Japan Passes Law to Introduce Digital Textbooks, Aiming for Adoption by FY2030

TOKYO (CNA International News) — Japan's House of Councillors passed a bill amending the School Education Law and related acts in a plenary session today, with a majority vote. The bill officially designates "digital textbooks" as formal teaching materials, granting them the same legal status as printed textbooks.

According to Kyodo News, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) hopes this will promote teaching materials that combine the advantages of both print and digital formats, guiding students toward deeper learning. The digital textbooks are expected to be formally introduced in elementary schools when the next Courses of Study are fully implemented, from FY2030 onward.

Under the current system, only printed materials are recognized as official textbooks. Existing digital textbooks are merely considered "alternative materials," which are digital versions of printed content with added features like audio reading, and are not subject to national authorization.

Under the new system, official textbooks will be classified into three types: print-only, digital-only, and a hybrid combining both. They will be distributed free of charge in elementary and junior high schools. The decision on which format to adopt will be made by each local board of education.

Additionally, video and audio content linked via QR codes will also be subject to national authorization, aiming to control quantity while ensuring quality.

While the introduction of digital textbooks is expected to enhance students' motivation to learn and enable diverse learning tailored to individual characteristics, concerns remain about how to appropriately balance the use of print and digital materials according to students' developmental stages and subjects, as well as how to avoid increasing the burden on teachers.