What’s the legal situation for homeschoolers in Japan? Join host Mike Smith as Church and Home Educators Association of Japan founder and president Hiro Inaba shares some of the struggles and victories Japanese homeschoolers are facing, today on Home School Heartbeat.
Mike Smith: Parents who began homeschooling met with a lot of suspicion in Japan, but it seems homeschooling has grown in popularity over the last decade. What is the current cultural and legal status of homeschooling in Japan, Hiro?
Hiro Inaba: Mike, if we ask the Japanese government about homeschooling, they will say that it is an illegal act. The Japanese constitution and the United States constitution are very similar. Freedom of basic human rights, freedom of education, parent’s rights, freedom of faith, freedom of study, and other articles of human rights issues support homeschooling. Chea Japan has informed the homeschooling families about the legal background and about the compulsive education law. A top class bureaucrat told me, “If parents decide to do homeschooling, the only thing we can do is send a letter to them that says that they are doing illegal things.” That means that if parents choose to continue homeschooling, the government is not able to do anything to stop them. So the legal situation of Japan is grave, but we are able to continue homeschooling based on the Constitution.
Mike: Well, Hiro, this is great news! And next time, we’ll learn how the Japanese business community is supporting homeschooling. And, until then, I’m Mike Smith.
