How much do international schools cost in Japan in 2026?

Greater Tokyo and Yokohama host dense options such as the American School in Japan (ASIJ), British School in Tokyo, Tokyo International School and Yokohama International School. Community fee surveys for 2025–2026 place many kindergarten through high-school tuition bands roughly between JPY 2.3 million and JPY 4.2 million a year, rising toward IB Diploma and upper secondary years. Confirm each school’s live fee PDF; figures revise annually.

First-year entrance, registration and building or capital fees commonly add about JPY 800,000 to over JPY 2 million depending on campus. Annual facility levies, buses (often roughly JPY 220,000–400,000) and lunch programmes can lift the all-in cost about 20–30% above published tuition. Kansai families often shortlist Canadian Academy and other Kobe or Osaka schools with slightly softer housing nearby: Kobe cost of living and Best places for families.

Public Japanese elementary and junior high schools are the low-cost default once residence and school assignment clear. Language support varies by municipality: Children school without Japanese. International school is a curriculum and language product, not a free substitute for wait-listed daycare years: Childcare costs.

Employer education allowances help some corporate packages; remote and startup households usually pay cash. Sibling discounts soften a second child; they rarely erase two full invoices. Put school money on the sheet before you sign a Minato or Motomachi lease: Monthly budget.