Organization

Organization and Function

 Minister

 State Minister（2 persons）

 Parliamentary Vice-Minister（2 persons）

 （Administrative） Vice Minister

 Deputy Minister （2 persons）

Minister's Secretariat

　The Minister's Secretariat has comprehensive responsibility for coordinating MEXT’s overall policies. In addition to general management functions such as personnel, general affairs and accounting, it performs overall administrative functions such as policy evaluation, information disclosure, public relations, information processing, administering international relations and international cooperation.

 

• -Personnel Division
• -Management and Coordination Division
• -Budget and Accounts Division
• -Policy Division
• -International Affairs Division

Department of Facilities Planning and Disaster Prevention

　Aiming for safe, secure and high-quality education facilities, the Department of Facilities Planning and Disaster Prevention promotes improvement in the earthquake resistance and disaster prevention functions of school facilities including non-structural parts* and barrier-free facilities, and also promotes Eco Schools and operates measures for aging facilities, while establishing guidelines for maintaining school facilities. The department gathers information on damage the upon occurrence of a disaster and assists schools in disaster recovery, Moreover, it promotes the enhancement of national university campuses to support educational and research
*Non-structural parts: Parts other than the structures of a building, such as ceiling materials, lighting equipment, window glass, exterior materials, interior materials, facility equipment, furniture, etc.

• -Policy Division
• -Local Facilities Aid Division
• -National Facilities Division
• -Disaster Prevention and Technical Affairs Division

Education Policy Bureau

　In order to realize the concept of lifelong learning prescribed in the Basic Act on Education, MEXT plans and designs basic education policy based on comprehensive and objective evidence. MEXT promotes education that responds to the globalization of society, Japanese language education for foreigners, lifelong learning, learning in local communities and learning for coexistence from the perspective of fostering personnel, developing an environment and offering support for businesses.

• -Policy Division
• -Educational Human Resources Policy Division
• -International Education Division
• -Lifelong Learning Promotion Division
• -Community Learning Promotion Division
• -Gender Equality, Cohesive Society Learning and Safety Division
• -Japanese Language Education Division
• -Analytical Research Planning Division

Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau

　Planning educational enhancements from preschools through elementary, lower and upper secondary schools or equivalent schools.
MEXT develops education to nurture in all children competencies for living, focused on the overall balance among academic ability, richness in mind and a healthy body, and promotes fostering of globally-minded individuals who will lead society in the future. MEXT also works to maintain and enhance the national educational level by improving teaching frameworks for educators and promoting the GIGA school program.

• -Policy Division
• -Financial Affairs Division
• -School Curriculum Division
• -Student Affairs Division
• -Early Childhood Education Division
• -Special Needs Education Division
• -Digital Infrastructure and Teaching Materials Division
• -Textbook Division
• -Health Education and Shokuiku Division
• -Upper Secondary School Division

Higher Education Bureau

Planning promotion of higher education focusing on undergraduate and graduate schools.
MEXT pursues the various policies as follows to promote higher education: grants permission for the establishment of universities, junior colleges, and colleges of technology; assures the quality of education through teacher evaluations; supports university education reform; and fosters high-level professionals. At the same time, MEXT performs administration for the selection of students’ admission, student support, internationalization of universities and student mobility, and the invigoration of incorporated national universities. In addition, the ministry promotes private schools through tax incentives, subsidies and administrative guidance and advice.

• -Policy Division
• -University Promotion Division
• -Technical Education Division
• -Medical Education Division
• -Student Support Division
• -National University Corporation Support Division
• -International Affairs Division

Private Education Institution Department

• -Private Education Institution Administration Division
• -Private Education Institution Aid Division
• -Private Education Institution Management Division

Science and Technology Policy Bureau

　The Science and Technology Policy Bureau plans and proposes basic policies to realize continuous innovation in science and technology, implementing cross-sectoral initiatives in line with its science and technology innovation policies. Specific initiatives include research and assessments on science and technology, and development of human resources in science and technology, from students to leading researchers and engineers. MEXT also strategically promotes international joint research; advances international activities and exchanges with science and technology ministries of foreign countries; promotes collaborative research between the industry, academia and the government; advances science and technology in regional areas; and works on improving, sharing and creating research platforms for research and development infrastructure.

