The American School in Japan

ASIJ operates on two Tokyo campuses: the Chofu Campus at 1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-0031, and the Early Learning Center at 6-16-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032. The Chofu Campus hosts the main school divisions, while the Early Learning Center serves nursery through kindergarten in central Tokyo. The bus system serves neighborhoods across downtown Tokyo and ASIJ provides transport as part of campus life.

ASIJ is organized into four divisions: the Early Learning Center (Nursery–Kinder), Elementary School (Kinder–5th), Middle School (6th–8th), and High School (9th–12th).

ASIJ is a non-profit, co-educational international day school.

The school represents students from over 50 nationalities. American families make up about half of the student body, and roughly half of the families are bi-cultural with parents from the United States and Japan.

ASIJ offers a K–12 learning support program for students with mild learning needs. Each applicant is reviewed individually to determine whether the school can support their learning needs within the curriculum.

No formal country affiliation.

No religious affiliation.

At the Chofu campus, classes begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. The Early Learning Center schedule runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

ASIJ operates a transportation system with 33 buses serving about 276 bus stops across downtown Tokyo. About 1,300 riders use the buses daily. The fleet includes GPS tracking, two-way radios, iPhones, seat belts, and 170 bus monitors. Parents may ride the bus to school for events at no charge.

The American School in Japan (ASIJ) offers an English-language, American-style curriculum from the Early Learning Center through Grade 12, operating on two Tokyo campuses. The Elementary School (ages five to 11) emphasizes foundational literacy and numeracy with social-emotional development and inquiry-based learning aligned to the school's Portrait of a Learner competencies. The Middle School (grades 6–8) provides a broad, hands-on program with daily Advisory and an Approaches to Learning framework, plus exposure to language, humanities, science, math, arts, and electives and regular extended-campus experiences. The High School (grades 9–12) leads to an ASIJ diploma requiring four years and 22 credits, and offers a wide range of Advanced Placement courses (including the AP Capstone Diploma), with opportunities for concurrent enrollment via Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) and a personalized pathway through the IMPACT program. For the Class of 2026 and beyond, graduation requirements increase to 24 credits, with Wellness: Physical Education & Health and new elements such as Design and Innovation and digital-literacy components replacing or augmenting prior offerings.

ASIJ identifies social emotional learning (SEL) as a strategic priority and has engaged external expertise to support its implementation, notably with the Institute for Social and Emotional Learning (IFSEL). The school notes SEL as a priority within its Strategic Design Framework and has integrated SEL into professional learning and family engagement, including parent workshops. Vision of Learning presents SEL as a core component, with a dedicated SEL crest and a focus on interpersonal, intercultural, and collaboration skills. These elements show that SEL is embedded in ASIJ's approach to learning and wellbeing.

ASIJ states a learning support program for mild learning needs from kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12). Each applicant is reviewed individually to assess whether ASIJ can support their learning needs within the school curriculum. Public materials do not specify a broader range of Special Educational Needs or indicate that ASIJ operates as a dedicated SEN specialist institution.

ASIJ offers a language support program in grades 1–8 to support multiple language learners, alongside English as the medium of instruction. English language instruction remains the primary medium for communication at the school.

ASIJ places emphasis on student wellbeing, supported by safeguarding structures and a dedicated safeguarding coordinator who acts as a school counselor. Safeguarding procedures include annual training for staff and background checks for all employees, along with a safeguarding policy and handbook. The Vision of Learning also ties wellbeing to Global Citizenship, underscoring the school's commitment to well-being as part of its learning framework.

ASIJ's safeguarding framework centers on a full-time Safeguarding Coordinator, Level 2 Keeping Children Safe certification, a safeguarding policy and handbook, and annual safeguarding training. There are background checks for all employees and a Code of Conduct for faculty and staff. The safeguarding coordinator is Emily Hopwood, and the school articulates formal safeguarding procedures aligned with accrediting bodies such as WASC, CIS and Keeping Children Safe.

