Abstract

Education has played a fundamental role in people’s long-held view of Japan as a meritocratic society. The post-war educational system aimed to reduce educational inequality associated with family backgrounds. However, economic changes over the last few decades brought societal and media attention to disparities, especially educational inequalities related to family backgrounds. This chapter aims to present students’ educational opportunities and experiences related to family socioeconomic status (SES) in Japan. The chapter first provides an overview of Japanese education and educational outcomes associated with SES. Then it highlights theories that explain academic gaps depending on SES. Particularly, it focuses on economic and cultural capital as elements of creating different educational opportunities and experiences. This chapter does not bring a deficit-oriented view and does not conceptualize lower-SES families as lacking capital. The chapter also illuminates strengths displayed in lower-SES families and the meanings of education in community and life contexts. After describing the intersection of gender and SES and the impact of COVID-19 on students’ educational process, the chapter concludes with a discussion about implications and future directions.