How much does it cost to educate a child in Japan?
It depends hugely on the path. An all-public route with little juku is relatively modest; a private-school and 中学受験 (private-junior-high exam) path runs into the millions of yen more. Our calculator personalizes it, and 児童手当 (child allowance) offsets a meaningful chunk. Figures throughout are ranges from published statistics, not quotes.
What is the 子供の学習費調査?
文部科学省's biennial Survey on Children's Learning Costs — the backbone source for this site. The FY2023 (令和5年度) round reports the average amount families actually spent per year at each school stage, public and private. It's an average of real spending, not a tuition schedule.
How much are 保育園 (daycare) fees?
For 認可保育所 (licensed daycare), fees for ages 0–2 are set by your municipality on an income sliding scale (based on your 市町村民税所得割額), roughly ¥0 for low-income households up to ¥50,000–80,000+/month at high income. The exact figure comes from your own city's fee table — we give the mechanism and a band, not a per-city number.
Is preschool free in Japan? (幼保無償化)
Ages 3–5 at 認可 保育所・幼稚園・認定こども園 are tuition-free for all incomes (幼稚園 is reimbursed up to ¥25,700/month). Ages 0–2 are free only for 住民税非課税 (municipal-tax-exempt) households; other 0–2 families pay the income-linked fee.
What does 幼保無償化 not cover?
Tuition is free (ages 3–5), but families still pay 食材費/給食費 (meal costs), 通園送迎費 (bus/commute), and 行事費 (event fees). The 副食費 (side-dish cost) is waived for low-income households and all 3rd+ children.
認可 vs 認可外 daycare — what's the cost difference?
認可 (licensed) daycare meets national standards; its fee is government-capped and income-tiered by your city. 認可外 (unlicensed) sets its own fee freely — usually a flat rate regardless of income, so structurally more expensive — subsidized only up to ¥37,000/month (ages 3–5) or ¥42,000/month (ages 0–2, non-taxable).
How big is the public-vs-private school gap?
Large. Per the FY2023 MEXT survey (¥/year averages): 小学校 public ¥366,599 vs private ¥1,741,516 (about 4.75×); 中学校 ¥542,450 vs ¥1,560,359; 高等学校 ¥596,954 vs ¥1,179,261. Private elementary alone averages roughly ¥1.37 million/year more than public.
What is juku (塾) and when do children start?
Juku are private after-school cram/tutoring schools — exam-prep (進学塾), remedial (補習塾), group or 1-on-1. 中学受験 (private-JHS exam) families typically start around 小3–小4; 高校受験 juku is common from 中1–中2.
How much does 中学受験 juku cost?
In metro areas it ramps from 小4 and peaks in 小6 at roughly ¥1,000,000–1,800,000 for the final year (大手塾 tuition + 季節講習 seasonal courses + 模試 mock exams). Regional areas run lower. It's the cost that most surprises foreign parents.
What is 通信教育 and how much is it?
Home correspondence learning — tablet or paper monthly courses (こどもちゃれんじ / 進研ゼミ / スマイルゼミ / Z会), typically ¥2,000–8,000/month by grade (Z会's exam-prep tracks run higher, ¥8,000–13,500). It's a far cheaper structure than juku, though not a full substitute for serious exam-track juku.
What is 児童手当 (child allowance) and how much?
A monthly government payment per child: ¥15,000 (ages 0–2), ¥10,000 (age 3 through high-school age), and ¥30,000 for a 3rd+ child. The income limit was abolished in October 2024, and it now runs through the March after a child turns 18. It's paid 6×/year. Over 18 years that's roughly ¥2.34 million per child.
Do foreign residents get 児童手当?
Yes — if your child resides in Japan, foreign-resident families qualify regardless of income. But it is not automatic: you must apply (認定請求) at your city office, and re-apply when circumstances change.
What is 就学援助?
Means-tested school aid for 小・中 students in economically-strained households (学校教育法 §19). It reimburses school supplies, 給食費 (meals), 修学旅行費 (school trips), commute costs and more. Each municipality sets its own eligibility threshold; you apply through the school or board of education.
How much is international school in Japan?
The most expensive option — tuition commonly runs roughly ¥1,500,000–2,500,000+/year (some Tokyo schools higher), plus enrollment/facility fees, and it isn't covered by 無償化 or the public system. It varies enormously by school; verify each school's actual fee schedule.
Can I use Junior NISA to save for education?
No — ジュニアNISA closed to new contributions at the end of 2023 and no longer accepts new money (existing holdings stay tax-free until the child turns 18). Families now use the current NISA (2024-onward, in an adult's name) for long-horizon tax-free growth. This is general information, not financial advice.
Are these numbers my exact cost?
No. School figures are 文科省 FY2023 survey averages (what families actually spent, not tuition sheets); 保育料 and juku are municipality/provider ranges. Your real cost will vary — confirm your own city's fees and your providers. This site is informational, not financial advice.