Lifestyle
Japan — Living: Education
Education indicators for Japan, from World Bank Open Data: government expenditure on education 3.3 % of GDP (2021); school enrolment, primary 101 % gross (2023); school enrolment, secondary 102 % gross (2023); school enrolment, tertiary 64 % gross (2023).
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceWorld Bank — World Development Indicators (World Bank Open Data)Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Key facts
- Government expenditure on education: 3.3 % of GDP (2021)
- School enrolment, primary: 101 % gross (2023)
- School enrolment, secondary: 102 % gross (2023)
- School enrolment, tertiary: 64 % gross (2023)
Costs
- Typical international school tuition: ¥1.5-3.5 million/year
- Premium Tokyo international school tuition: ¥10.7 million+/year
Common mistakes
- Assuming international school availability is uniform nationally — options are heavily concentrated in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kobe, with far fewer choices elsewhere.
What these figures do not cover
Gross enrolment ratios can exceed 100% because they count pupils of any age against the school-age population. These are national statistics. International schools, fees, admissions, curricula and school calendars are not covered here.