March 27, 2026

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Kira Yoshiko at a House of Councillors education committee meeting on March 26 demanded that the government apply the high school tuition-free program to all students regardless of their nationality and visa status.

In the committee, a bill to revise the high school tuition-free program to enhance private high school tuition subsidies is under discussion.

Kira pointed out that under the bill, foreign students attending Japanese high schools need to meet certain eligibility requirements to receive subsidies, including their willingness to work in Japan and intention to settle permanently in Japan in the future. She said that this treatment of foreign students constitutes racial discrimination.

Furthermore, Kira noted that high school students holding a “student” residence status are not covered by the program. She said that among them are those who were born and raised in Japan. She explained that their visa category was changed to “student” from “dependent” due to circumstances such as the deportation of parents and parental divorce.

Kira said that it is unacceptable for the government to deprive children of their right to learn based on their visa status, and demanded amendments to the bill.