Record School Absences in Japan Prompt Calls for Educational Reform

Why the absenteeism spike matters now

Japan has recorded a new high in chronic school absenteeism among elementary and junior high students, intensifying debate over how the country educates, supports, and evaluates children who are struggling to attend school. An education ministry survey for the 2024 academic year counted 353,970 children who missed 30 or more days for reasons other than illness or economic hardship. That is the 12th straight yearly increase and represents 3.9 percent of all pupils at these levels. The figure has nearly doubled in five years, even as the year to year rise slowed in 2024 compared with the sharp jumps seen during the pandemic era.

Beneath the headline number is a complex mix of reasons. Schools most frequently reported a lack of motivation toward school life, followed by anxiety and depression, and ongoing difficulty keeping daily routines. Parents and educators also describe rising numbers of children who struggle with early mornings, sensory overstimulation at school, or the social demands of crowded classrooms. Reports note that absenteeism is rising fastest among younger students, with increases over the past decade outpacing older grades. A growing share of fifth and sixth graders are missing extended periods of school, and the surge among first and second graders has been even steeper.

The duration of nonattendance is also expanding. A record share of students were absent for 90 days or more in 2024, a level that often signals significant distress, disconnection from school life, and a risk of long term withdrawal. Although the absolute number of absentees rose by about 7,500 from the previous year, the pace of growth slowed from the steep annual gains around 2021 to 2023. High school absenteeism ticked slightly lower in 2024, which may reflect different pressures at that stage and the availability of alternative pathways for older students.

Japan’s term for long term refusal to attend school is futoko. The concept covers more than truancy. It is often linked to anxiety, bullying, depression, or a mismatch between a child’s needs and the school environment. Researchers in Japan describe futoko as a spectrum, not a simple yes or no condition. Mental health and motivation can slide long before absences become visible, which is why early detection and support can be decisive. The current wave of absenteeism is not one problem with one cause. It is a cluster of overlapping challenges that require consistent, individualized responses.

What chronically absent means in Japan

For elementary and junior high schools, the ministry classifies a child as chronically absent if they miss 30 or more days in a single academic year for reasons other than illness or financial difficulty. That threshold is intended to identify students who might be drifting away from school life and need additional support. In Japanese public conversation, these students are often described as futoko, literally “not attending school.” The term focuses on the child’s relationship to school rather than blaming the child, and policy has gradually shifted to reduce stigma.

Academic research has aimed to catch warning signs earlier. One line of work proposes screening tools that treat absenteeism as a continuum. Such tools measure two broad patterns at once, a general drive to avoid school and psychological distress connected to school. Studies suggest that tracking both dimensions can help schools find students who still attend but are at risk, letting staff intervene before extended absences begin. This approach aligns with a growing focus on students’ mental states and daily stress, not just raw attendance numbers.

Pandemic shifts that lowered the barrier to staying home

The pandemic left deep marks on school routines. Starting in 2020, closures, rotating schedules, and the cancellation of festivals and team events weakened the social glue that helps keep children engaged. Friendships were harder to form. Once routines broke down, the psychological hurdle to staying home fell for many children. Survey data shows that nonattendance climbed sharply in 2021 and 2022. That increase has not fully reversed. Even as classrooms reopened, a meaningful share of students did not return to regular attendance and some became long term absentees.

The pandemic also nudged public attitudes. Parents were encouraged to keep children home when unwell and many schools offered remote lessons. Japan followed with policy changes that recognized learning outside the traditional classroom. A law passed in 2016, implemented from 2017, affirmed that children who cannot attend school should still receive an education tailored to their circumstances. During and after the pandemic, this contributed to a wider view that children should not be forced into classrooms at any cost. That shift has helped reduce stigma. It also poses a policy challenge, since the system still relies on physical attendance for instruction, evaluation, and advancement.

Pressures and culture inside the classroom

Absenteeism does not arise only from illness or home circumstances. Many students describe school as a source of pressure. Critics of the current model point to strict rules, intense emphasis on conformity, and a one pace approach to lessons. Children in the same grade study the same content in the same way. A child who falls behind can struggle to catch up, and a child who is ahead may become bored. Both can lose interest or feel out of place. Teachers face heavy workloads, leaving little time for one to one support. The result is a rigid experience that fits some students but not all.

Strict school rules add to the strain. Regulations can reach into hairstyles, clothing colors, and small details of classroom conduct. These expectations may be manageable for many children, yet they can be overwhelming for others, especially students with sensory sensitivities or anxiety. Uniformity inside classrooms can carry social costs too. Homogeneous settings tend to amplify peer pressure. Children who feel different can become targets, and classrooms can turn into environments that some dread. Families then face a painful choice between pushing a child into distress or accepting missed classes.

Bullying, mental health and safety

Bullying reports have set new records in recent years, and severe cases that cause physical or psychological harm have increased. Officials have also expressed deep concern about student suicides. While most absences are not directly linked to such extreme outcomes, anxiety about safety and peer relations can be a powerful driver of nonattendance. Middle school years are particularly sensitive. The social stakes rise, academic demands increase, and club activities add time pressure. All of this can raise the risk of withdrawal for children who are struggling with depression or fear of bullying.

Long term absence can bring its own mental health risks. A child who spends months at home may lose contact with friends, fall behind academically, and feel shame or anxiety about returning. In some cases, nonattendance is followed by social withdrawal from other settings as well. Parents report that the longer a child stays away, the harder it becomes to find a path back. Early outreach by trusted adults, flexible learning plans, and predictable routines can ease the way. Schools that offer quiet rooms, reduced schedules, or gradual reintegration often see better outcomes.

