Number of school students in Japan falls to record low

TOKYO, Aug 25 (News On Japan) - The number of students in elementary and junior high schools in Japan has reached an all-time low due to declining birthrates, a new survey reveals.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) conducts annual surveys on the number of schools, classrooms, enrolled students, and teaching staff at each school nationwide.

According to the survey results for the 2023 academic year released by MEXT on August 23, the number of elementary school students across the nation has decreased by about 102,000 compared to the previous year, totaling approximately 6.05 million as of May 1. The number of junior high school students has also decreased by about 28,000, reaching around 3.178 million. Both figures have become the lowest ever recorded.

The decline is attributed to the impact of a declining birthrate, leading to a 42-year consecutive decrease in elementary schools. Within a single year, a total of 252 public elementary and junior high schools have disappeared.

On the other hand, the number of university undergraduates has reached an all-time high, approximately 2.633 million, an increase of 800 students compared to the previous year.

The number of female university students has also reached a record high, attributed in part to the rising percentage of women pursuing higher education at universities instead of short-term colleges.

Furthermore, the number of female teachers in junior high schools and universities has reached an all-time high, contributing to an overall record high proportion of women among the teaching staff.

MEXT explains that the trend of actively hiring female teachers in universities and similar institutions, along with the advancement of women in society, are considered factors behind these developments.