Aoba-Japan International School
🇯🇵 Tokyo · Founded 1976 · IB · Ages 2–18
A long-established (1976), IB-aligned Tokyo school with a distinctive entrepreneurship/innovation identity and a Japan-heavy student body — strong on continuity, with MYP authorization the main thing to verify.
Curricula
IB
Age range
2–18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD JPY 2,330,500–3,094,500
Enrollment
600
Boarding
No (day school)
IB authorised
PYP, DP
Accreditations
CIS, NEASC
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
Aoba-Japan International School (A-JIS) traces its roots to 1976 (founded as Aoba International School). Since a 2014 acquisition by Business Breakthrough (BBT) it has expanded into a multi-campus operation. It became an IB World School in 2015 and positions itself as an 'IB Continuum World School' serving roughly K–G12, ages 2–18, English-medium.
Its public identity centres on entrepreneurship, innovation and social responsibility — learner aims include 'Global Leaders' and 'Entrepreneurs and Innovators' — a genuine differentiator versus more traditional Tokyo schools, backed by BBT's business-education heritage.
A-JIS reports ~600 students across ~50 nationalities over three Tokyo campuses (Hikarigaoka/Nerima for ages 3–15, Meguro for ages 2–6, Bunkyo for ages 15–18), with a Kanazawa campus referenced for 2027. The student body is substantially Japanese-connected (~65% with at least one Japanese parent).
The IB Diploma is the leaving qualification; PYP and DP are authorized, while MYP appears candidate-stage (so the 'full continuum' claim should be treated cautiously). Japan has no public inspectorate, so CIS + NEASC accreditation is the primary external quality signal.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
CIS + NEASC accreditation (confirmed via official site/Wikipedia, not independently cross-checked against directories) plus IB authorization. Japan has no public inspectorate — tier reflects accreditation depth, A.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Long operating history (since 1976) and IB World School status since 2015
- Dual external accreditation (CIS + NEASC) plus IB authorization
- