Tokyo's Minato Ward to Abolish Korean School-Only Subsidy

Transition to "Foreign School Parent Subsidy"
Reorganized for Equity Amid Declining Local Government Support in Japan

The Minato Ward in Tokyo, Japan, has decided to end its subsidy program, previously limited to households with students attending Korean schools (Chosun schools), by the end of this year. Instead, the ward will shift to a support system covering all foreign schools in general.

A supporter held up a banner reading "Unfair Judgment" after the Hiroshima High Court dismissed the plaintiff's claim in the lawsuit demanding the Japanese government revoke the decision to exclude Korean schools from the high school tuition waiver program. Photo by Kyodo News

According to the Sankei Shimbun on March 24, the Minato Ward is considering changing the current program name from "Korean School Parent Subsidy" to "Foreign School Parent Subsidy." The intent is to expand the subsidy, which was previously limited to Korean school households, to include families with students attending other foreign schools, such as international schools.

Until now, the Minato Ward has provided 7,000 yen per month to households with students enrolled in Korean schools, provided they met certain income criteria. This program was implemented in fiscal year 1982, following the adoption of a ward assembly petition in 1980.

The education authorities in the ward believe that, while it was difficult for postwar Japanese public education to fully meet the demand for mother tongue education among Korean children and students in Japan, the situation has changed. As the foreign resident population in Japan has become more diverse, they argue that it is no longer appropriate to limit support to a specific nationality or specific schools, and that there is a need to restructure the program into a more universal and equitable system.

If this measure is finalized, the existing Minato Ward subsidy exclusively for Korean schools will effectively come to an end. However, the subsidy itself will not be eliminated; rather, the eligibility will shift to encompass all foreign schools.

Although Chosun schools are classified as educational institutions affiliated with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), the actual student body is more diverse. Because there are not many Korean schools in Japan, it is known that a considerable number of South Korean nationals also attend these schools. As of 2023, according to a civic group survey, there are 10 Korean schools in Tokyo, with approximately 1,000 students enrolled.

Subsidies from Japanese local governments for Korean schools have been declining in recent years. As of 2023, a total of 11 prefectural governments and 83 municipal governments nationwide provided subsidies to Korean schools or to households with students attending these schools, amounting to 194.39 million yen in total. This is just one-fifth of the 840 million yen provided in 2009, reflecting a sharp decline over 14 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.