Introduction: Why Education for Foreign Children Matters Now More Than Ever

In FY2026, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) plans to revise regulations under the School Education Act to officially recognize Japanese-language support staff and mother-tongue support staff as formal “school staff.”

At first glance, this may seem like an education-sector issue with limited broader impact. However, for companies employing foreign talent—especially business owners and HR professionals—this development has direct implications for long-term retention.

Why? Because whether foreign employees stay in Japan long-term depends not only on their working conditions, but significantly on their family’s overall quality of life.
Among various factors, their children’s educational environment plays a critically important role.

In this article, we’ll examine the background and content of this legal reform, explore how it affects foreign talent recruitment and retention, and provide practical guidance from the perspective of a certified administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) specializing in immigration procedures on how companies should respond.

1. Background: The Growing Number of Children Requiring Japanese Language Support

1-1. Current Situation of Children Needing Japanese Language Instruction

According to MEXT surveys, as of May 2023, approximately 69,000 students in public elementary, junior high, and high schools require Japanese language instruction. This represents nearly double (about 1.9 times the 2014 figure).

Several factors drive this increase:

  • Rise in technical intern trainees and specified skilled workers: A broader range of residence statuses that allow family members to join
  • Settlement of international students: Graduates securing employment in Japan and bringing their families
  • Increase in international marriages: Growing diversity among children born to Japanese spouses

As Japan’s society becomes increasingly multicultural, educational institutions face urgent pressure to accommodate children for whom Japanese is not their first language.

1-2. Current Support Systems and Their Limitations

Currently, schools rely on the following personnel to support Japanese language instruction:

  • Japanese-language support staff: Approximately 7,800 (FY2023)
  • Mother-tongue support staff: Approximately 6,300 (FY2023)

While these numbers may seem adequate, more than one-third of these positions are filled by volunteers.

This creates several challenges:

  • Lack of stable employment
  • Many lack specialized training
  • Difficulty providing consistent, ongoing support

Without formal recognition in legislation, securing budget allocations remains difficult, leaving support systems fragile and inadequate.

2. What the Legal Reform Changes: Making Support Staff Official School Staff

2-1. What’s Actually Changing?

This amendment will clearly define Japanese-language support staff and mother-tongue support staff as official “staff” under the revised regulations of the School Education Act.

Expected outcomes include:

  • Clear legal foundation: Easier budget allocation
  • Formal staff appointments: Moving away from volunteer dependency
  • Enhanced professionalism: Development of training programs and certification systems
  • Improved quality and quantity of support: Enabling consistent, specialized assistance for children

2-2. Implementation Timeline

MEXT aims to revise the regulations under the School Education Act during fiscal year 2026.
This means the new framework may take effect as early as April 2027.

3. Why Should Business Owners and HR Professionals Pay Attention?

3-1. Foreign Talent Retention and Family Satisfaction

Recruiting talented foreign workers is only the first step—retaining them is equally crucial.
To improve retention rates, companies must look beyond individual working conditions to the overall quality of life for employees’ families.

For foreign employees with children, whether their children can thrive in school without isolation and feel secure in their learning environment significantly influences their decision to remain in Japan.

3-2. A Real-World Case Study

At one manufacturing company, an exceptional Vietnamese employee who transitioned from technical intern to specified skilled worker status brought his family to Japan.
However, his child struggled to adjust at elementary school, facing language barriers that led to truancy issues.
Ultimately, the employee resigned, stating he wanted to “return home for my child’s sake.”

Cases like this are not uncommon.

Conversely, in many cases, stronger school support correlates with better retention among foreign employees.

3-3. How This Reform Benefits Companies

As this legal reform strengthens Japanese language instruction in schools:

  • Children of foreign employees can receive education with confidence
  • Overall family satisfaction improves
  • Employee retention rates increase
  • Corporate talent strategies become more stable

This creates a virtuous cycle directly impacting recruitment cost reduction, organizational strength, and competitive advantage.

