Getting an education in Tokyo; from kindergarten to college, the opportunities for an English-language education in Tokyo have never been better. But how do you make the right choice? - International Education

Japan, Inc.,  Jan, 2004  by John Dodd

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PAL's distinguishing feature is its "Freestyle Play" format. Director Chia Ura says, "We try to let children discover important skills and social interaction for themselves--under the careful eye of our experienced teachers, of course. Our teachers are all qualified and are very proactive in making sure that we are up to-date with teaching methods and trends overseas."

Yoyogi International Preschool and Kindergarten

YIP is ideally located directly in front of Yoyogi Park, one of the largest green areas in Tokyo, so kids get lots of fresh air and space to run around.

Like other professional institutions, YIP divides children into four developmental groups: toddlers of 18 to 24 months, preschoolers of 2- to 3-years old and 3- to 4-years old. There are also several kindergarten classes for children of 4- to 5-years old and 5-to 6 years old.

Director Yuko Muir tells us what makes YIP different: "We believe in giving our international children exposure to their host country, so we provide Japanese lesson time in the daily schedule. This consists of fun things to do, including listening to stories, learning customs and songs, trying out food and playing Japanese games."

YIP is obviously a popular place, and it will be expanding to include its own gymnasium in April of 2004.

Primary and junior high

The main concentration of formal international schooling in Japan is in the formative years from grades 1 through 12 (from 6 years of age until 13 of 14 years of age). This is in response to expatriate family demand rather than government planning, as imported foreign managers are usually in their mid-30s to 40s and thus are likely to have children of this age. As a result, the offerings of grade 9 to 12 international high schools is somewhat limited, and it is common for children of high school years to head back to their home country, with or without their parents. However, as we discover with our survey participants, there are some exceptions.

The American School in Japan (ASIJ)

The ASIJ is one of the oldest and probably the best known international school in Japan, having been established in the late 1890s by a small group of foreign women in Tokyo. The school was officially founded in 1902 and has since grown to become the largest international school in Japan, with a faculty of 140 teachers and more than 1,400 students from over 40 countries. Director of Admissions Laura Lyons describes the school's market positioning: "ASIJ is an independent, non-sectarian school providing a US-style college preparatory education for boys and girls from age 3 to grade 12."

The ASIJ is accredited by the US accrediting body WASC, and graduates typically go on to universities worldwide. Graduates are in high demand, with college recruiters seeking to bring students into Stanford, Georgetown, the University of Chicago, Edinburgh University, Princeton, Brown, McGill, the University of Sheffield and many other top institutions around the world.

Certainly something is being done right at ASIJ--maybe it's the fresh air out at the spacious and well-equipped Chofu campus. Among the school's alumni are such notables as Edwin O. Reischauer, the US post-war ambassador to Japan and Harvard professor, award-winning author Lowis Lowry and J-pop star Hikaru Utada.