By Japan Today Editor

Copyright japantoday

Japan decided Wednesday to allow textbooks to be used only in digital form in schools, with a plan to introduce the step in public elementary schools from fiscal 2030.

The change, approved by an education ministry working group, will give local education boards the options of adopting only digital textbooks, using them alongside paper ones — an option already available — or sticking with paper textbooks only.

The Central Council for Education has said that the move will lead to wider textbook choices, facilitate learning that accommodates the increasingly digital nature of society and generate new, creative teaching methods.

However, some experts have expressed concern that the use of digital textbooks may increase the burden on teachers and textbook publishers and cause impaired eyesight and other health issues among students.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology aims to submit bills for amending related laws during the ordinary Diet session in 2026.

Digital textbooks are already in use in Japan, but as “alternative teaching materials” that do not require separate government approval, as they are exact copies of already screened paper textbooks, equipped with read-aloud functions.

Under the new system, digital textbooks and teaching materials to be accessed via QR codes in textbooks will be newly subjected to screening as the task force seeks to ensure the quality of the content.

The ministry is expected to create guidelines on how to use digital materials in classrooms, as the group deemed it necessary to consider the characteristics of each subject and the developmental stage of students.