June 12, 2025
A bill that will maintain teachers’ excessive working hours in exchange for a slight increase in monthly wages became law on June 11 at the House of Councilors plenary meeting with a majority vote of the ruling bloc and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the “Ishin” party, and the Democratic Party for the People.
The Japanese Communist Party and the “Reiwa” party voted against the bill to revise the special measures law on public school teachers’ salaries (the Act on Special Measures concerning Salaries and Other Conditions for Education Personnel of Public Compulsory Education Schools).
In discussions prior to the vote, JCP lawmaker Kira Yoshiko criticized the government for having no intention to eliminate teachers’ excessively long working hours because it refuses to count their overtime work as working hours.
Kira noted that the Liberal Democratic Party government in 1971 introduced the special measures law that exempts public school teachers from receiving overtime pay on the grounds that their working time is unquantifiable. Citing that public elementary and junior high school teachers work 11.5 hours on average per day, she said that many teachers are overwhelmed by excessive working hours and workloads.
Under the revised law, “adjustment allowances” paid in lieu of overtime pay will be increased to 10% of monthly salaries in stages from the current 4% for elementary and junior high school teachers while those allowances for teachers at special needs schools for students with disabilities will be reduced.
Kira pointed out that this measure represents the government’s position of regarding special needs education less important, demanding the withdrawal of cuts in adjustment allowances for special school teachers.
Kira said that the government should take measures to increase the number of teachers to address the issue of teachers’ excessive working hours.
Past related article:
> ILO and UNESCO recommend that Japan pay public school teachers proper overtime [May 14, 2025]
The Japanese Communist Party and the “Reiwa” party voted against the bill to revise the special measures law on public school teachers’ salaries (the Act on Special Measures concerning Salaries and Other Conditions for Education Personnel of Public Compulsory Education Schools).
In discussions prior to the vote, JCP lawmaker Kira Yoshiko criticized the government for having no intention to eliminate teachers’ excessively long working hours because it refuses to count their overtime work as working hours.
Kira noted that the Liberal Democratic Party government in 1971 introduced the special measures law that exempts public school teachers from receiving overtime pay on the grounds that their working time is unquantifiable. Citing that public elementary and junior high school teachers work 11.5 hours on average per day, she said that many teachers are overwhelmed by excessive working hours and workloads.
Under the revised law, “adjustment allowances” paid in lieu of overtime pay will be increased to 10% of monthly salaries in stages from the current 4% for elementary and junior high school teachers while those allowances for teachers at special needs schools for students with disabilities will be reduced.
Kira pointed out that this measure represents the government’s position of regarding special needs education less important, demanding the withdrawal of cuts in adjustment allowances for special school teachers.
Kira said that the government should take measures to increase the number of teachers to address the issue of teachers’ excessive working hours.
Past related article:
> ILO and UNESCO recommend that Japan pay public school teachers proper overtime [May 14, 2025]
