How One School in Tokyo Is Navigating a More Diverse Japan

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At Ikebukuro Elementary School, a public school in Tokyo's Toshima Ward near Ikebukuro Station, roughly 30% of students come from foreign backgrounds. In response to this environment, the school has developed distinctive programs such as Japanese-language classes and an international understanding week.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the number of foreign residents in Japan stood at 4.12 million at the end of last year, up 9.5% from a year earlier and topping four million for the first time.

As Japan's foreign population continues to grow, the school's efforts may offer one possible model for the future of education.

Congratulations in Japanese

On the afternoon of April 8, with cherry blossoms fluttering in the mild spring air, Ikebukuro Elementary School held its entrance ceremony in the gymnasium. Surrounded by parents, guests, and teachers, the new first graders sat in the center of the hall. Facing them, 36 second-year students stood in neat rows on a tiered platform and welcomed the newcomers in Japanese with messages such as, "Congratulations on your enrollment," "We couldn't wait to meet you," and "How are you feeling today?"

Nine of the second graders delivering those memorized lines were children with foreign roots who attend the school's Japanese-language class. Among the first graders listening intently were children from countries including the United States, Italy, and Nepal. In his address, Principal Masao Yamaguchi described the school as "a place where multicultural coexistence is part of everyday life."

A Changing Student Population

Ikebukuro Elementary was established in 2005 through the merger of the former Taimei Elementary School and Ikebukuro No. 5 Elementary School, and is now in its 22nd year.

With a broad school district that includes the busy area northwest of Ikebukuro Station, home to many foreign residents, it is one of the schools in Japan with the largest share of children from foreign backgrounds.

While Chinese students once made up the majority of its foreign enrollment, the school has become more diverse in recent years, with children from countries including Nepal, the US, and Sweden.

One of the school's stated goals is to nurture children who respect different cultures and care for others. To help ensure that the roughly 30% of students with different nationalities and roots can learn and live together without barriers, the school has developed its own set of initiatives.

50 Hours to Build a Foundation in Japanese

One of Ikebukuro Elementary School's most distinctive programs is its Japanese-language class, which helps children learn Japanese as the language used in the classroom.

At the introductory stage, students receive around 50 hours of instruction, usually during Japanese class periods and separate from their regular homeroom. There, they focus on the basics of the language, including grammar.

After that, they work through selected material from first-grade textbooks, gradually building up to lessons at their own grade level. Depending on their progress, students may remain in the program for up to four years.

Fifth-grade students explain the Japanese-language class to first graders. (courtesy of Ikebukuro Elementary School)

In the upper grades, as subjects become more specialized, the school also provides support beyond Japanese-language classes. Teachers go over difficult terms in simple Japanese beforehand to help students grasp the meaning before lessons begin. At present, six teachers work with about 50 children in the program.

"What matters most is helping children feel that school in Japan is enjoyable," Kuniko Yasui, who headed the Japanese-language class through the last school year, said. "But it is also important for their future to clearly teach them rules, such as the need to always meet deadlines for assignments."

International Understanding Week

The school's distinctive culture is also reflected in its schoolwide international understanding week, a weeklong event held three times a year. The main attraction is the international understanding festival, where children in the Japanese-language program introduce their home countries and sometimes perform dances in their traditional dress.

During recess, students can also try playground games from around the world in the gymnasium. The activity is so popular that participation sometimes has to be limited by grade level to keep the crowds under control.

The week also extends to school lunch. With help from the school nutritionist, students are served traditional dishes from different countries. "When food from their own country is served, the children happily say things like, 'The real thing is much spicier,' as they eat," Vice Principal Emiko Umetsu said. "It's a joy to watch."

At the same time, the school offers many chances to experience traditional Japanese culture. Students try activities such as koto, shamisen, flower arrangement, and kyogen. In one video shown to this reporter, children from China and Nepal were playing the traditional melody 'Sakura, Sakura' on the koto.

A Model for the Future

With the number of foreign residents in Japan continuing to climb year after year, Principal Yamaguchi said, "Our school is at the forefront. The next step is to share what we have learned in practice so that other schools can put it to use as well."

Vice Principal Emiko Umetsu added, "I hope children of foreign nationality can also grow up in Japan happily and with confidence."

Ikebukuro Elementary's efforts may offer a model for the future of education in Japan—and the school intends to keep building on them.