Tokyo students take oral English test in high school entry exam amid doubts

Nov 28, 2022 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Tokyo metropolitan government has, for the first time, administered an English speaking test as part of its public high school entry exam amid doubts that the tests will be graded fairly.

It also marked the first time in Japan that a test developed by a private company has been used to assess students' entry into public high schools.

Scores for Sunday's English speaking test, developed jointly with Benesse Corp., will be added to the outcomes of an academic exam to be conducted in February, along with students' grades and evaluations by their junior high schools. ...continue reading

Typhoon No. 27 Shifts East, Set to Approach Ogasawara

Typhoon No. 27 is forecast to approach the Ogasawara Islands around October 6 as a very strong storm capable of bringing destructive winds and dangerous waves, with its predicted path shifting slightly eastward, while Hokkaido recorded Japan's first snowfall of the season on Mount Asahidake as cold air spread across northern Japan.

Time Names Kyoto Mayor Among 100 Emerging Global Leaders

Time magazine has named Shoko Kawata, the 36-year-old mayor of Yawata in Kyoto Prefecture, among its 100 most influential emerging figures worldwide, recognizing her decision to become Japan's first sitting mayor to take maternity leave and highlighting a political career that has taken her from municipal administration to national politics and the leadership of a city of nearly 70,000 people.

First Snowfall Recorded on Hokkaido's Mount Asahidake

Hokkaido's highest peak, Mount Asahidake in the Daisetsuzan mountain range, recorded its first snow cover of the season on October 2, with the area around the Asahidake Ropeway's Sugatami Station, at an elevation of approximately 1,600 meters, blanketed in snow.

First Emergency Bear Shooting Carried Out in Tokyo

Tokyo authorities carried out the capital's first emergency shooting of a captured bear in Hachioji after an adult Asiatic black bear was found caught in a trap near a residential area about 8 kilometers from Takao Station.

Japan's Population Falls to 122.97 Million

Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 122.97 million as of October 1, 2025, down 3.17 million from the previous census in 2020, marking only the third decline since the national census began in 1920.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Japan Faces Shortage of 20,000 Railway Workers

A major new railway training center equipped with full-scale tracks, crossings and signals has opened in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture, as Japan's railway industry faces a growing shortage of skilled workers that could exceed 20,000 by fiscal 2028.

University of Tokyo Names First Female President

The University of Tokyo has selected professor Yuko Fujigaki, 64, as its next president, making her the first woman to lead Japan's most prestigious university.

USJ Performers Raise Concerns Over Harsh Working Conditions

Performers at Universal Studios Japan are raising concerns about demanding working conditions behind the Osaka theme park's colorful shows and character appearances, with some describing the work as an example of employers taking advantage of workers' enthusiasm for jobs they once dreamed of doing.

Osaka Schoolchildren Share Ideas for a Sustainable City

Elementary school students from across the Kansai region gathered in Osaka to share creative ideas for building a sustainable city, with proposals ranging from replacing waste incinerators with mushroom-growing facilities to preserving Osaka's distinctive local shopping culture.

Parent-Led Matchmaking Events Gain Popularity in Japan

Parents in Japan are increasingly taking an active role in finding marriage partners for their adult children, with matchmaking events that allow mothers and fathers to meet prospective in-laws gaining popularity as the country's unmarried population continues to grow.

Ronald McDonald House Breaks Ground in Kyoto

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Kyoto City on September 15 for Ronald McDonald House Kyoto, a residential facility where children undergoing medical treatment will be able to stay together with their families.

100 Million Yen Replica Teaches the Weight of Taxes

Elementary school students in Fukuoka got a hands-on lesson in the importance of taxes on September 11, lifting a 10-kilogram replica of 100 million yen as part of a class designed to show how public money supports society.

Raccoons Spread Into Osaka Raising Disease Risk

Raccoons are increasingly appearing in urban areas of Japan, including residential neighborhoods near Shin-Osaka Station, raising concerns over disease, attacks on people and agricultural damage that reached about 700 million yen nationwide last year.

< 2 3 4 5 >