See section 2.1.1 of the mainstream Japan Archive.
See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream Japan Archive.
See section 2.1.3 of the mainstream Japan Archive.
Type of provision
Dependent on the type and degree of disability, and the capacity and aptitude of each child, education is either provided in special schools or in special classes and resources rooms (sometimes also known as "supplementary courses") in normal, mainstream elementary schools (children aged 6-12) and lower secondary schools (junior high schools) (students aged 12-15). There are various types of special school. These are usually divided into schools for the blind and partially sighted, schools for the deaf and hard of hearing, and schools for the otherwise handicapped. The latter category includes schools for those with mental impairment, schools for the physically disabled, schools for the health impaired and physically weak, and schools for the emotionally disturbed.4, 5 Further information is provided in section 3.2.5.
Size of provision
In 1999, around one per cent of all students were on the 'Special Schooling Register'. There were around 90,000 students attending special schools. Around 0.8 per cent of the total number of students of primary and secondary school age were attending a special school for the blind, deaf or for those with physical or mental problems.2
In 1999, students attending special classes within mainstream schooling totalled around 45,000 in elementary schools (0.6 per cent of the total number of students attending mainstream elementary schools) and 25,000 in secondary schools (around 0.6 per cent of the total number of secondary students attending mainstream schools).2
This information is summarised in the table below:2
| Number of schools | Number of classes | Number of students | |
| ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 24,188 | 7,500,315 | |
| Mainstream class | 257,382 | 7,450,000 | |
| Special class | 17,159 | 45,000 | |
| SECONDARY SCHOOL | 11,220 | 4,243,763 | |
| Mainstream class | 121,680 | 4,220,000 | |
| Special class | 7,901 | 25,000 | |
| SPECIAL SCHOOL | 988 | 90,000 | |
| For the blind | 71 | 4,172 | |
| For the deaf | 107 | 6,824 | |
| Physical problems/ mental problems/ delicate | 810 | 77,818 |
In 2004, the percentage of students of compulsory school age (6-15) in special schools was 0.84 per cent. 14