OSAKA - The ongoing debate between the ruling coalition and the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin) over high school tuition-free policies is revealing both benefits and challenges.
On the morning of February 10th, students with tense expressions walked through the gates of Kōkoku High School, a private institution in Osaka. That day marked the entrance exams for private high schools across Osaka Prefecture. Kōkoku High School, which has a capacity of 590 students, saw 1,389 applicants take the test. The issue of high school tuition is now a hot topic in national discussions.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Policy Research Council Chairperson Itsunori Onodera stated on February 7th, "We want to improve the quality of education, and this discussion is taking place with that goal in mind. We will consider measures that contribute to this aim."
Japan Innovation Party Policy Research Council Chairperson Hitoshi Aoyagi responded, "Our party's stance remains unchanged, and there are undeniable gaps between the two parties."
The dispute centers on high school tuition subsidies. The Japan Innovation Party is demanding the removal of income restrictions from the next fiscal year and wants private high school students to receive up to 630,000 yen annually. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition is proposing to remove income restrictions but plans to provide an annual subsidy of 118,800 yen for both public and private school students. Full tuition-free support for private high schools, however, is postponed until the following year. This disagreement has left negotiations at a standstill.
Osaka Prefecture, however, has already begun phasing in full tuition-free policies this academic year. Under the prefectural system, students attending private high schools can receive up to 630,000 yen in financial support, allowing them to attend without paying tuition.
A local resident of Osaka commented, "For parents, tuition-free education is definitely a relief."
A resident of Wakayama, however, noted, "Since we live outside the prefecture, we don't receive this benefit. Osaka residents are lucky."
The impact extends beyond parents. According to the Osaka Private Junior and Senior High Schools Association, the number of students applying exclusively to private high schools for the next academic year has reached approximately 20,000, the highest recorded since data collection began in 2003.
Association President Yoko Kusajima explained, "Tuition-free education has allowed students who had previously given up on private schools to apply. Even those who used to apply to both public and private schools are now choosing private institutions with confidence."
However, there are drawbacks. Any tuition exceeding the 630,000 yen covered by the government and Osaka Prefecture must be shouldered by the schools themselves. As a result, schools have been forced to cap their tuition fees, making it difficult to offer specialized educational programs.
Kusajima remarked, "Tuition fees should be set more freely, but with this cap in place, providing unique education becomes challenging. In a globalized society, offering flexible and high-quality education is a crucial factor."
Public schools are also feeling the effects. The shift in student preference toward private schools has led to a decline in applicants for public high schools, with 70 schools failing to meet their enrollment quotas this year.
Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura defended the tuition-free policy, stating, "When students have more options, schools compete to improve. As the student population declines, this forces schools to consider what constitutes quality education. Expanding student choices through tuition-free policies also contributes to enhancing education quality."
Source: MBS
