Photo/Illutration Officials partly attribute the continued rise in absenteeism to shifting societal attitudes, including the growing belief that attending school should not be compulsory. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japan is grappling with a growing crisis of school absenteeism, as new education ministry data shows a record number of elementary and junior high students avoiding the classroom.

This trend has persisted for more than a decade, even as efforts to reverse it begin to show signs of progress.

According to the education ministry's survey, 353,970 elementary and junior high school students were classified as chronically absent in fiscal 2024, meaning they missed at least 30 days of school for reasons other than illness or financial hardship.

This marks the highest number ever recorded and represents the 12th consecutive year of increase.

However, the pace of growth has slowed significantly, with a 2.2 percent rise from the previous year—a notable drop compared to the 15.9 percent surge in fiscal 2023.

Officials interpret this slowdown as a sign that intervention measures may be starting to take effect.

The breakdown of the data reveals that absenteeism among elementary school students rose by 5.6 percent to nearly 138,000, while the increase among junior high students was marginal, reaching approximately 216,000.

Overall, 3.9 percent of all elementary and junior high students were chronically absent. In contrast, high school absenteeism declined slightly, affecting roughly 68,000 students.

The ministry attributes part of the long-term rise in absenteeism to changing societal attitudes, particularly following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Legislation introduced in 2016 emphasized the importance of rest and alternative learning environments for children. Pandemic-era school closures further normalized the idea that attending school should not be compulsory.

Meanwhile, the number of newly identified absentees dropped for the first time in nine years, falling by over 11,000 to approximately 153,000.

Despite this decline, the ministry remains concerned that schools often fail to respond quickly to signs of distress in students, which can lead to prolonged absenteeism.

More than 70 percent of students in the latest survey were already noted as chronically absent the previous fiscal year.

OUTSIDE LEARNING APPROVED

To address the issue, the ministry has expanded alternative learning spaces within schools and increased the number of school counselors and other specialists.

Officials are also promoting a team-based approach to support teachers by involving staff from both inside and outside the school as well as offering consultation services for parents.

In recent years, students who meet certain criteria have been allowed to count off-campus learning as official attendance. In fiscal 2024, more than 56,000 chronically absent students benefited from this policy.

The ministry went on to clarify that off-campus learning achievements can be reflected in official school records.

For the first time, the ministry's survey examined how these achievements were evaluated, finding that more than 81,000 students had their external learning documented, and nearly 66,000 received formal grades based on it.

The ministry is considering new policies in the upcoming curriculum guidelines that would allow for individualized learning plans and evaluations tailored to non-attending students.

The survey also shed light on other troubling trends in schools.

Reports of bullying rose by 4.9 percent, reaching a record 769,022 cases. More than 1,400 instances were classified as serious incidents that caused physical or psychological harm.

Violent acts in schools surged by 18.2 percent to 128,859, also a record high.

The number of student suicides increased by 4 percent to 413, just shy of the record high set in fiscal 2020.

The ministry described the suicide rate as “extremely alarming,” underscoring the urgent need for continued mental health and safety interventions in schools.

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