Japan's central government plans new subsidy program from fiscal 2027 to support public high schools as private tuition becomes free

The education ministry plans to significantly expand financial support for prefectural governments to help make public high schools more attractive to students, following the effective elimination of private high school tuition from the current fiscal year.

The central government set up a fund of about ¥300 billion under the supplementary budget for fiscal 2025, which ended in March, and plans to launch a new subsidy program from fiscal 2027 onward.

The initiative was prompted by concerns over a fall in applications to public high schools, which are established and operated by prefectural governments, after private high school tuition was made free.