Possibilities and Constraints of Immigrant Students in the Japanese Educational System

Japan has a small but increasingly visible immigrant population, especially in the context of an aging Japanese population and a declining native cohort of children.Given the lack of a national education policy, integrating immigrant children into the Japanese education system has been a challenge.Nevertheless, while educational problems such as high rates of non-attendance, low progression rates, and high dropout rates among immigrant students have been reported, there has been a gradual improvement in educational attainment as seen in the increase in the numbers of students who graduate from colleges and secure permanent jobs.The purpose of this paper is to examine the Japanese education system and its policies toward immigrant students, and to explore the educational experiences of these students by looking across ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, and educational types and levels.The paper also sheds light on the critical role of local governments, non-mainstream schools, and non-formal educational sites in providing educational support for immigrant children.