How the government is responding

The education ministry has expanded supports in and around schools to meet children where they are. Education support centers, sometimes located inside a child’s school and sometimes in community settings, provide tutoring, counseling, and a calm space away from crowded classrooms. Tens of thousands of students use these centers each year. Local boards of education have also piloted in school spaces where students can attend at their own pace, receive advice from staff they trust, and reconnect with learning without the social pressures of a full classroom.

Policy has moved toward recognizing learning outside the standard classroom. Students who meet certain criteria can count off campus study and achievements as part of their school record. In the 2024 academic year, more than 56,000 chronically absent students benefited from this approach, and a broader group had external learning documented or graded. Officials are studying how to build individualized learning plans for absentees at scale, including reducing required class hours when appropriate and allowing students to work on material from a lower grade level until they are ready to rejoin their peers. The ministry has also increased the number of counselors and outside specialists who support teachers and families.

These measures may be starting to have an effect at the margins. The number of new absentees fell in 2024 for the first time in years, and the overall rise in chronic absenteeism slowed compared with the previous year. That said, more than 70 percent of students counted as absent in 2024 had also been chronically absent in 2023. Breaking that cycle is the core challenge. Officials say schools need to detect distress sooner, organize quick responses, and keep students attached to school life even when they cannot attend normal classes.

Alternative learning: what exists and what is missing

Japan has promoted schools for diverse learning and unaccredited online options, and there is a small but growing network of private “free schools.” These programs can serve students who are overwhelmed by crowding, noise, or rigid schedules. Use remains limited, in part because families worry about how such learning will be reflected in records and whether it will open doors to high school and jobs. Some local governments now recognize achievements from external programs in official records, a change that families have long sought. The next step is building a clear, navigable set of pathways so students can move forward without stigma.

Support also varies by municipality, and that patchwork affects families unevenly. Parents of chronically absent children often face an impossible schedule. A parent may need to stay home, give up a job, or piece together ad hoc childcare while navigating school meetings and therapies. Financial strain can compound a child’s stress. Families say that predictable school based supports, regular outreach, and clear communication on options reduce friction and increase the odds of return. When schools designate a single point of contact for each family, parents report that they feel less lost and more willing to try incremental steps back to attendance.

What other countries do

Absenteeism has risen across many developed countries since the pandemic. International policy groups highlight several approaches that show promise. Systems that collect and publish frequent attendance data can respond faster. Monthly data helps schools spot patterns early rather than waiting for an annual report. Early outreach is another common thread. Home visits, text nudges, and personalized plans have brought students back in multiple jurisdictions when used alongside counseling and after school programs. Banning harsh discipline for minor misbehavior helps too, since punitive environments can sour the relationship between students and school.

Some countries offer formal national programs for distance learning that count as regular schooling. France’s national distance education service allows students to study from home under a recognized framework, and homeschooling is permitted with conditions. Japan has been cautious on formal homeschooling and accrediting distance programs, but the experience abroad shows that high quality alternatives can coexist with strong public schools. The key is to define standards, ensure supervision, and keep pathways open so children can reenter classroom settings when ready.

What experts say could help

Reformers inside Japan argue that schools should move away from uniform pacing and make room for individualized progress, cooperative learning, and hands on projects. Mixed age learning communities can give younger students mentors and older students leadership roles. Project work can reconnect learning to real questions that interest students. These ideas do not require abandoning common standards. They ask schools to let children reach those standards in different ways and at different speeds. Where such models have been tried, students who struggled in conventional classrooms often show renewed engagement.

Early identification of distress is also central. Screening tools that track both avoidance and psychological strain can help teachers see trouble forming before absences pile up. Combined with regular check ins, this lets schools offer targeted support such as counseling, shorter days, or timetable adjustments. Teacher workload remains a hard constraint. Without more time and staffing, it is difficult to deliver individualized attention. Many educators call for smaller classes, protected time for planning and counseling, and expanded roles for social workers and psychologists. Investment in these areas tends to pay back through fewer crises later.

Families caught in the middle

Parents often carry the heaviest burden when a child stops attending. Daily battles over getting out the door can turn the home into a conflict zone. Some families describe feeling judged by schools or neighbors, while others worry that their child is losing ground they will never regain. Practical help matters. Reliable part day options, safe quiet rooms, and flexible timetables reduce conflict. Clear recognition of learning outside the classroom gives families a sense that their efforts count. Over time, that recognition can build the confidence needed to attempt a return.

Connections to the future are vital. Many chronically absent students fear that they have “failed” and that doors are closing. Schools and municipalities can counter this by building bridges to vocational programs, internships, and community projects that let students apply their strengths. When teenagers see a credible route to high school or training, their motivation often improves. Building these bridges requires coordination with local employers and high schools, but it can transform the outlook for students who otherwise drift to the margins.

At a Glance

• Japan counted 353,970 elementary and junior high students as chronically absent in the 2024 academic year, the 12th straight annual increase.
• Chronic absence is defined as 30 or more missed days for reasons other than illness or economic hardship, and 3.9 percent of all students met that threshold.
• Absences of 90 days or more hit a record high, a sign of deepening disengagement for a large group of children.
• Schools most often cite lack of motivation, anxiety or depression, and difficulty maintaining routines as reasons for nonattendance.
• Absenteeism is rising fastest among younger grades, while high school absences edged slightly lower in 2024.
• The pandemic disrupted routines and lowered the psychological barrier to staying home, and attitudes toward attendance have become more flexible.
• Government responses include education support centers, more counselors, recognition of off campus learning, and work on individualized curricula.
• International practices that help include frequent attendance data, early outreach, mental health supports, and reduced reliance on punitive discipline.
• Experts advocate individualized pacing, cooperative and project learning, smaller classes, and early screening for distress.
• Families face financial and caregiving strain, and clearer pathways from alternative learning to high school and jobs are needed.