Japanese education is renowned for its well-maintained educational system and excellent achievement. It is not very surprising for most that in most Mathematics International Tests; Japanese children consistently rank at the top, or very near it. This comprehensive educational administration of Japan is mostly due to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Adoption of the Chinese culture in the 6th century sowed the seeds of formal education in Japan. Buddhist and Confucian teachings were taught as well as sciences, calligraphy, divination and literature, however the Chinese system failed to take hold. Buddhist monasteries however, retained their significance as influential centres of learning. During the Edo period (1603-1867), it was realized that influence was gained not only through war but by competition in the field of economics. Their warrior-turned-bureaucrat Samurai elite had to be educated not only in military strategy and the martial arts, but also agriculture and accounting. Likewise, the wealthy merchant class needed education for their daily business, and their wealth allowed them to be patrons of arts and science. Peasants were also provided education through Temple schools. An estimated 50% of the male population and around 20% of the female population was educated to a certain degree by the end of the Edo period.

Structure
Kindergarten and Nursery School
There is a strong belief that a major part of the education occurs in the pre-school age, at home. Hence there are numerous books and television shows aimed at helping mothers of preschool children to educate their children and to "parent" more effectively. Parents are strongly committed to early education and frequently enroll their children in preschools. Pre schools are not part of the official education system. Staffed mainly by young female junior college graduates, the Course of Study for Preschools covers such areas as human relationships, environment, words (language), and expression.

Elementary School
Starting school is considered so very important event in a child's life that more than 99% of children are enrolled in elementary school by the time they reach the age of six. Due to its high cost, private elementary education forms less than 1% of the total. Virtually all elementary education takes place in public schools

High School
Neither public nor private schools are free. As of the year 2000, around 94 % of all lower secondary school graduates entered upper secondary schools, even though upper secondary school is not compulsory. Training of handicapped students, particularly at the upper secondary level, emphasizes vocational education to enable students to be as independent as possible within society. Vocational-technical programs include several hundred specialized courses, such as information processing, navigation, fish farming, business English, and ceramics. Most upper-secondary teachers are university graduates.

Universities and colleges
According to The Times Higher Education Supplement, the two top-ranking universities in Japan are the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. More than 2.1 million students were enrolled in 507 universities in 1991.

To help defray expenses, students frequently work part-time or borrow money through the government-supported Japan Scholarship Association, and the overwhelming majority of college students attend full-time day programs. The most popular subjects are engineering, humanities, and education. There are also many avenues students can turn to for assistance such as local Government, non profit corporations, and other institutions.