On September 11, a DPJ Policy Research Committee’s subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, has released a report showing progresses in its field since the change in government and summarizing future measures for budgetary requests in fiscal 2013. The report highlights that the Government revoked the suspension of Article 13-2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which requires State Parties to eliminate tuition fees for secondary education.

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has been adopted by 160 State Parties. Japan concluded the relevant international law in 1979, but at that time the Government decided to postpone action on the article related to free secondary education. Only Japan and Madagascar announced such a suspension, and both have been called on by the United Nations in the past to reverse this decision.

With Government-established legislation having been enacted to make public high schools tuition-free, provide financial assistance for students entering private high schools, and reduce the cost of universities (through tuition exemptions and the enhancement of scholarships), the Government considered there to be sufficient grounds to cancel the partial suspension of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.