School Non-Attendance and Free Schools in Numbers353,970 in Japan, 2,228 in Saga, 353 in Karatsu, 84 schools for diverse learning

In FY2024, 353,970 elementary and junior high school pupils in Japan were absent for 30 days or more as "non-attendance" (137,704 elementary, 216,266 junior high). The number rose for the 12th year in a row to a record, but the increase slowed to 2.2% from 15.9% the year before (MEXT, "Summary of the FY2024 survey on problem behaviour, non-attendance and other issues"). Saga Prefecture had 2,228 and Karatsu 353.

This page was created by Karatsu Farm & Food as part of the Karatsu Data Bank. It sets out, as published, figures from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Children and Families Agency and local authorities on non-attendance and on the number and cost of places to learn outside school. We add no conclusions or evaluations. Individual children's or families' circumstances are not covered.

In this survey, non-attendance means pupils absent for 30 days or more in a year who do not or cannot attend school for psychological, emotional, physical or social reasons (excluding illness and financial reasons). As of 11 November 2026 the latest results on the MEXT site are for FY2024 (MEXT survey page).

Non-attendance in Japan over time

Non-attendance among elementary and junior high pupils rose from 122,897 in FY2014 to 353,970 in FY2024, about 2.9 times in ten years; per 1,000 pupils, from 12.1 to 38.6. In high schools, non-attendance was 67,782 in FY2024, down 988 on the year (MEXT).

FY2014122,897

FY2016133,683

FY2018164,528

FY2020196,127

FY2021244,940

FY2022299,048

FY2023346,482

FY2024353,970

New cases in FY2024 (pupils not counted as non-attending the year before) were 153,828, the first fall in nine years (MEXT). The most common facts schools noted were consultations about lack of motivation for school life (30.1%), irregular daily rhythm (25.0%) and anxiety or depression (24.3%) (Cabinet written answer, 28 November 2025).

Saga Prefecture and Karatsu

In FY2024, 2,228 pupils at national, public and private elementary and junior high schools in Saga were in non-attendance (858 elementary, 1,370 junior high). Elementary rose by 73 from 785 to a record; junior high fell by 25 from 1,395. Per 1,000 pupils this is 19.7 at elementary and 57.7 at junior high (Saga Prefectural Board of Education).

In Karatsu, non-attendance at elementary and junior high schools was 352 in FY2023 (141 elementary, 211 junior high) and 353 in FY2024 (141 elementary, 212 junior high). As a share of enrolled pupils this was 3.71% in FY2023 (national 3.79%, Saga 3.19%) and 3.83% in FY2024. The Karatsu City Board of Education explained that the number was almost unchanged and the share rose slightly because total enrolment fell (Karatsu City, Board of Education minutes, September 2025).

Area	FY2023	FY2024	FY2024 breakdown
Japan	346,482	353,970	Elem. 137,704; JH 216,266
Saga Prefecture	2,180	2,228	Elem. 858; JH 1,370
Karatsu	352	353	Elem. 141; JH 212

According to the same minutes, the Karatsu Youth Support Centre received 311 consultations about non-attendance in FY2024, about 25% of all consultations. A survey in September 2024 found that 47 of 134 pupils absent for 30 days or more (35.1%) were learning with their school-issued devices. Karatsu runs an education support room called "Smile" (Karatsu City, "Where to consult about non-attendance").

Fukuoka Prefecture

Non-attendance at public elementary and junior high schools in Fukuoka Prefecture was 19,307 in FY2024. The Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education reports that 68.4% at elementary and 64.5% at junior high received counselling or guidance inside or outside school, both above the national level. In FY2025 the prefecture opened a course for diverse learning at the prefectural Ogori High School, the first at a public high school (MEXT, Board of Education Monthly, June 2026). Fukuoka City opened Momochi Matsubara Junior High School as a school for diverse learning in April 2025 (Fukuoka City, "Support for non-attendance").

Where children receive counselling and guidance

Of the pupils in non-attendance in FY2024, 121,375 (34.3%) received specialist counselling or guidance at organisations outside school, 154,794 (43.7%) received it inside school, and 135,724 (38.3%) received it neither inside nor outside school. 42,978 were recorded as attending because of guidance outside school (MEXT figures as reported by ReseEd).

Received specialist support inside school154,794

Received it at organisations outside school121,375

Received it neither inside nor outside school135,724

Counted as attending through support outside school42,978

Places to learn outside the classroom

Education support centres run by boards of education rose from 1,388 at the end of FY2016, when the Act on Educational Opportunities took effect, to 1,873 at the end of FY2024 (Cabinet written answer). In-school support centres, using spare classrooms and the like, were in about 59% of public elementary and junior high schools in June 2025. Schools for diverse learning, which can set special curricula for pupils in non-attendance, numbered 84 in April 2026 (MEXT, Board of Education Monthly, June 2026). The government aims for 300 such schools in the future (MEXT paper, April 2025).

