The Ministry of Education announced an improvement plan to reduce kindergarten education gaps when teachers are absent. The plan focuses on substitute staffing, teacher leave rights and more consistent support across public and private kindergartens.
The Ministry of Education newly designated or amended five higher education innovation special zones and granted 16 regulatory exceptions. The measure expands regulatory flexibility for non-metropolitan universities, including joint degrees with junior colleges and wider facility leasing rules.
The Ministry of Education selected 16 schools in 10 regions for the third round of agreement-type specialized high schools. The selected schools will prepare in the second half of 2026 and begin recruiting new students from 2027.
The Ministry of Education selected five consortia for a new support project linking vocational high school and junior college curricula. The change is designed to create smoother technical education pathways from secondary vocational programs into specialized higher vocational education.
The Ministry of Education selected 118 schools to establish AI convergence education rooms, backed by KRW 16.7 billion in national funding. The measure adds dedicated AI and STEAM learning spaces to selected elementary and secondary schools.
A MEXT expert panel published a report setting out policy directions for improving education for foreign pupils and students who need Japanese-language support. The report is a policy roadmap rather than a fully implemented rule change.
MEXT and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism compiled new measures to secure safety during school-related travel by motor vehicle. The measures respond to a serious May 2026 accident during travel for extracurricular activity.
MEXT published the March 2026 status of school-route traffic safety actions and instructed education authorities and schools to continue safety work with police and road managers. The notice also asks schools and local authorities to communicate safety-program information publicly.
MEXT issued a national notice requiring schools and school operators to thoroughly conduct fire and disaster safety checks after a school fire in Tokyo. The notice applies across national, public, and private schools.
MEXT published planned enrollment-capacity changes for private universities, one national university, and one national college of technology from the 2027 academic year. The list includes new or expanded programs in fields such as information engineering, digital media, nursing, architecture and design, and green and digital engineering.