Japanese politicians are engaged in discussions at the Diet regarding a significant education reform proposal. Officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, presented a plan to Nippon Ishin that would eliminate the income cap on government subsidies for public high school tuition. This proposal is designed to extend free education to every student in public high schools by removing the existing household income threshold.
In contrast, Nippon Ishin is advocating for a broader policy that would provide a full tuition waiver for all high schools, including both public and private institutions, starting in April. Currently, government subsidies stand at up to 118,800 yen per year for students from households earning less than 9.1 million yen, while private high school students from lower-income households receive up to 396,000 yen. This difference underscores the partial nature of the ruling parties' plan.
There are indications that discussions among the political groups will persist, with promises to negotiate further and potentially introduce additional subsidies next April. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed a willingness to help bridge the gaps in policy proposals. Moreover, some local governments have already set up their own tuition support schemes for private high school students, though these initiatives contribute to regional disparities in educational funding.
Ishin has estimated that around 600 billion yen in funding would be necessary to implement a nationwide program for universally free tuition, following the model already seen in Osaka, a region where the party holds significant influence.