Japan reaches a new milestone in global education rankings
Japan has ranked first among all 38 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in science, mathematics and reading for the first time, according to the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results released on the 8th. The assessment was conducted in 2025 and covered approximately 760,000 15-year-old students across 91 countries and economies.
The results place Japan among the world’s strongest-performing education systems. Across all participating countries and economies, Japan ranked fifth in science with an average score of 538 points, fifth in mathematics with 525 points, and fourth in reading with 503 points. Although the figures represented declines from the previous assessment—nine points in science, 11 points in mathematics and 13 points in reading—Japan maintained a relatively stable level over the medium term as average scores continued to fall in many other participating systems.
Strong performance despite global declines
PISA evaluates how effectively 15-year-old students can apply knowledge to real-life challenges, rather than simply testing their ability to recall classroom material. Japan’s results suggest that its emphasis on structured learning, strong foundational skills and systematic classroom instruction continues to support high academic performance.
Japan also ranked first among OECD members in the innovative assessment area known as “Learning in the Digital World,” recording an average score of 557 points. This section examines how students use programming tools and other digital resources to solve problems and learn independently. Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said that improvements in teaching practices based on the current national curriculum guidelines, together with the development of digital learning environments, were beginning to produce results.
Reading performance remains a concern
Despite Japan’s overall success, the report identified challenges that educators and policymakers will need to address. In reading, students performed less well than in the previous assessment on questions requiring them to quickly and accurately determine whether a short sentence makes logical sense. The proportion of students in the lowest-performing group increased in all three core subjects.
This trend is significant for Japan, where education officials are seeking to strengthen the ability of students to interpret information, evaluate sources and communicate clearly in an increasingly digital society. Strong average scores can coexist with growing gaps between high- and low-performing students, making support for those who are struggling an important policy priority.
Gender differences and international comparisons
The gender comparison also revealed differences in achievement. Among high-performing students in both science and mathematics, boys represented a larger share than girls. Boys also gave more positive responses than girls when asked whether they enjoyed or were interested in learning science. These findings may encourage further discussion about how schools can broaden participation and engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics among all students.
In the overall international rankings, the Chinese regions of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang recorded the highest average scores in each of the three subjects, followed by Singapore. Macao and Taiwan also placed among the leading participants. Japan took part with approximately 6,500 first-year high school students from 183 schools nationwide.
For foreign residents, families considering Japan and international educators, the results reinforce Japan’s reputation for academic strength and disciplined schooling. At the same time, they show that Japan’s education system faces familiar modern challenges: maintaining excellence, reducing disparities and preparing students for a world that demands both traditional knowledge and flexible digital literacy.
