Sudden School Closure: Students and Parents Left in Limbo

AICHI, May 23 (News On Japan) - Aichi Central Beauty School announced its closure at the end of this month during an emergency parents' meeting on May 9th.

The school, known for its 100% national certification pass rate and small class sizes, currently has 26 on-campus students and 60 correspondence students.

Two companies that had been funding the school's managing association went bankrupt, leading to the closure.

A second-year student at Aichi Central Beauty School, Student A, said, "I couldn't believe it. It was like 'What? This can't be true,' and I was just shocked."

Another second-year student, Student B, added, "I wasn't prepared for this, and being told to decide on the next place to go within less than a month feels like being abandoned. I really hate it."

The school explained that the bankruptcies of the funding companies were discovered in August and September of last year. They delayed the announcement while searching for another sponsor.

A parent expressed frustration, saying, "What do you think of our children's futures?" Another added, "If the companies went bankrupt in August, they shouldn't have accepted new students this year." A third parent said, "If they had told us in April that the school would close, we would have chosen a different beauty school from the start."

First-year students have already paid about 1 million yen in admission and tuition fees, leading to disputes over refunds.

One parent asked, "How much will be refunded?" The school replied, "Approximately 50,000 yen." The parent responded, "Why can't you refund the full amount? Because you've already spent it?"

The school stated that it would coordinate transfers to other schools from June, but this may incur additional admission and tuition fees.

Hasegawa Yoshiaki, Secretary General of the Aichi Prefectural Association of Specialized and Various Schools, commented, "Ideally, the school should take full responsibility. I can't stop thinking about the distressed students. I hope as many students as possible are helped."

Efforts are being made to quickly find alternative schools, but only a few students have secured a new school so far.

Student A also mentioned, "My mother is a beautician, and I have always wanted to become one, watching her since I was a child. I was thrilled to get into this specialized school and wanted to graduate with my classmates and take the national exam together. Now, I'm worried about how this will affect my job prospects."

Source: ANN

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Wild Boar’s Tough-Love Parenting Caught on Camera

A mother wild boar was filmed on a university campus leaving five piglets to scale a wall on their own, offering a rare glimpse of what one lecturer described as "Spartan" parenting in the wild as baby animals appear across Japan with the arrival of the season.

Tutor Takes Eiken Test for Student Using Fake Face Recognition

A former instructor at a major cram school chain has been arrested for allegedly taking the Eiken English proficiency test on behalf of a student and using the score fraudulently in a university entrance examination, with investigators revealing an elaborate scheme involving manipulated facial photographs.

How AI Conversation Tools Are Expanding Access to Japanese Speaking Practice Outside Traditional Classrooms

Getting consistent Japanese speaking practice has historically meant enrolling in a class, hiring a tutor, or finding a native speaker willing to meet on a regular schedule.

Unidentified Mound Found at Japan’s Largest Keyhole Tomb

A previously unidentified landform believed to be a "square earthen platform" has been discovered in the front section of the Daisen Kofun in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, the Imperial Household Agency revealed on May 17th, raising the possibility that the structure may have been used as a burial facility.