The first national survey of private free schools and similar places (2015) covered 474 facilities and groups. Among those that responded, about 4,200 children of compulsory school age were enrolled and average monthly fees were about JPY 33,000 (MEXT, Free School Review Meeting paper, 2016, Children and Families Agency commissioned report, 2025).

Free school fees and subsidies

In a Tokyo survey (April to September 2023), the average monthly tuition paid to free schools was JPY 43,004 (Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education). Close to 90% of parents in both the FY2022 and FY2023 surveys said the cost was a burden or somewhat a burden (Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, summary report).

Subsidies differ by local authority. Tokyo pays parents of elementary and junior high pupils in non-attendance who attend free schools up to JPY 20,000 a month, with 3,757 grants approved in FY2025 (Tokyo Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sports). Fukuoka Prefecture subsidises the non-profit organisations running free schools, not parents, up to JPY 2 million per facility (Fukuoka Prefecture free school support grant). In Saga, the Saga Prefectural Board of Education's guide for parents states that Omachi Town subsidises the costs for local children attending the prefectural education support centre "Shiinoki" or free schools (Saga Prefectural Board of Education, guide for parents).

What free schools do

In the 2015 national survey, about 90% of responding facilities offered individual study and counselling, and more than 70% each offered social experiences, nature experiences, cooking, arts and sports (MEXT paper, 2016).

In the Tokyo survey, the activities that children at free schools most often chose as fun or interesting were "thinking up and planning things they want to do", "cultural and arts activities at the facility (cooking, music, crafts and so on)" and "nature experiences (nature observation, farming and so on)", in that order (Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education).

Thinking up and planning things they want to do979 points

Cultural and arts activities at the facility (cooking, music, crafts)620 points

Nature experiences (nature observation, farming)567 points

Sports455 points

Drill study on their own379 points

Social experiences (factory visits, work experience)190 points

Bringing hands-on activities to learners

We go out to schools and communities with environmental education (ESD): making things from plastic and bottle caps collected from the sea, beach clean-ups, and nature observation at the OECM site "Yokomakura". We also welcome enquiries about visiting places of learning outside school, such as free schools and education support centres. See ESD.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. How many elementary and junior high pupils in Japan are in non-attendance?

According to MEXT, 353,970 in FY2024 (137,704 elementary, 216,266 junior high). It rose for the 12th year to a record, but the increase slowed to 2.2% from 15.9% the year before. There were 67,782 high school students.

Q2. What are the figures for Saga and Karatsu?

According to the Saga Prefectural Board of Education, 2,228 elementary and junior high pupils in FY2024 (858 elementary, 1,370 junior high). According to the Karatsu City Board of Education, Karatsu had 353 (141 elementary, 212 junior high), 3.83% of enrolled pupils.

Q3. How much do free schools cost?

In the 2015 national survey, average monthly fees were about JPY 33,000. In a 2023 Tokyo survey, average monthly tuition paid was JPY 43,004. Costs vary widely by facility.

Q4. Are there subsidies for free school fees?

It depends on the local authority. Tokyo pays parents up to JPY 20,000 a month. Fukuoka Prefecture subsidises the non-profit organisations running free schools (up to JPY 2 million). In Saga, the Saga Prefectural Board of Education's guide states that Omachi Town subsidises the costs.

Q5. How many schools for diverse learning are there?

According to MEXT, 84 nationally in April 2026. In Kyushu they include Fukuoka City's Momochi Matsubara Junior High School (opened April 2025) and a course at Fukuoka Prefectural Ogori High School (from FY2025).

Sources

Notes on reading the figures

The national figure (353,970) covers national, public and private elementary and junior high schools. Fukuoka's 19,307 covers public schools only. Karatsu's figure is the one the Karatsu City Board of Education gave at its meeting. The FY2023 shares for Japan and Saga are those in the board's answer.

Because one pupil can receive support both inside and outside school, the counts by place of support do not add up to the number in non-attendance. Free school numbers and fees come from the 2015 national survey and from the Tokyo survey (of children at Tokyo public schools) and do not represent a current national average. We will update this page when the FY2025 results are published.

What this page does not cover

Individual children's or families' circumstances, analysis of causes, medical or psychological information, and introductions to or evaluations of individual free schools are not covered. For help, please contact the child's school or the local board of education or education support centre. The number of schoolchildren in Karatsu is in Number of schoolchildren compared nationally and NPO corporations in Saga in NPO corporations in Saga.

Citing this page and enquiries

To cite figures on this page or to ask about visiting lessons, please use our contact page or write to info@karatsu-f-f.com.

About this page

Created by Hiroaki Kojima (Vice Director, Karatsu Farm & Food) / Contact: info@karatsu-f-f.com (contact form) / Published: November 11, 2026 / Markdown: futoko-freeschool-data.md

This page was made together with AI. See this data bank and AI for how.

Related links

▶ Karatsu Data Bank
▶ ESD (our environmental education)
▶ Number of schoolchildren compared nationally
▶ NPO corporations in Saga
▶ Remote island statistics
▶ 不登校とフリースクールのデータ（日本語）