As of October 2013, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 218,747 Japanese citizens held the status of permanent resident in other countries. This is an increase of some 130,000 over the previous decade.
On examining some of the latest trends in emigration from Japan, the weekly Toyo Keizai (21 February) found that one of the motives for leavers is an interest in pursuing international education for their offspring.
The Singapore branch of Dulwich College, founded in London in 1619, opened in August 2014. Its current enrollment of 960 pupils—including 60 Japanese—represents more than 50 nationalities and covers pre-nursery to Year 8.
By next year, it will have expanded to include high school education and will have added boarding facilities. Tuition, equivalent to ¥3mn per year, is comparable with other international schools in Singapore.
As with similar institutions, in addition to compulsory classes in Chinese language, emphasis is placed on such curricula as music and sports. From early years, students are encouraged to take up string or wind instruments.
Another school popular with Japanese is Marlborough College Malaysia, located in Johor, north of Singapore. Opened in 2012, it boasts an enrolment of 800, ranging from five- to 18-year-old children, of whom 50 are Japanese.
To cope with the language barrier, students unable to speak English are given preparatory lessons before matriculation.
Speaking of his daughter, a student at the school, one Japanese parent said that, “Within six months, she had high-level comprehension and within one year she could give as well as she got in arguments. By 18 months, she could follow the course materials and do homework on her own”.
The girl in question had entered the school aged seven with virtually no English ability. The parent also spoke highly of the house system whereby students are rewarded for good behaviour and penalised for fighting (as well as fighting back) through the giving and taking away of points.
Annual charges range from ¥2.1mn for children who commute from home to ¥4mn for room and board.
It is generally agreed that, unless they are familiar with English beforehand, Japanese students can only matriculate successfully in a foreign tongue up to the third year of primary school.
A major concern appears to be what parents need to do to sufficiently imbue their children with an upbringing that will ensure they fit in when, or if, they return to Japan.