2003 JAPAN LAW:  “FOREIGN” SCHOOLS
Keywords: Education Law, Foreigners, Schools, Entrance Exam, Daiken
Copyright 2004. All rights reserved Attorney Roderick H. Seeman
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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was troubled in 2003 on what to do about students going to non-Japanese schools in Japan who wanted to continue on to Japanese government funded universities. It has long been the practice that such students are required to take a special exam, “daiken” prior to taking the ordinary entrance exam. Initially the ministry wanted to exempt students graduating from certain international schools taught in English, from having take the “daiken” exam. Ethnic schools in Japan, primarily teaching in Korean and Chinese wanted similar treatment. The 16 approved international schools had all been accredited by Western accreditation groups. Finally, in August, 2003, the Ministry agreed that the graduates of the Korean and Chinese schools as well would not be required to take the “daiken” exam, but the decision on whether to admit the student would depend on the individual school.