By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-07-24 02:51:41 | Updated at 2026-07-24 04:04:35
1 hour ago
TOKYO – A record 1,319 public school teachers in Japan cited mental health as the reason for leaving their jobs in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the interim results of an education ministry survey.
The figure regarding mental health has continued to rise since a question about it was added to the survey in the 2009 fiscal year. The 2024 figure is up 39 per cent compared with the previous survey conducted in the 2021 fiscal year.
The increase reflects the growing burden on teachers as the number of students with special needs rises, while schools continue to face a shortage of teachers.
According to the survey, which is conducted every three years, the rate of increase in teachers quitting for mental health reasons reached its highest since the survey began.
In the 2024 fiscal year, 15,540 teachers left their jobs for reasons other than retirement. Of those, changing jobs – including transfers to boards of education – was the most common reason, accounting for 5,080 teachers, up 26 per cent from the previous survey. Family was cited as the reason by 3,569 teachers, up 23 per cent.
Mental health was cited as the reason for leaving by 801 elementary school teachers, 365 junior high school teachers and 153 high school teachers.
There are more students who require special educational support and Japanese-language instruction, leading to the increased burden on teachers.
Public elementary, junior high and high schools as well as public special needs schools nationwide face a shortage of 4,317 teachers as of April 2025, with 8.8 per cent of public schools positions unfilled. The workload per teacher is believed to be continuing to rise.
“Mental health is an issue that must be urgently addressed,” said a senior official at the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
The ministry plans to strengthen systems for the early detection of mental health issues through stress checks and other means, as well as counselling services. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
