School Education Act

The purpose of secondary education school is to provide regular education provided as compulsory education and high-level regular education and professional education with consistency, in accordance with the students' mental and physical development and career, on a foundation of education in elementary school.

Education in secondary education school is to be provided with the aim of achieving the following objectives, in order to realize the purpose provided in the preceding Article:

fostering rich humanity, creativity, and a healthy body, and fostering qualities necessary in the people who make up our nation and our society;

deciding on a future career according to individuality, enhancing general knowledge, and acquiring professional knowledge, techniques and skills, based on self-awareness of one's mission in society which must be carried out;

working to establish individuality, developing a broad and deep understanding and a healthy critical ability towards society, and developing an attitude of contributing to the development of society.

The course term for secondary education school is to be 6 years.

The courses of secondary education school are to be categorized into the lower courses in the lower period of 3 years, and the upper courses in the upper period of 3 years.

Education in the lower courses of secondary education school is to be provided with the aim of achieving the objectives stated in each item of Article 21, from among the purposes provided in Article 63, in order to realize the provision of regular education provided as compulsory education, in accordance with the students' mental and physical development, on a foundation of education in elementary school.

Education in the upper courses of secondary education school is to be provided with the aim of achieving the objectives stated in each item of Article 64, from among the purposes provided for in Article 63, in order to realize provision of high-level regular education and professional education, in accordance with the students' mental and physical development and career.

Matters regarding the curricula in the lower courses and matters regarding the departments and curricula in the upper courses of secondary education school are to be prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in compliance with the provisions in Articles 63, 64 and the preceding Article, and provisions of Article 30, paragraph (2) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 70, paragraph (1), following the deemed replacement of terms.

Secondary education schools must have a school principal, vice principal, teachers, yogo teacher, and administrative staff.

Secondary education schools may have a deputy principal, senior teacher, advanced skill teacher, chief teacher, diet and nutrition teacher, practical training assistant, technical staff, and other necessary staff beyond what is provided for in the preceding paragraph.

Notwithstanding the provision of paragraph (1), it may not be necessary to have a vice principal when there is a deputy principal, a teacher when there is a chief teacher (excluding one placed pursuant to the provisions of Article 37, paragraph (20) (limited to the part pertaining to item (ii)) as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (1) of the following Article), and it may not be necessary to have a yogo teacher when there is a senior teacher or chief teacher taking charge of protective care, respectively.

In case of special circumstances, assistant teacher or lecturer may be positioned in place of teachers, and assistant yogo teacher in place of yogo teacher, notwithstanding the provision of paragraph (1).

The provisions of Article 30, paragraph (2), Articles 31 and 34, Article 37, paragraphs (4) through (18) and (20), Articles 42 through 44, 59, and Article 60, paragraphs (4) and (6) apply mutatis mutandis to secondary education schools, and the provisions of Articles 53 through 55, 58, 58-2, and Article 61 to the upper courses of secondary education schools, respectively. In this case, the term "the preceding paragraph" in Article 30, paragraph (2) is deemed to be replaced with "Article 64", and the term "paragraph (1) of the preceding Article" in Article 31 is deemed to be replaced with "Article 64".

Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 53 and 54, as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to the preceding paragraph, for secondary education schools which have part-time courses or correspondence courses in the upper courses, the course terms in the relevant part-time courses or correspondence courses are to be 6 years or more, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 65. In this case, the term "upper courses in the upper period of 3 years" in Article 66 is to be "upper courses in the upper period of 3 years or more".

Junior high schools and high schools established by the same founder may provide education in junior high school and education in high school with consistency, in line with secondary education school, as provided for by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.