Japan school absenteeism hits record 340,000 in FY2023, up for 11th year

A record 346,482 elementary and junior high school students across Japan were absent for 30 days or more in the 2023 academic year, marking the 11th consecutive year of increase, according to a recent education ministry survey.

The figure for the year ended March 2024 represents a 15.9 percent increase from the previous school year, accounting for 3.7 percent of all students, or roughly 1.5 students per 40-student class, according to the survey.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology attributes the increase to more parents choosing not to force their children to attend school, as well as a lack of adequate support for special needs students.

The number of absent students stood at 130,370 in elementary schools, 216,112 in junior high schools and 68,770 in high schools.

The top reason schools gave for students refusing to attend was "lack of motivation for school" at 32.2 percent, followed by "anxiety or depression" at 23.1 percent. Issues related to special needs, such as disabilities or Japanese language support, accounted for 13.6 percent of responses.

The survey also found cases of bullying at schools rose 7.4 percent to 732,568, with those recognized as "serious situations" involving physical and mental damage exceeding 1,000 for the first time at 1,306.

Bullying was identified in 83.6 percent, or 30,213, of all institutions, with a ministry official noting that "understanding the definition (of bullying) and being conscious of it has spread within schools."

The number of suicides among elementary, junior high and high school students totaled 397, of which 186 had unknown circumstances.