Number of out-of-school learning facilities Japan 2023, by institution type

In 2023, nearly six thousand supplementary tutorial schools, or cram schools, were registered in Japan. That year, those tutorial schools generated a sales revenue of more than 1.1 trillion Japanese yen. Apart from tutorial schools and their academic classes, other popular institutions were those offering foreign language courses or sports and health instruction.

 Tutorial schools and entrance examinations

It is common for children in Japan to attend tutoring institutions, so-called juku, to attain better grades at schools or to prepare for entrance examinations for schools they wish to enroll in. Enrollment in any Japanese school (except for public elementary and secondary schools) is preceded by entrance examinations, which usually take place in winter. Typically, subjects such as Japanese, English, math, history, and social studies are all covered in these tests. The number of Japanese students attending supplementary tutorial schools has surpassed 14 million annually in recent years. Similarly, the number of instructors employed at tutorial schools in Japan exceeded 130 thousand lately.

Cram schools are essential for Japanese children

Despite declining birth rates in Japan and a thereby shrinking student body, entrance exams continue to become more difficult and competitive year by year. Cram schools continue to report substantial profits, as parents with fewer children are willing to invest even more in their child’s extracurricular education and additional classes. Even with the pressure concomitant with the expectations towards students, it is worth mentioning that tutorial schools are also a place of community for many, especially children with parents working full-time. They offer children a learning environment among peers, instead of studying alone at home.