The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has announced its intention to amend the School Education Act to recognize Japanese language support assistants and native language support staff as official school employees. This policy, aimed at enhancing educational services for students who require assistance with Japanese language instruction, is expected to be implemented by the 2026 academic year. The move comes in response to a significant increase in the number of students needing such support, with figures indicating that over 69,000 students—approximately 1.9 times the number in 2014—require Japanese language assistance in public elementary and secondary schools across the country.

Currently, Japanese language support assistants help facilitate Japanese language education, while native language support staff provide support in students' mother tongues and assist in communication with their families. However, there are concerns about the lack of qualified professionals in these roles, as the number of Japanese language support assistants is only around 7,800, and native language support staff is about 6,300, with over a third of these individuals serving as volunteers. The government's move to officially recognize these roles is seen as a crucial step to address staffing shortages and to clarify the necessity of these positions in schools that serve a growing population of students with foreign backgrounds or needs.

The proposal highlights not only the increasing diversity within Japan's student population but also the urgency to provide adequate resources and trained professionals to support these students' integration into the educational system. By formally establishing the roles of language support staff, the government aims to provide a more structured and supportive framework for both educators and the students they serve, ultimately improving educational outcomes for those in need of Japanese language instruction.