LDP, Komeito, Nippon Ishin Discuss Free High School Steps

   Tokyo, June 4 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) on Wednesday reached a broad agreement on issues that should be addressed to realize free high school education.
   The issues include the scope of students who are eligible for free high school tuition and how foreign students are treated.
   The parties aim to reflect their opinions to the government's annual economic and fiscal policy guidelines, due to be completed by the end of June.
   On foreign students, the parties said that their treatment should be decided with consideration for their diverse situations, including students from high-income households who go to international schools with high tuition fees, or those from low- and middle-income households attending ethnic schools.
   The parties also agreed that tuition aid will be provided to schools, not directly to students. They also underlined the need to prevent opportunistic tuition hikes by private schools and to boost support for public schools.

(2025/06/04-19:00)