Talks between the ruling coalition, headed by the Liberal Democratic Party, and the opposition Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) are nearing an agreement to eliminate high school tuition and to provide free elementary and junior high school lunches.

The initiatives are expected to cost around 1 trillion yen ($6.65 billion) annually.

Serious concerns arise over how the coalition, which also includes the LDP’s junior partner, Komeito, has rushed to forge an agreement with the conservative opposition party on such expensive programs without adequate debate or establishing a permanent funding source.

There are valid arguments for adopting education policies aimed at reducing household financial burdens in the future.

However, the agreement reached by the two sides seems to be influenced more by political motivations, related to the passage of the government's budget proposal and the impending Upper House election, rather than educational efficacy.

Given the myriad challenges facing the nation's education system, such as the need to enhance school environments through increased staffing, it is puzzling why free education has been prioritized.

The three parties involved in these discussions must offer a compelling justification for this focus, explaining how it aligns with the broader educational needs and priorities of the nation.

The three parties have reached a consensus to abolish the existing 9.1 million yen annual income limit for households to qualify for up to 118,800 yen in assistance per student at public and private high schools, starting the next fiscal year.

Additionally, from fiscal 2026, they will eliminate the 5.9 million yen income threshold for extra aid to private high school students and increase the maximum support from the current 396,000 yen, adjusting the new cap in accordance with the actual tuition fees at private high schools.

The total annual budget for these initiatives, along with further measures to improve facilities at vocational high schools and provide scholarships for low-income families, is projected to be around 550 billion yen.

The bipartisan discussions have also resulted in a consensus to implement a free school lunch program.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced in the Diet that the government plans to introduce this program in elementary schools as early as fiscal 2026 and to extend it to junior high schools as soon as feasible.

While there is no reasonable objection to the concept of "food security" for children through free meals, the design of such a system requires careful consideration to ensure fairness and avoid potential issues.

Not all regions currently have school lunch programs, and most national and private junior high schools have yet to implement them. Another issue with the system will be how to accommodate children who are absent from classes or have dietary restrictions due to allergies.

In 2023, the Cabinet approved the "children's future strategy," which included a provision to conduct a survey aimed at implementing a free school lunch program.

Subsequent to this decision, a survey by the education ministry revealed that the majority of public elementary and junior high schools already provided school meals, with 30 percent of municipalities offering these meals free of charge and without income restrictions.

The survey also highlighted significant regional disparities in meal fees: for example, Toyama Prefecture reported the highest monthly fee for junior high school meals at 6,282 yen, which is nearly 1,800 yen more than that of Shiga Prefecture.

According to estimates from the education ministry, the national cost of providing school meals in public elementary and junior high schools totals approximately 483.2 billion yen.

Securing the substantial budget required to finance both free lunch programs and tuition-free high school education presents significant challenges. It would be inappropriate to reduce funding for other educational and children's programs merely to accommodate these initiatives.

These efforts should not serve as a precedent for utilizing education and children's policies as mechanisms for electoral gain or power retention.

The primary criterion for prioritizing educational policies should always be their potential to contribute to children's development and the broader societal foundation.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 21