4. The Certified Administrative Scrivener’s Perspective

4-1. Visa Approval Isn’t Enough

As certified administrative scriveners (gyoseishoshi) specializing in immigration procedures, we support foreign talent daily with visa applications and residence status renewals.
However, obtaining a visa is just the beginning—it’s far from the end.

In fact, settlement support after arrival is essential for foreign talent retention.

Three critical elements include:

  • Securing housing
  • Access to healthcare and social services
  • Children’s educational environment

4-2. Educational Environment as Part of Talent Strategy

When recruiting foreign talent, companies typically focus on visa procedures and working conditions.
However, from a long-term perspective, creating an environment where families can live with peace of mind should be considered an integral part of talent strategy.

This legal reform represents governmental backing for such environmental improvements, creating favorable conditions for companies.

4-3. What Companies Can Do

So what concrete steps should companies take?

① Provide Information

  • Inform foreign employees about local Japanese language classes and school support programs
  • Explain this legal reform in accessible terms

② Conduct Internal Training

  • Ensure HR staff deepen their knowledge of family support for foreign talent
  • Include educational environment topics in diversity training programs

③ Partner with Communities

  • Collaborate with local governments and boards of education to verify support systems for foreign employees’ children
  • Participate in community multicultural coexistence initiatives as a company

④ Consult Specialists

  • Work with certified administrative scriveners and immigration specialists for comprehensive support including family settlement assistance

5. From the Perspective of Foreign Parents

5-1. Isolation Caused by Language Barriers

Children for whom Japanese is not their first language face significant challenges in school life:

  • Unable to understand lesson content
  • Difficulty communicating with classmates
  • Parents also struggle with limited Japanese proficiency, making school communication difficult

Consequently, children become isolated, leading to truancy, declining academic performance, and diminished self-esteem.

5-2. The Importance of Mother-Tongue Support

Not only Japanese language instruction, but mother-tongue learning support is critically important.
Without developed thinking skills in their mother tongue, children struggle with Japanese language learning as well.

Mother-tongue support staff provide children the reassurance of “understanding in my own language,” boosting their motivation to learn.

5-3. Parental Peace of Mind

Additionally, mother-tongue support staff facilitate communication between parents and schools for consultations.
This strengthens home-school collaboration and creates a robust framework supporting children’s development.

6. Post-Reform Outlook: What’s Next?

6-1. Increased Staff and Enhanced Expertise

Clear legal recognition should facilitate budget allocation, leading to increased numbers of support staff.
Furthermore, establishment of training and certification systems should improve support quality.

6-2. Reducing Regional Disparities

Currently, Japanese language instruction systems vary dramatically by region.
While relatively robust in urban areas, many rural regions face significant support shortages.

This reform is expected to establish nationwide minimum standards of support accessibility.

6-3. Opportunities for Companies

With improved educational environments, even rural companies can more easily recruit foreign talent.
This presents significant opportunities for regional businesses struggling with labor shortages.

7. Conclusion: Educational Infrastructure Enhances Corporate Competitiveness

This legal reform extends beyond educational institutions alone.
For companies employing foreign talent, it represents crucial social infrastructure development that improves retention rates and strengthens organizational capacity.

Immediate Action Steps for Companies

  1. Gather information: Verify local Japanese language instruction systems
  2. Share information: Inform foreign employees about available support programs
  3. Conduct training: Ensure HR staff understand the importance of family support
  4. Partner with specialists: Consult certified administrative scriveners and immigration experts to build comprehensive support frameworks

How We Can Help

Our firm provides not only visa application and residence status support, but also information about education and daily life to help foreign talent and their families settle comfortably in Japan.

Whether you’re considering recruiting foreign talent or already employ foreign workers, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We offer practical advice informed by the latest developments in legal reforms.

Final Thoughts

Japan stands at a major turning point toward becoming a truly multicultural society.
To welcome foreign talent not merely as “labor resources” but as partners in building our shared future, we must create environments where both employees and their families can live with confidence and security.

This legal reform represents the first step.
Let’s work together—companies, government, communities, and specialists—to realize a genuine multicultural society.

🔗 Reference Article
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/3c662d3fc02b897a745d355a6a1dfc46630d1a42

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