The education ministry plans to launch a model project in fiscal 2027 to provide basic Japanese-language instruction?for school life and classes to children of foreign nationals living in Japan.
In response to an increase in the number of such children, the ministry aims to establish guidelines for effective language lessons through the project.
The number of public school students requiring special Japanese-language instruction, including those who are unable to communicate adequately in daily Japanese conversation, reached a record high of 84,759 in fiscal 2025, which ended in March this year. The number?doubled over the past nine years, according to the ministry.
Of those students, about 10% were not given sufficient instruction?at their schools due to staff shortages and other reasons.
In urban areas with large numbers of foreign children, some local governments are already offering special Japanese-language programs.?However, the content and duration of the programs vary.
Through the model project, the ministry aims to gather know-how about how such lessons should be provided. Based on the findings, it will come up with guidelines for use by local governments and develop teaching materials.
The ministry will select multiple local governments for the project. In municipalities with many children requiring instruction, students at several schools will be brought together at base schools or public facilities for language lessons. In rural areas, instruction?may be given online.
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