Are More Children Unable to Swim? Reasons for the Decline in School Swimming Lessons and Their Future

2025年06月11日 00:57

1. What's Happening in Japan Now

School swimming, which became widespread as "education to protect lives" following the 1955 Shiun Maru sinking accident, is now at a significant turning point after 70 years. As of 2021, the outdoor pool installation rate is 87% for elementary schools and 65% for junior high schools. Compared to just three years ago in 2018, there was a sharp decline of 7 points for elementary schools and 8 points for junior high schools. More municipalities are abolishing the facilities themselves and "outsourcing" classes to nearby private pools.

2. The Forefront of the Private Outsourcing Model—Kyoto City's Trial

In 2024, Kyoto City Seishin Elementary School will collaborate with an adjacent swimming school instead of using its 60-year-old outdoor pool with cracks. With four professional coaches plus teachers, the system will increase from the traditional three to eight members, receiving generally favorable evaluations in terms of both safety and skill improvement. The estimate shows an annual cost reduction of about 1.7 million yen. Outdoor classes that had to be canceled when the heat index exceeded 31 can now be conducted year-round in an indoor pool.

3. The Real Reason Behind the Increase in "Children Who Can't Swim"

(1) The Void of the COVID-19 Pandemic

From 2020 to 2023, measures to prevent infection led to restrictions on the number of participants and a reduction in class frequency, resulting in older students who couldn't swim.
(2) The Pressure of Teachers' Expertise and Responsibility

More municipalities are removing swimming skills from recruitment exams, leading to a widening gap in teaching ability. There is also significant anxiety about legal responsibility in the event of an accident.
(3) The Cost of Aging Facilities

Some surveys indicate that several million yen per school per year, and tens of billions over 40 years, are required.
(4) Climate Change and Safety Management

In outdoor pools during midsummer, temperatures exceed 35°C, causing water temperatures to rise, making heatstroke measures essential.

4. The Spread of Abolition and Reduction—Concrete Examples

Numazu City (Shizuoka Prefecture)…From the 2025 school year, swimming classes will be abolished at 17 schools due to pool aging and extreme heat.
Takizawa City (Iwate Prefecture)…Due to student voices saying "I don't want to show my skin" and an increase in absences, junior high school practical classes were canceled, shifting to lectures and private classes.
Exception Provisions in the Curriculum Guidelines…It is clearly stated that "if an appropriate swimming facility cannot be secured, practical skills do not need to be handled."

5. Viewing "Decline in Swimming Ability" Through Data

In Saitama Prefecture's 2023 survey, the percentage of fifth-grade boys who could swim 25 meters dropped from about 71% in 2019 to about 56% in 2023. The proportion of children who cannot swim has significantly increased.

6. International Comparison: The Dilemma of Mandates and Disparities

Country/Region	Minimum Target	Implementing Body	Main Challenges
England	Swim 25m by the end of primary school	Uniform national curriculum	Lack of instructors, rising costs
Australia (e.g., QLD)	Mandatory water safety program	Public and private pools	High personal cost for lessons, low acquisition rate among low-income groups
Japan	Compulsory in curriculum guidelines (with exceptions)	School-owned pools	Aging facilities, financial difficulties, teacher burden

While the UK government reduces pool usage fees through subsidies, in Australia, 48% of sixth graders cannot swim 50m, and drowning incidents are increasing.

7. Is Outsourcing a Panacea? - Benefits and Risks

Benefits

Effective Instruction by Professional Coaches
Low Weather Dependency in Indoor Facilities
Significant Reduction in Pool Maintenance and Safety Management Costs

Risks

Increased Costs in Areas with High Contract Fees and Transportation Costs
Impact on Other Subjects Due to Schedule Adjustments
Widening Gap as Low-Income Households Cannot Attend Paid Classes

In a parent survey, 77% said it was "good," but there were also voices questioning, "Can you swim with just five sessions a year?"

8. Back to the Basics of Water Accident Prevention Education

There are many suggestions that skills to "float and survive" should be taught rather than competitive swimming techniques. Simulation-type classes, such as clothed swimming and floating with a plastic bottle, can be conducted on land, allowing for continued safety education while keeping costs down.

9. Policy Recommendations - Inspired by Good Practices Domestically and Abroad

Shared Pool Network
Professional Instructor Licensing System
Cloud-Based Remote Monitoring
Household Support Vouchers
Visualization of Inter-Municipal Disparities

10. Conclusion - To Prevent Falling from a "Nation that Can Swim" to a "Nation that Cannot Swim"

The reduction of swimming classes cannot be measured solely by fiscal rationality. Losing water literacy in a Japanese society surrounded by the sea, rivers, and hot springs is synonymous with losing security. It is necessary to redesign the roles of educational institutions, administration, and the private sector to reconstruct a system that simultaneously satisfiesexpertise, sustainable finance, and fairness.

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