Sankei reports citing internal data from Japan’s Ministry of Education
The Sankei Shimbun reported on the 11th that the number of metropolitan local governments providing subsidies to Japanese Korean schools has decreased, falling below 100 for the first time.
Citing internal data from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the newspaper reported that in 2022, 93 metropolitan governments provided subsidies to Joseon schools and families with children attending Chosun schools.
Specifically, 10 provinces, prefectures, and prefectures, including Aichi and Hyogo, and 83 cities, including Kyoto City, Yokohama City, and Kawasaki City. It was a city, district(?), and village. This is the first time that the number of schools providing subsidies to Joseon schools is below 100.
Based on the number of local governments, this is a decrease of more than 20% compared to 2016, when there were 121 local governments.
The total amount of subsidies from metropolitan local governments to Joseon schools in 2022 was 230.64 million yen (about 2.07 billion won), a decrease of 8.14 million yen (about 73 million won) from the previous year.
According to Japan’s school education law, Joseon schools are not recognized as ‘schools’. Metropolitan local governments approve Joseon School as a ‘various school.’ Each local government has established its own system to provide subsidies.
Local government subsidies are paid directly by schools for operating expenses, etc., or provided to families as support for parents. The operation method varies depending on the region.
In Japan, Korean schools are discriminated against, including being excluded from the free education policy.
Japan’s policy of free education began in 2010 when the Democratic Party was in power, but after the government was replaced by the Liberal Democratic Party, Joseon schools were excluded from the target in 2013 due to issues such as North Korea’s kidnapping of Japanese nationals.
As of May 1 last year, there were a total of 57 Korean schools in Japan. Among these, four schools are closed. In addition to Korean nationality, children of Korean and Japanese nationality also attend Joseon schools.
Joseon School has kindergarten, elementary, intermediate, advanced, and university levels, and school consolidation is in progress due to a recent decrease in the number of students. Some schools remain closed.
Source: Donga
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