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  • Diagram of education system in country language


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    • Education system in Japan

    Japan
    Adult skills (Survey of Adult Skills, PIAAC, 2012)
  • The mean proficiency score of Japanese adults in literacy and in numeracy is significantly above the average of the OECD countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). Adults in Japan display the highest levels of proficiency in literacy and numeracy among adults in all countries participating in the survey.
  • In Japan, the young adult population (25-34 year-olds) scores at 309 in literacy, compared to 277 on average in the OECD countries participating in the Survey. In numeracy, they score at 297 (272 in average). In both domains, younger adults score higher than their older counterparts (55-65 year-olds).
  • About one in five adult in Japan reports no prior experience with computers or lack very basic computer skills. In contrast, 34.6% of the adult population score at the highest levels in problem solving in technology-rich environments.
  • In Japan, 4.9% of the adults score at the lowest levels in literacy and 8.1% score low in numeracy.
    • | Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) | Skills Matter: Additional Results from the Survey of Adult Skills (2019) | Country Note | Country Note (in Japanese) | Country page (in Japanese) |
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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

    Show indicators for which your country ranks among the top or bottom: Sort by:

    Literacy

    The mean literacy score is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (296 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in Iiteracy is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (22.6 %, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in Iiteracy is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (4.9 %, rank 37/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Numeracy

    The mean numeracy score is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (288 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in numeracy is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (18.8 %, rank 2/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in numeracy is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (8.1 %, rank 37/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Problem solving in technology-rich environments

    The percentage of adults who opted out of the computer based assessment is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (15.9 %, rank 6/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults who failed the ICT core is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (10.7 %, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring below Level 1 in problem solving in technology-rich environments is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (7.6 %, rank 34/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at Level 1 in problem solving in technology-rich environments is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (19.7 %, rank 29/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at Level 3 in problem solving in technology-rich environments is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (8.3 %, rank 4/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Skills differences between age groups

    The mean literacy score for young adults (16-24 year-olds) is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (299 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for young people aged between 25 and 34 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (309 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for people aged between 35 and 44 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (307 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for people aged between 45 and 54 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (297 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for older adults (55-65 year-olds) is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (273 PIAAC Score, rank 2/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for young adults (16-24 year-olds) is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (283 PIAAC Score, rank 4/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for young people aged between 25 and 34 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (297 PIAAC Score, rank 2/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for people aged between 35 and 44 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (297 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for people aged between 45 and 54 is high compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (291 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for older adults (55-65 year-olds) is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (273 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of young adults (25-34 year-olds) scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in problem solving in technology-rich environments is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (53.7 %, rank 8/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Skills differences by gender

    The mean literacy score among men is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (298 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score among women is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (295 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score among men is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (294 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score among women is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (282 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of men scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in problem solving in technology-rich environments is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (40 %, rank 6/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Skills differences by level of education

    The mean literacy score for adults without upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (260 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for adults with an upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (287 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for adults with tertiary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (313 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for adults without upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (247 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for adults with an upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (281 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for adults with tertiary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (308 PIAAC Score, rank 4/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults without upper secondary education scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in problem solving in technology-rich environments is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (6.7 %, rank 9/32 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Skills by parents' educational attainment

    The mean literacy score for adults whose parents had not attained upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (279 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score with at least one parent with upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (298 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score with at least one parent with tertiary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (310 PIAAC Score, rank 2/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for adults whose parents had not attained upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (275 PIAAC Score, rank 1/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score with at least one parent with upper secondary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (287 PIAAC Score, rank 3/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score with at least one parent with tertiary education is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (302 PIAAC Score, rank 4/37 , 2018) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults whose parents had not attained upper secondary education scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in problem solving in technology-rich environments is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (17.7 %, rank 9/34 , 2018) Download Indicator

    Adults' skills

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in literacy and/or numeracy is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (3.9 %, rank 37/37 , 2018) Download Indicator


    The data table will display up to six selected countries.
    General findings
      Literacy is defined as the ability to understand, evaluate, use and engage with written texts in order to participate in society, achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential. As measured by the Survey of Adult Skills, literacy encompasses a range of skills, from decoding written words and sentences to understanding, interpreting and evaluating complex texts. It does not, however, involve producing text (writing). Given the growing importance of digital devices and applications as a means of generating, accessing and storing written text, reading digital texts (e.g. texts containing hyper-text and navigation features, such as scrolling or clicking on links) is an integral part of literacy.

