In recent years, a significant surge has been witnessed in the number of children in Japan refusing to attend school. This phenomenon has led to the establishment of various places of respite across the country. These spaces not only offer advice to parents who often feel isolated and trapped but also provide a much-needed outlet for them to vent their frustrations regarding their chronically absent kids.

Unraveling the Reasons Behind Japan's School Nonattendance

Reasons for School Nonattendance

School experts have pointed out several possible reasons for this concerning trend. One of the key factors is children's oversensitivity to stimuli. This emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced support to ensure parents have access to more information. For instance, in late September, around 20 parents of children who skip school gathered at a meeting in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo. One mother shared her experience, stating that her absentee child would avoid the topic whenever it was brought up and even refused to leave the bedroom in the morning. This highlights the complexity of the issue and the challenges faced by parents.

Another aspect to consider is the impact on parents. Yuki Iwamoto, 57, who founded the organization to assist parents based on her own experience as a mother of an absentee child, noted that many parents with such children often blame themselves in isolation for raising their kids wrongly. However, the meetings organized by the group provide a platform for them to connect with others who have similar experiences and vent their pain. A 53-year-old mother who attended a meeting in September shared her story. Two years ago, her daughter stopped going to junior high school in the fall of her third year. At that time, with her daughter facing entrance exams for high school, she felt her child's future was bleak and was overwhelmed with concern for her life. But after talking with other parents facing the same problem, she began to see the issue in a more positive light and became hopeful about alternative career paths for her daughter.

The Impact on Student Sensitivity

The number of absentee children has increased for the 11th consecutive year in the 2023 school year, reaching a record 340,000. A survey by Emiko Takata, a professor of school health at Kio University in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, suggests that high school students who exhibit such behavior are more sensitive to sounds, other stimuli, and the moods of others compared to those who have not been absent from school. In 2023, the number of high school students who stayed away from school was 68,770, the highest ever. Takata believes that sensory overload may be a contributing factor and emphasizes the need for more support, such as improving school environments.

To understand this better, questionnaires were responded to by 47 high school students (29 who were chronically absent) via schools and parent associations in Nara from June to September this year. When asked to rate on a seven-point scale from "very much" to "not at all" regarding questions like "Does loud noise make you uncomfortable?" and "Are you affected by other people's moods?", students who had played hooky showed a clear tendency towards sensory sensitivity compared to those who stayed in school. This provides valuable insights into the underlying issues faced by these students.

Parents' Information Needs

A private-sector survey found that roughly half of parents of such children complain about the absence of information about support services from schools. "Consultation services" and "details on private support" were listed as the information they need the most. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is actively providing information on contacts for education support centers and other public institutions for parents, as well as parent associations run by the private sector. A ministry official stated, "We want to eliminate regional differences in the availability of support and increase consultation centers." Local governments also play a crucial role by providing necessary information through their websites and other channels.

Masato Noda, a graduate school professor of education welfare theory at Ritsumeikan University, emphasized that although advisory groups and places where parents find comfort are increasing, the optimum support needed varies from case to case. It is essential to match the types of support with the specific problems of each concerned individual.