School Education Act

The purpose of universities, as the core of scholarly activities, are to have the purpose of broadly imparting knowledge, teaching and researching specialized arts and sciences in depth, and developing intellectual, moral, and practical abilities.

Universities are to conduct education and research in order to realize those purposes, and contribute to the development of society by providing their results broadly in society.

Among the universities in the preceding article, those which have the purpose of teaching and researching specialized arts and sciences in depth, and developing applied and practical abilities in order to take up occupations requiring expertise, are to be professional and vocational universities.

Professional and vocational universities are to make efforts to organize and implement curricula, and improve the quality of teachers, with the cooperation of relevant persons including persons holding down occupations requiring that expertise, and persons conducting businesses relating to the relevant occupations, pursuant to the provisions of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Professional and vocational universities may not have courses pursuant to the provisions of Article 87, paragraph (2).

Universities may provide education through correspondence courses.

Universities, as a rule, are to have faculties; provided, however, that they may have organizations other than faculties which form the basis of education and research, if it is beneficial and appropriate in order to achieve the purpose for education and research of the relevant universities.

Universities may have faculties providing night classes, or faculties providing education through correspondence courses.

The course term for universities is to be 4 years; provided, however, that for faculties teaching and researching special professional matters, and faculties providing night classes referred to in the preceding article, their course terms may exceed 4 years.

Courses with the principal purpose of fostering clinical practical abilities or courses for veterinary studies, among courses for medicine, courses for dentistry, and courses for pharmacy, notwithstanding the provision of the main clause in the preceding paragraph, are to have a course term of 6 years.

Courses in professional and vocational universities may be sectioned into 2 years of lower courses in the lower period and 2 years of upper courses in the upper period, or 3 years of lower courses in the lower period and 1 year of upper courses in the upper period (For faculties which are to have a course term exceeding 4 years pursuant to the provisions of the proviso in paragraph (1) of the preceding article; 2 years of lower courses in the lower period and 2 years or more of upper courses in the upper period, or 3 years of lower courses in the lower period and 1 year or more of upper courses in the upper period).

Education in the lower courses of professional and vocational universities is to be provided in order to realize the nurturing of applied and practical abilities to take up occupations requiring professional expertise, among the purposes provided for in Article 83-2, paragraph (1).

Education in the upper courses of professional and vocational universities is to be provided on a foundation of education in the lower courses, in order to realize the purpose provided for in Article 83-2, paragraph (1).

For courses for professional and vocational universities that are sectioned into lower courses and upper courses pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), it may not be possible to advance from the relevant lower courses to the relevant upper courses without completing the relevant lower courses.

When a person who has obtained a certain amount of credits at a university other than as a student of the university is to enroll in that university, if they are deemed to have taken courses which are part of the curricula of the relevant university through obtaining the relevant credits, a period specified by the university considering matters including the number of credits obtained may be counted in the course term, pursuant to the provisions of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; provided, however, that that period may not exceed one half of the course term of the relevant university.

When a person who has obtained practical abilities to take on the relevant occupations through work experience in an occupation requiring professional expertise is to enroll in professional and vocational universities, etc. (meaning a professional and vocational university or a university with a purpose which is a purpose pursuant to the provisions of Article 108, paragraph (4) (referred to in Article 104, paragraph (5) and paragraph (6) as a "professional and vocational junior college"); the same applies below), and if they are deemed to have taken courses which are part of the curricula of the relevant professional and vocational universities, etc., through obtaining the relevant practical abilities, a period specified by the professional and vocational universities, etc., considering matters including the level of practical abilities obtained may be counted in the course term, pursuant to the provisions of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; provided, however, that that period may not exceed the period prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, within a range not exceeding one half of the course term of the relevant professional and vocational universities, etc.

If it is found that students of the relevant universities (except persons who are attending courses prescribed in the provisions of Article 87, paragraph (2)) who have been in school for 3 years or more (For students of faculties which are to have a course term exceeding 4 years pursuant to the proviso in paragraph (1) of that article; a period of 3 years or more prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) (this includes persons prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as an equivalent to this) have obtained, with excellent grades, the credits specified by the relevant universities as the requirement for graduation, their graduation may be allowed, notwithstanding the provision of that paragraph.

A person who may be enrolled in university, is a person who has graduated high school or secondary education school, or a person who has completed 12 years of school education through regular courses (this includes a person who has completed school education equivalent to this through courses other than the regular courses), or a person who is deemed to have the equivalent or greater scholastic ability, as provided for by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

For universities falling under any of the following items, a person who has been in high school for the number of years or more as provided for by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (This includes a person prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as an equivalent to this.), who is deemed to possess exceptional qualities in the fields specified by the relevant universities, may enroll in the relevant universities, notwithstanding the provisions referred to in the preceding paragraph:

having graduate schools where education and research relating to the relevant fields is being conducted;

having education and research achievements and a guidance system appropriate for nurturing a person who possess exceptional qualities in the relevant fields.

Universities may have diploma courses and special courses.

University diploma courses are to have the purpose of teaching persons who have graduated from university, or persons deemed to have the equivalent or greater scholastic ability as provided for by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, specialized matters, to a deep and detailed extent, as well as instructing their research, and the course term is to be 1 year or more.

University special courses are to have the purpose of administering special skill education to a simple extent, to persons qualified to enroll pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, and the course term is to be 1 year or more.

Universities must have a principal, professors, associate professors, assistant professors, assistants, and administrative staff; provided, however, that if it is found to be appropriate as an education and research organization, it may choose not to have associate professors, assistant professors, or assistants.

In addition to those referred to in the preceding paragraph, universities may also have a vice principal, dean, lecturers, technical staff, and other necessary staff.

The principal takes charge of school duties, and supervises staff members belonging to the university.

The vice principal is to aid the principal, and take charge of school duties under its orders.

The dean is to takes charge of school duties in the faculty.

Professors are persons who possess exceptional knowledge, abilities and accomplishments in education, research, or practice in their major field of study, and they are to teach students, give research guidance, or engage in research.

Associate professors are persons who have excellent knowledge, abilities and accomplishments in education, research, or practice in their major field of study, and they are to teach students, give research guidance, or engage in research.

Assistant professors are persons who have knowledge and abilities in education, research, or practice in their major field of study, and they are to teach students, give research guidance, or engage in research.

Assistants are to engage in operations necessary for the smooth implementation of education and research in the organization they belong to.

Lecturers will engage in duties equivalent to those of professors or associate professors.