• -Policy Division
• -Strategic Planning, Research and Development Division
• -International Science and Technology Policy Division
• -Human Resources Policy Division
• -University-Industry Collaboration and Regional R&D Division
• -Research Environment Division

Research Promotion Bureau

　Research Promotion Bureau advances policies to promote scientific research originating from researcher’s creative ideas and basic research aimed at practical application. Research Promotion Bureau also assists research organizations and provides research grants, promotes research in the fields such as life sciences, information technology nanotechnology and materials, and particle, nuclear and quantum physics, and works to improve research facilities including research infrastructure and equipment and advancing their utilization in a variety of fields.

• -Policy Division
• -Basic and Generic Research Division
• -University Research Facilitation Division
• -Scientific Research Promotion Division
• -Life Sciences Division
• -Information Science and Technology Division
• -Materials Science and Nanotechnology Division

Research and Development Bureau

　Research and Development Bureau promotes research and development to solve social problems related to the environment and energy, earthquakes, volcanoes, disaster prevention, and advances research on a national scale in the fields of space, nuclear energy, oceans and the earth including rockets and satellites, the nuclear fuel cycle and fusion energy, and Antarctic observation and deep-sea exploration.

• -Policy Division
• -Earthquake, Volcano and Disaster-Reduction Research Division
• -Ocean and Earth Division
• -Environment and Energy Division
• -Space Development and Utilization Division
• -Atomic Energy Division
• -Nuclear Liability Division

Director-General for International Affairs

　As the contact point in Japan for activities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquartered in Paris, the Director-General for International Affairs works on activities of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO. Based on the objective of UNESCO, “to build peace in the minds of men and women,” the National Commission places special emphasis on promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through supporting education, science and culture-related projects in the Asia Pacific Region which aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The commission also supports UNESCO registration projects including UNESCO ECO parks within Japan (Biosphere Reserves), UNESCO Global Geoparks, UNESCO Creative Cities Networks, and activities of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet).

Japan Sports Agency

　The Japan Sports Agency aims to realize a society where, “citizens lead a healthy and fulfilled life in terms of mind and body throughout their lifetime” through sport, based on the principle of the Basic Act on Sport. Towards this end, the Agency strives to promote the dissemination and participation of citizens in sport, promote sport in regional communities, enrich school physical education programs and enhance international competitiveness. The Agency also strives to enhance a healthy lifestyle through sport, advance regional and economic revitalization and international exchanges and cooperation through sport.

• -Policy Division
• -Sports for Health Division
• -Community Sports Division
• -Competitive Sports Division
• -Community Development Division
• -Sports Organizations Support and Private-Sector Cooperation Division
• -International Affairs Division

Agency for Cultural Affairs Page (redirected to a new window)

　The Agency for Cultural Affairs aims to achieve a “Nation Based on Culture and the Arts” through the promotion of various policies related to arts and culture.
In concrete terms, the Agency fosters and supports artists and related persons to nurture artistic activities, promotes regional culture and lifestyle culture including food culture, cultural tourism, symbiotic societies through culture and the arts; preserves and utilizes cultural properties such as national treasures and historic sites, promotes activities of museums, international cultural exchanges, copyright protection and exploitation of works, works on the improvement of Japanese language and its spread .he Agency is also in charge of work related to religion.

• - Policy Division
• - Planning and Coordination Division
• - Cultural Economy and International Affairs Division
• - Japanese Language Division
• - Copyright Division
• - Cultural Resources Utilization Division
• - First Cultural Properties Division
• - Second Cultural Properties Division
• - Religious Affairs Division
• - Culture and Creativity Division
• - Arts and Culture Division
• - Life Culture Collaboration Division
• - Cultural Locations Division

Special Institutions

 The Japan Art Academy

Organs under MEXT’s Jurisdiction, etc.

• National Institute for Educational Policy Research
• National Institute of Science and Technology Policy

Special Institutions

• The Japan Academy
• The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion
• Japanese National Commission for UNESCO