On December 26, 2025, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) announced the results of the AY2025 School Basic Survey (final figures), updating some of the preliminary figures released on August 27.
The School Basic Survey has been conducted every year since AY1948 by MEXT, based on the Japanese Statistics Act, for the purpose of surveying basic matters related to schools and obtaining basic data for school education administration.

Overview of the AY2025 School Basic Survey

1. Survey Date: as of May 1, 2025
2. Survey Targets: kindergartens, integrated centers for early childhood education and care, elementary schools, lower secondary schools, Compulsory Education Schools, upper secondary schools, Secondary Education Schools, special needs education schools, universities, junior colleges, Colleges of Technology (KOSEN), Specialized Training Colleges, Miscellaneous Schools, municipal boards of education
3. Survey Items: number of schools, number of students, number of teaching staff, number of graduates, pathways after graduation, etc.

Key points of the released survey results are as follows:
(1) Elementary and secondary education institutions, Specialized Training Colleges, and Miscellaneous Schools

1. The number of elementary and lower secondary schools has declined from the previous year, and their student enrolment is at a record low.
2. The number of schools as well as student enrolment in kindergartens and upper secondary schools is down from the previous year.
3. The number of Specialized Training Colleges and Miscellaneous Schools has declined from the previous year whereas their student enrolment has increased.
4. The number of Secondary Education Schools has declined from the previous year whereas their student enrolment is at a record high.
5. The number of integrated centers for early childhood education and care, Compulsory Education Schools, and special needs education schools has increased from the previous year, and their student enrolment is at a record high.
6. The proportion of female teachers has increased by 0.1 to 0.3 percentage points from the previous year in lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, and special needs education schools to a record high.

(2) Higher education institutions

1. The number of students enrolled across universities (approximately 2,972,000) is at a record high, up by approximately 23,000 from the previous year.
2. The number of students enrolled in university undergraduate programs (approximately 2,646,000) is at a record high, up by approximately 18,000 from the previous year, and the percentage of female students (46.1 %) increased by 0.2 percentage points from the previous year to a record high.
3. The number of students enrolled in university graduate schools (approximately 277,000) is at a record high, up by approximately 5,500 from the previous year.
4. The number of junior colleges decreased by 5 from the previous year, with student enrolment (approximately 71,000) down by approximately 7,100.
5. The number of Colleges of Technology (KOSEN) is the same as in the previous year, and the student enrolment (approximately 56,000) has remained at roughly the same level.
6. The number of Professional Training Colleges decreased by 18 from the previous year whereas their student enrolment (approximately 569,000) has increased by approximately 11,000.
7. The number of female faculty members across universities (approximately 54,000) is at a record high, up by approximately 1,000 from the previous year. The percentage of female faculty members (28.2%) has increased by 0.4 percentage points from the previous year to a record high.

(3) Paths after graduation

1. The percentage of entrants to higher education institutions (universities [undergraduate program], junior colleges [regular course], fourth year at Colleges of Technology (KOSEN), and Professional Training Colleges) against those who graduated from lower secondary school, Compulsory Education School, or lower secondary department of special needs education school and those who completed the lower division of Secondary Education School 3 years ago (85.4%) has decreased by 1.1 percentage points from the previous year.
2. The percentage of students who have graduated from university undergraduate programs going on to graduate school, etc. is 12.7%, up by 0.1 percentage points from the previous year.
3. The percentage of students who have graduated from university undergraduate programs entering employment is 77.0%, up by 0.5 percentage points from the previous year.
4. The percentage of students who have completed Master's programs continuing studies/research at graduate schools, etc. is 11.2%, up by 0.3 percentage points from the previous year.
5. The percentage of students who have completed Master's programs entering employment is 78.2%, down by 0.3 percentage points from the previous year.
6. The percentage of students who have completed Doctoral programs entering employment is 70.0%, remaining at roughly the same level as the previous year.

Sources:
- School Basic Survey - AY2025 Summary of Results (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology website) [in Japanese only]
- Overview of the School Basic Survey (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology website) [in Japanese only]