    • The average literacy score for the OECD countries participating in the assessment is 266 points. Japan (296 points) has the highest average level of proficiency in literacy followed by Finland (288 points) and the Netherlands (284 points). Chile (220 points), Mexico (222 points) and Turkey (227 points) recorded the lowest average scores among countries. Ecuador and Peru had an even lower average score (196 points). An adult with average literacy proficiency can successfully complete tasks that require paraphrasing, low-level inferences, and matching between the digital or printed text and information.
    • The mean literacy score among 25-34 year-olds is 277 score points, 11 points higher than that for all adults (266 score points). Among the different age groups, 25-34 year-olds have the highest average literacy proficiency, while 55-64 year-olds have the lowest average proficiency (248 score points). While there are some countries/economies where 16-24 year-olds scored higher than 25-34 year-olds, the differences in proficiency between these two age groups are generally small, at less than five score points in Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Peru. In most countries/economies, however, 25-34 year-olds have higher average proficiency than 16-24 year-olds, with a difference of about seven points in Israel and New Zealand, and well above 10 points in England (United Kingdom), Finland and the United states. The literacy proficiency of 55-65 year-olds is particularly low in Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru.
    • In general, proficiency in literacy peaks at around age 30.
    | Main Elements of the Survey of Adult Skills | Education policies: Skills | Education policies: Gender |
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      Numeracy is defined as the ability to access, use, interpret and communicate mathematical information and ideas in order to engage in and manage the mathematical demands of a range of situations in adult life.

    • The average score in numeracy among the OECD countries participating in the assessment is 262 points. Japan has the highest average level of proficiency in numeracy (288 points), followed by Finland (282 points). Peru (178 points), Ecuador (185 points), Chile (206 points), and Mexico (210 points) recorded the lowest average scores. An adult with average proficiency in numeracy can successfully complete tasks that require the application of two or more steps or processes involving calculating with whole numbers and common decimals, percentages and fractions; simple measurement and spatial representation; estimation; and interpreting relatively simple data and statistics in texts, tables and graphs.
    • The mean numeracy score among 25-34 year-olds is 272 score points, 10 points higher than that for all adults (262 score points). Among the different age groups, 25-34 year-olds have the highest average numeracy proficiency, while 55-64 year-olds have the lowest average proficiency (245 score points).
    • In general, proficiency in numeracy peaks at around age 30.
    | Main Elements of the Survey of Adult Skills | Education policies: Skills | Education policies: Gender |
    Visualisations
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    Click the arrow sign next to the title: arrows to display other variables
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      Problem solving in technology-rich environments is defined as the ability to use digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks. The survey assesses adults' ability to solve problems by establishing appropriate goals and plans, and accessing and using information through computers and computer networks.

    • In nearly all countries, at least 10% of adults have trouble using digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks. Across participating countries, 12% of adults reported having no prior computer experience and a further 4.7% of adults lack the most elementary computer skills, such as the ability to use a mouse. Only 5.1% of adults demonstrate the highest level of proficiency (Level 3) in problem solving in technology-rich environments, where tasks require the ability to use a wider range of applications in less familiar contexts, and to solve problems involving complex pathways to solutions that require navigating around impasses.
    • Given that the widespread use of ICTs is a relatively recent phenomenon, younger adults were clearly in a position of relative advantage compared to older adults. On average, some 43% of 25-34 year-olds can solve more complex problems using computers (i.e. those tasks at proficiency Level 2 or 3 in the problem-solving assessment), compared to only 10% of older adults. However, proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments among younger adults varies widely across countries. In Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Turkey, between 7% and 13% of 25-34 year-old respondents scored at Level 2 or 3, compared to 55% or more in Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Sweden, and to 67% in Finland.
    • In general, proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments peaks at around age 25.
    | Main Elements of the Survey of Adult Skills | PISA 2015 Results (Volume V): Collaborative Problem Solving | Education policies: Skills | Education policies: Gender |
    Visualisations
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    Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
    Key
    Country Reviews for Japan

    Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website for each publication.
    All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/

    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS average. Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and Annex 3 of EAG 2019 for more details about the data collections.

    B-S-J-Z (China) refers to the four PISA-participating provinces/municipalities of the People's Republic of China: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

    For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.