can either save or destroy teachers' lives."

Former elementary school teacher Hirotada Ototake and active teachers held a press conference on the 14th, advocating for the abolition of the Kyutoku Law, which stipulates that teachers receive a 4% salary increase instead of overtime pay.

The press conference was held in response to the commencement of discussions on the nature of teacher salaries by the Ministry's expert panel. The speakers emphasized that the discussions should be based on the premise that there are inherent problems with the Kyutoku Law itself.

The expert panel is expected to present a general direction on the issue by spring this year.

Source: ANN

New Tropical Depression Threatens Flooding in Southern Japan

A newly formed tropical depression near Taiwan on June 9th is expected to intensify the seasonal rain front lingering over southwestern Japan, raising the risk of warning-level rainfall across Okinawa and the Amami Islands through around June 11th.

Japan National Team Holds First Training Session in Nashville

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8th from Monterrey, Mexico, where it had been conducting a pre-World Cup training camp, and held its first practice session at its base camp for the FIFA World Cup in North America.

Sakurajima Eruption Blankets Kagoshima in Volcanic Ash

A prolonged eruption at Sakurajima on June 7th blanketed parts of Kagoshima City in volcanic ash, turning roads gray and prompting long lines of vehicles seeking car washes after a plume of smoke rose 1,300 meters above the crater.

Japan Lifts Tsunami Advisories After Philippines Quake

A powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines at 8:38 a.m. (Japan time) on June 8th, generating tsunami waves across parts of the Pacific, causing building collapses and casualties near the epicenter, and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue tsunami advisories along a wide stretch of Japan's Pacific coastline before lifting all of them at 4:50 p.m.

Unlicensed Peruvian Man Conducts Risky Medical Procedure During Delivery

A clinic director and a former Peruvian staff member have been referred to prosecutors after the man allegedly performed medical procedures without a license, including an external cephalic version—a procedure used to manually turn a baby into the correct position before birth—at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Fukuoka City, raising concerns about patient safety and oversight in maternity care.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Why Birthrates Differ Between Kyoto and Shiga

Birthrates in neighboring Kyoto and Shiga prefectures have moved in opposite directions, with experts pointing to housing costs, commuting convenience, and stable employment as key factors shaping where young families choose to live.

How Historical Revisionism Fuels Modern Prejudice Against Ainu

A panel exhibition held in Sapporo this year has reignited debate over what many experts and Ainu activists describe as a new form of discrimination—one that denies the Indigenous status of the Ainu people and seeks to reinterpret the history of discrimination they endured in Japan.

Japan Toothbrushing Drill Draws Record 326,000 Students

Elementary school students across Japan took part in the National Elementary School Toothbrushing Event on June 5th, with children at approximately 6,000 schools learning proper brushing techniques and oral hygiene practices under the guidance of dental hygienists.

Japan's Birth Rate Falls to Record Low 1.14

Japan's total fertility rate, which represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime, fell to a record low of 1.14 in 2025, underscoring the country's deepening demographic challenges.

Historic Kyoto Girls' School Opens Doors to Boys

As Japan's shrinking youth population continues to reshape the education sector, a girls' high school in Kyoto has announced plans to become coeducational beginning next academic year.

Hokkaidō 1997 | Heart of the Country

Heart of the Country” is the story of Shinichi Yasutomo, the extraordinary principal of a rural elementary school in Kanayama, central Hokkaido, Northern Japan. Yasutomo is a man driven by his vision for learning and his passion for educating the heart as well as the mind. (TRNGL)

Challenges Foreign Workers Face in Japan

An Indonesian bus driver working in Tokyo says language barriers and differences in communication styles remain among the biggest challenges facing foreign workers in Japan, highlighting the importance of support from employers and colleagues as the country increasingly relies on overseas labor.

Japan Revamps Disaster Alert System

Japan will begin rolling out a major overhaul of its disaster weather information system from the afternoon of May 28th, reorganizing warnings and advisories to make it easier for residents to understand when they should evacuate.

< 2 3 4 5 >