Kyoto’s Heian Jogakuin University to go coed in 2028, change name
In short
Heian Jogakuin University in Kyoto will become coeducational in April 2028 and be renamed Kyoto Chiiki Kyoso University, a tentative name, its school corporation said on October 5. Enrollment fell from 627 students in fiscal 2022 to 354 in fiscal 2026. The child education faculty in Takatsuki, Osaka, will be transferred to International Pacific University from fiscal 2028, while the affiliated junior and senior high schools remain girls’ schools.
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The school corporation Heian Jogakuin said on October 5 that Heian Jogakuin University in Kyoto will become coeducational from April 2028 and change its name to Kyoto Chiiki Kyoso University, a tentative title, Sankei Shimbun, Nikkei and Mainichi Shimbun reported. Yomiuri Shimbun, which reported the plan a day earlier, said the corporation’s board of directors decided on coeducation at a meeting on October 2 and that briefings were held the same day for faculty, staff, students and parents; the other outlets reported it as an announcement made on October 5. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The corporation cited a decline in student numbers amid the low birthrate and a rise in preference for coeducation, according to Yomiuri, Sankei and Nikkei. Enrollment fell from 627 students in fiscal 2022 to 354 in fiscal 2026, the documents say. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The university now has two faculties: international tourism in Kyoto’s Kamigyo Ward and child education in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture. Under the plan, the child education faculty will be transferred to International Pacific University, run by the Soshi Gakuen school corporation of Kobe, from fiscal 2028, Nikkei and Mainichi reported. Mainichi said the two corporations have signed a basic agreement and will apply for approval within the year, and that the faculty is expected to become coeducational at the same time. Sankei and Mainichi said the university will then consist of the international tourism faculty alone. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Mainichi reported that the child education faculty had a quota of 70 places and 230 students in fiscal 2022, falling to 23 entrants against a quota of 60 and 134 students in fiscal 2026. The international tourism faculty had 397 students against a quota of 110 in fiscal 2022 and 220 students against a quota of 100 in fiscal 2026, with its quota to be cut to 75 for fiscal 2027, Mainichi said. [ 5 ]
Heian Jogakuin’s junior and senior high schools will keep their name and remain girls’ schools, Sankei, Nikkei and Mainichi reported. Mainichi added that the affiliated kindergarten in Takatsuki will continue to operate. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The university opened in fiscal 2000 in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, moved to Kamigyo Ward in fiscal 2007 as the international tourism faculty, and opened the child faculty in Takatsuki in fiscal 2009, renaming it the child education faculty in fiscal 2015, Mainichi reported. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
The decision shows a small private university restructuring around a shrinking student base, a pressure the documents attribute to the low birthrate and a rise in preference for coeducation. For readers outside Japan the change has little direct effect; its interest lies in the enrollment decline and the moving of one faculty to another operator. The documents give no financial terms and do not describe any effect on current students beyond the briefings that Yomiuri Shimbun mentions.
Key facts
- The school corporation Heian Jogakuin said the university will become coeducational from April 2028 and be renamed Kyoto Chiiki Kyoso University, a tentative name. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Student numbers fell from 627 in fiscal 2022 to 354 in fiscal 2026. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The university currently has two faculties: international tourism in Kyoto and child education in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The child education faculty is to be transferred to International Pacific University, run by the Soshi Gakuen school corporation of Kobe, from fiscal 2028. [ 4 , 5 ]
- After the transfer the university will consist of the international tourism faculty alone. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The affiliated junior and senior high schools will keep their names and remain girls’ schools. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The corporation cited declining student numbers due to the low birthrate and a rise in preference for coeducation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun reported that the international tourism faculty’s quota will be cut to 75 for fiscal 2027 and that an application for approval of the transfer will be filed within the year. [ 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The school corporation announced that Heian Jogakuin University will become coeducational from April 2028 and be renamed Kyoto Chiiki Kyoso University, a tentative name. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Enrollment fell from 627 students in fiscal 2022 to 354 in fiscal 2026. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The child education faculty is to be transferred to International Pacific University, run by the Soshi Gakuen school corporation, from fiscal 2028. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The affiliated junior and senior high schools will keep their names and remain girls’ schools. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- After the transfer, the university will have only the international tourism faculty. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The corporation cited a decline in student numbers due to the low birthrate and a rise in preference for coeducation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The university opened in 2000. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The timing of the decision and the announcement differs between outlets: Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the board of directors decided on October 2 and that briefings were held that day, while Sankei, Nikkei and Mainichi reported the plan as announced on October 5. Only Yomiuri describes the October 2 board meeting and briefings, and the documents do not explain the difference in timing.
- Whether the transferred child education faculty will also become coeducational. Only Mainichi Shimbun mentions this, and it frames it as an expectation rather than a decision.
- When the new university name will be finalized. All documents call the name tentative but none says when it will be confirmed.
- Enrollment and quota figures by faculty, the plan to cut the international tourism quota to 75 for fiscal 2027, and the plan to file for approval within the year come only from Mainichi Shimbun. Single-source details not reported by the other outlets.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 2: the school corporation’s board of directors decides on coeducation, and briefings are held for faculty, staff, students and parents, according to Yomiuri Shimbun. [ 1 ]
- October 4: Yomiuri Shimbun reports the decision, saying it came from interviews with the school corporation. [ 1 ]
- October 4: Yahoo! News Japan carries the Yomiuri report. [ 2 ]
- October 5: Sankei Shimbun reports the corporation’s announcement of coeducation from April 2028 and the name change. [ 3 ]
- October 5: Nikkei reports the announcement and names International Pacific University as the recipient of the child education faculty. [ 4 ]
- October 5: Mainichi Shimbun reports the announcement with faculty-level enrollment figures, the plan to file for approval within the year, and the quota cut for fiscal 2027. [ 5 ]