Step 1: Inquiry and open houses. The process starts with submitting the ASIJ INQUIRY FORM to share your family's needs and educational goals. Completing the inquiry gives you access to register for Open House sessions at ASIJ's campuses. Open House dates for the 2025–26 school year include October 2 and 16, November 6 and 13, and December 4 in 2025, with additional sessions in January and February 2026; pre-registration is required and space is limited.

Step 2: Create an admission portal account and begin the online application. After submitting the inquiry, you will receive guidance to open an application account (Veracross) to start the online application. Within the portal you will see a checklist and can begin the Online Application Form, then submit the required items on the Admission Portal. Applications for the 2026–27 school year open in November 2025, and the portal supports multiple applicants for a family, though you should sign up for only ONE child to avoid duplicates.

Step 3: Submit required documents on the Admission Portal. The required items vary by grade but typically include school reports or transcripts when available, and confidential teacher recommendations. Recommendations in languages other than English are acceptable, though English is preferred, and translations may be requested at your expense. You may also need mid-year report cards for certain grades; the admissions portal guides you on exactly what to upload for Nursery–Kindergarten through Grade 1.

Step 4: Initial review and possible screening. There is no general entrance examination. The Admissions team reviews school reports, test scores, and recommendations, and may request academic, English, or other screening prior to a decision. The process focuses on alignment with ASIJ's philosophy, diversity balance, resource availability, and the school's English-medium education requirement. Local and overseas applicants are both considered during this review.

Step 5: Admissions decision timeline. Admissions decisions typically begin in late February or early March and continue through the summer. Decisions consider how well the family's educational goals align with ASIJ's approach, as well as current seat availability and the school's ability to support the applicant. Both local and overseas applicants are evaluated within this timeline.

Step 6: Offer, acceptance, and enrollment. If admitted, families receive an admissions decision and must respond to secure a seat. To finalize enrollment, the non-refundable Registration Fee of ¥300,000 is due, and the seat is reserved for the first day of school; additional annual fees and tuition apply as outlined below. Annual fees include Capital Assessment of ¥250,000 (non-refundable) and Building Maintenance Fee of ¥1,525,000 (non-refundable). 2025–26 tuition is ¥2,987,000 for Nursery–Pre-K, ¥3,269,000 for Kindergarten–Grade 5, ¥3,425,000 for Grades 6–8, and ¥3,533,000 for Grades 9–12. Bus service is available for ¥390,000 per year, with pricing for trips, meals, and technology requirements published in advance. Tuition and fees are due upon receipt of the invoice in Japanese yen; personal installment plans may be available. Corporate Contribution Program offers a way for participating organizations to sponsor educational benefits, potentially reducing the net cost to families through corporate funding and scholarships funded by the program.

Step 7: Language and campus logistics. One or both parents must be fluent in English to ensure effective communication and support for the child's education; English is the medium for all ASIJ communications. If language support is needed, ASIJ provides programs for language learners in Grades 1–8. Kindergarten is offered at two campuses—ELC in Roppongi and K–12 in Chofu—and applicants should indicate their campus preference during the application. ASIJ also notes mid-year transfer considerations, with the school year running August to June and certain transfer rules for families already in Tokyo.

ASIJ does not offer scholarships or need-based financial aid for new applicants. The admissions page states clearly that new applicants are not eligible for scholarships or financial aid. The school does offer a Corporate Contribution Program, which allows participating corporations to donate to ASIJ to fund corporate scholarships for dependents of employees; this program can influence admissions decisions as part of consideration of overall enrollment. ASIJ also maintains a Financial Aid Endowment fund with various named funds that support financial aid in general, though specific award processes and eligibility are not detailed publicly. Families should consider corporate sponsorship options if applicable and note that donor-funded financial support exists as part of the school's long-term financial structure.

ASIJ does not publish a formal waitlist or pool system on its admissions materials. Admissions decisions are driven by seat availability and the school's stated criteria, including alignment with ASIJ's philosophy, diversity goals, and resource capacity. Mid-year transfers are subject to seat availability and campus policies, and local applicants may face timing constraints due to the August–June school year. In practice, families may need to plan around the annual admissions cycle (with decisions typically issued from late February through the summer) rather than a published waitlist.