What does this research mean for the field?

Centralized educational governance, as seen in Taiwan, enables coordinated support and inclusion for immigrant children, whereas decentralized systems like Japan's lead to regional variations and inequalities in educational access and outcomes. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to analyze and compare education policies for immigrant children in Taiwan and Japan.

May 16, 2026Open Access

Education policies for children of immigrants in Taiwan and Japan: a comparative analysis

Key Points

The research aims to analyze and compare education policies for immigrant children in Taiwan and Japan.
Conducted a theory-informed comparative analysis focusing on legal frameworks, integration strategies, and educational outcomes.
Sourced information from national policy documents, international reports, and PISA results from 2006 to 2022.
Employed a five-step analytical process to synthesize the gathered data.
Taiwan demonstrates coordinated language support and multicultural curricula, enhancing inclusion.
Japan shows regional disparities in educational access and support services, affecting enrollment outcomes.
Governance structures significantly influence educational experiences for immigrant-origin students in both countries.

Abstract

This study offers a theory-informed comparative analysis of education policies for children of immigrants in Taiwan and Japan, focusing on five key dimensions: legal frameworks, language education support, integration strategies, parental and community involvement, and educational and social outcomes. Drawing on multicultural education theory, acculturation models, and rights-based frameworks, the study employs a five-step analytical process and synthesizes data from national policy documents, international reports, and PISA results (2006–2022). While Taiwan’s centralized governance enables coordinated language support, multicultural curricula, and institutional inclusion, Japan’s decentralized system generates regional variations in access, support services, and enrollment outcomes. The analysis identifies how governance structures shape immigrant-origin students’ educational experiences and reveals both strengths and limitations in each system. The findings contribute to global discussions on immigrant education by highlighting the importance of national coordination, inclusive pedagogy, and equity-oriented policy design in emerging immigration destinations.

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