The School System and the School Education Act

Which of the following is NOT a "school" as defined in Article 1 of the School Education Act (学校教育法)?

1. Compulsory education school (義務教育学校)
2. Specialized training college (専修学校)
3. Secondary education school (中等教育学校)
4. College of technology (高等専門学校)

Under Article 2 of the School Education Act (学校教育法), which combination correctly lists who may establish schools?

1. The State, local governments and general incorporated associations
2. Only the State and prefectures
3. The State, local governments and religious corporations
4. The State, local governments and school corporations (学校法人)

Which statement about tuition fees under Article 6 of the School Education Act (学校教育法) is correct?

1. A private lower secondary school may charge tuition.
2. A national lower secondary school may charge tuition.
3. A public lower secondary school may charge tuition if parents agree.
4. Because it is compulsory education, a private elementary school may not charge tuition.

Which of the following is listed in Article 9 of the School Education Act (学校教育法) as a person who cannot become a principal or teacher?

1. A person sentenced to a fine
2. A person for whom 3 years have passed since their licence was revoked
3. A person sentenced to imprisonment (拘禁刑) or a heavier penalty
4. A person who does not hold Japanese nationality

Which post was newly created in the School Education Act (学校教育法) by a 2025 amendment and took effect on 1 April 2026?

1. Shukan kyoyu (主幹教諭, senior teacher)
2. Shido kyoyu (指導教諭, advisory teacher)
3. Shumu kyoyu (主務教諭, coordinating teacher)
4. Vice-principal (副校長)

Under Article 37(1) of the School Education Act (学校教育法), which combination lists the staff an elementary school must have?

1. Principal, deputy head (教頭), teachers, school nurse teacher (養護教諭), administrative staff
2. Principal, vice-principal (副校長), teachers, nutrition teacher, administrative staff
3. Principal, senior teacher (主幹教諭), teachers, school nurse teacher, administrative staff
4. Principal, deputy head (教頭), teachers, nutrition teacher, school librarian

Which is the purpose of lower secondary school (中学校) under Article 45 of the School Education Act (学校教育法)?

1. To provide the basic part of general education as compulsory education, according to mental and physical development.
2. To provide general education as compulsory education consistently from the basic level, according to mental and physical development.
3. To provide advanced general and specialized education according to development and career paths.
4. To provide general education as compulsory education, building on elementary education, according to mental and physical development.

Which comparison of the goal provisions for elementary school (Article 30(1)) and lower secondary school (Article 46) is correct?

1. Lower secondary school has its own ten goals separate from Article 21.
2. Elementary school has the qualifier "to the extent necessary"; the lower secondary provision does not.
3. Only the lower secondary provision has the qualifier "to the extent necessary".
4. Lower secondary education applies the goals of upper secondary school.

Under the tables of the Enforcement Regulations of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行規則), how long is one unit lesson in lower secondary school?

1. 50 minutes
2. 45 minutes
3. 60 minutes
4. 40 minutes

Which is NOT part of the lower secondary curriculum under Article 72 of the Enforcement Regulations of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行規則)?

1. Moral education as a special subject (特別の教科 道徳)
2. Period for integrated studies (総合的な学習の時間)
3. Foreign language activities (外国語活動)
4. Special activities (特別活動)

Under Article 16 of the School Education Act (学校教育法), how many years of general education must guardians have their children receive?

1. 6 years
2. 9 years
3. 10 years
4. 12 years

Under Article 17(1) of the School Education Act (学校教育法), which correctly states the period of the duty to send a child to elementary school?

1. From the day the child turns 6 to the day the child turns 12
2. From the start of the school year in which the child turns 6 to the start of the school year in which the child turns 12
3. From the start of the first school year after the child turns 7, to the day the child turns 13
4. From the start of the first school year after the day the child turns 6, to the end of the school year in which the child turns 12

For a child who has not completed the elementary course by the end of the school year in which they turn 12, what does the proviso to Article 17(1) say?

1. All attendance duties end at the end of the school year in which the child turns 12.
2. The child must be sent to lower secondary school from the next school year even without completion.
3. The duty to send the child to elementary school continues until the end of the school year in which the child turns 18.
4. The duty to send the child to elementary school continues until the end of the school year in which the child turns 15.

Who may postpone or exempt the attendance duty for a child found unable to attend school due to illness, developmental delay or other unavoidable reasons?

1. The principal of the school the child would attend
2. The municipal board of education
3. The prefectural governor
4. The Minister of Education (文部科学大臣)

Which statement correctly describes Article 19 of the School Education Act (学校教育法) on school attendance assistance?

1. Municipalities must give necessary assistance to guardians of school-age children who find attendance difficult for financial reasons.
2. If attendance is found difficult for financial reasons, the municipal board of education exempts the guardian from the attendance duty.
3. Assistance to guardians of school-age children facing financial difficulty is given by prefectures, not municipalities.
4. Municipalities need only make efforts to give assistance in such cases.

Which is one of the goals of compulsory education in Article 21 of the School Education Act (学校教育法)?

1. To familiarize pupils with a foreign language and make sure they acquire everyday conversation skills in it.
2. To make sure pupils acquire the advanced specialized knowledge and skills needed for future jobs.
3. To familiarize pupils with reading and develop basic abilities to correctly understand and use the Japanese language needed in daily life.
4. To help pupils understand local industries and foster willingness to take jobs in them.

