Japan prefectures implement diverse teacher recruitment strategies

Various Japanese prefectural boards of education are implementing different strategies to address teacher shortages and staffing needs for the 2027 academic year.

In Kochi Prefecture, the Board of Education held its first online networking event to combat a severe shortage of elementary school teachers, noting that approximately 50% to 70% of successful candidates have declined positions over the last five years. The event aimed to reduce anxiety among new recruits by connecting them with current teachers.

Mie Prefecture has announced recruitment exams for home economics, industrial, and commercial teachers and assistants. Notably, these specific positions do not require a teaching license upfront; candidates can be granted special licenses after passing an evaluation by the board.

In Chiba Prefecture, recruitment is underway for 15 school staff members, including laboratory assistants and dormitory instructors, as well as one maritime worker for the training ship ‘Chishio Maru’. Meanwhile, Kochi Prefecture has released its latest lists of successful candidates for public school teaching positions, including both regular and term-limited roles.