More Municipalities in Japan Providing Educational Support for Low-Income Families, Single-Parent Households

By Arisa Fujii and Michiko Otsuka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

13:24 JST, September 13, 2025

More municipal governments have begun to provide assistance to students whose families face difficult financial situations in order to eliminate disparities in educational opportunities.

In October, Nerima Ward, Tokyo, will begin providing junior high and high school students from single-parent households with coupons that can be used at cram schools and other educational facilities.

According to the ward office, parents living in the ward who receive public child-rearing allowances or are single parents with similar income levels will receive the electronic coupon on the condition that they are not receiving welfare assistance or other such allowances.

Coupons for junior high students will be ¥100,000 and those for high school students will be ¥150,000, both of which will be valid through fiscal 2025 and can be applied to cram schools or private tutors associated with the ward office.

To encourage students to prepare early for higher education, coupons will only be provided for first- and second-year junior high and high school students.

The ward office said the coupon system is the first of its kind in Tokyo.

According to a 2022 Nerima Ward survey, when asked about their financial worries, the most common response, at 47.3%, was that they could not afford to have their child or children attend cram school or join extracurricular activities.

Unlike public child-rearing allowances, the coupons can only be used for educational expenses. The ward office hopes the coupons will directly help children expand their educational opportunities.

“If students do not have the opportunity to enroll in higher education, they might face disadvantages in getting jobs in the future,” said an official at the livelihood welfare division of the ward office. “I hope the coupons will help break the cycle of poverty.”

Working directly with students

Some municipal governments in Tokyo are working directly with students to help them further their education.

Shinjuku Ward has implemented a one-on-one tutoring program for junior high and high school students who cannot afford cram schools.

The ward also began conducting home visits for students in fourth grade or older since last fiscal year. Instructors from entrusted entities provide individual tutoring while advising them about their future and listening to their concerns.

Setagaya Ward has set up free study sessions run by university students and working adults who volunteer for the program. Shinagawa Ward is working to help elementary, junior high and high school students through specialized teaching materials to help them prepare for entrance exams as well as provide counselling.

Central govt assistance needed

According to the Tokyo metropolitan government’s Bureau of Social Welfare, there were an estimated 144,500 single-mother households and an estimated 12,900 single-father households in Tokyo in 2024.

A fiscal 2022 metropolitan government survey on 448 single-parent households showed that about 30% of single-mother households had an annual income of under ¥2 million and only 40% worked as regular employees.

“Many single parents can barely make ends meet, so they don’t have the time to pay attention to their children’s education,” said Keio University Prof. Makiko Nakamuro, who is an expert on educational economics.

“Support is usually provided by municipalities, so the level of support varies,” said Nakamuro. “In order to prevent disparities in support, the central government should step in and provide financial assistance.”