Japanese School Systems and Characteristics of Hyogo Prefecture

In Japan, children are required to study at elementary school for 6 years and junior high school for 3 years. If they go to a public school, the cost is free, and each student usually attends the nearest school to his/her house.
If they wish to study further, they enroll at high school for 3 years, at university for 4 years (at junior college for 2 years) and graduate schools for 5 years. Students must pass an entrance exam to enter these schools. Since April 2010, a tuition fee has not been required to enter public high schools, though students are required to bear the cost of textbooks.
As regards early childhood education, children aged 3 are allowed to enter a preschool.
In Japan, the academic year starts in April and ends in March. Usually, there are three semesters; the first semester from April to July, the second semester from September to December and the third semester from January to March. Students take long vacations in summer (the last 10 days of July and all of August), winter (from the last 10 days of December to the beginning of January), and spring (from the last 10 days of March to beginning of April.)
There are 3 categories of schools: national, public (prefectural or municipal) and private.
In Hyogo, subject teachers have gradually been in charge of the classes of the 5th and 6th grade elementary school children, as in junior high school. The goal is that elementary school children become accustomed to this teaching method by the time they enter junior high school. Schools are also encouraged to organize classes with a small number of children in order that children can better learn the class content. These are the characteristics of Hyogo Prefecture’s education policy, which is planned to be realized at all public schools in the academic year 2012.
In addition, 2nd grade junior high school students are required to take part in the internship program named “Try-Yaru (Trial) Week” (“Yaru” means “to do” in Japanese.) Through obtaining short-term working experience in business offices, nursing homes, or factories, they are expected to realize the value and satisfaction of work, which will help them plan their careers in the future.