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The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has established the Lifelong Learning Bureau to coordinate the promotion of school education, social education, culture, and sports. The bureau is responsible for the implementation and coordination of measures to promote lifelong learning throughout the Ministry.

The Ministry is also encouraging local governments to establish departments dealing with lifelong learning. In addition, it provides support and encouragement for the establishment of related groups, such as lifelong learning promotion conferences (liaison organizations whose members include administrators, educators, and business representatives). Lifelong learning organizations have already been established in all prefectures.

The Lifelong Learning Promotion Law (Law Concerning the Establishment of Implementation Systems and Other Measures for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning) of June 1990 is Japan's first law relating to the promotion of lifelong learning. It defines measures that are feasible at present and should be put into effect as soon as possible, including programs to be implemented by prefectural boards of education. The enactment of this law has led to the establishment of promotion systems and the implementation of various programs, especially at the prefectural level.