Which statement about the notice of school entry date under Article 5 of the Enforcement Order of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行令) is correct?

1. The municipal board of education notifies guardians at least 2 months before the start of the next school year.
2. The principal of the school notifies guardians at least 1 month before the start of the next school year.
3. The prefectural board of education notifies guardians at least 3 months before the start of the next school year.
4. The mayor notifies the child at least 2 months before the start of the next school year.

Under Article 20 of the Enforcement Order of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行令), what absence triggers the principal's notice to the municipal board of education?

1. Absence for 3 consecutive days, excluding school holidays, and similar cases
2. Absence for a total of 30 days or more in a school year, and similar cases
3. Absence for 14 consecutive days, including school holidays, and similar cases
4. Absence for 7 consecutive days, excluding school holidays, and similar cases

Under Article 11 of the School Health and Safety Act (学校保健安全法), who conducts the health check for children due to enter elementary school the next school year?

1. The principal of the elementary school the child will enter
2. The prefectural board of education
3. The municipal board of education
4. The head of the public health centre

According to MEXT, which statement about foreign-national children attending public elementary and lower secondary schools is correct?

1. Their guardians have the same attendance duty as Japanese guardians and receive reminders if they breach it.
2. They have no attendance duty, but if they wish they are accepted and treated like Japanese pupils, with no tuition and free textbooks.
3. They have no attendance duty and are accepted if they wish, but unlike Japanese pupils they are charged tuition.
4. Because they have no attendance duty, they are not accepted in public schools and must attend foreign schools.

Under Article 34(1) of the School Education Act (学校教育法), what textbooks must an elementary school use?

1. Textbooks produced by the prefectural board of education
2. Textbooks approved by the Minister of Education or textbooks authored by MEXT
3. Books chosen by the principal from commercially available books
4. Only textbooks approved by the Minister (MEXT-authored books excluded)

According to MEXT, which statement about textbook adoption (採択) is correct?

1. For public schools the board of education that runs them has adoption authority; for national and private schools the principal does.
2. The principal of each school, whether national, public or private, has authority to adopt its own textbooks.
3. The Minister of Education, who authorizes textbooks, adopts them uniformly for all schools nationwide.
4. Each homeroom teacher, who knows the class best, adopts the textbooks used in the class.

Which statement correctly describes Article 11 of the School Education Act (学校教育法)?

1. Teachers may not discipline pupils; only the principal may discipline them when educationally necessary.
2. Corporal punishment is allowed if educationally necessary and the guardian agrees.
3. Principals and teachers may discipline pupils when educationally necessary, but may not use corporal punishment.
4. Only the municipal board of education that runs the school may discipline pupils.

Under Article 26 of the Enforcement Regulations of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行規則), who imposes expulsion, suspension and reprimand (excluding universities)?

1. The homeroom teacher
2. The municipal board of education
3. The deputy head (教頭)
4. The principal

Which statement about sanctions on school-age pupils under Article 26 of the Enforcement Regulations of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行規則) is correct?

1. A municipal lower secondary school can expel a school-age pupil whose conduct shows no prospect of improvement.
2. A private lower secondary school can suspend a school-age pupil.
3. Even a private lower secondary school cannot suspend a school-age pupil.
4. A reprimand cannot be given to a school-age pupil at a national elementary school.

According to the MEXT notice of 13 March 2013, how is it judged whether a disciplinary act is corporal punishment?

1. By considering age, health, development, the place and time, and the form of discipline comprehensively and objectively, case by case.
2. Only by whether the pupil complained of physical or mental pain.
3. It is not corporal punishment if the teacher had an educational intention or guidance purpose.
4. It is not corporal punishment if the guardian agreed in advance and left matters to the school.

In light of the MEXT notice and the Guide to Student Guidance (生徒指導提要), which act is normally acceptable as discipline as long as it causes no physical pain?

1. Making a pupil sit formally (seiza) for a long time
2. Keeping a pupil in the classroom after school for guidance
3. Slapping a pupil's cheek to make them reflect
4. Imposing persistent, excessive exercise on one particular club member

A teacher attacked by a pupil unavoidably grabs the pupil's arm in self-defence. How is this treated under the MEXT notice?

1. It always counts as corporal punishment because the teacher touched the pupil.
2. It is corporal punishment as a form of discipline, but no sanction applies.
3. It is corporal punishment unless the teacher is the homeroom teacher.
4. It is self-defence or a justified act and is not corporal punishment.

Which statement about attendance suspension (出席停止) under Article 35 of the School Education Act (学校教育法) is correct?

1. The municipal board of education orders it, addressed to the guardian of a pupil whose bad conduct hinders other pupils' education.
2. The principal orders it as a form of discipline, addressed to the pupil whose bad conduct hinders others' education.
3. The prefectural board of education orders it against the pupil after a report from the municipal board.
4. The homeroom teacher orders it on the spot against a pupil who disrupted lessons or other educational activities.

Under Article 19 of the School Health and Safety Act (学校保健安全法), who may suspend the attendance of a pupil who has, or may have, an infectious disease?

1. The municipal board of education
2. The principal
3. The school doctor
4. The head of the public health centre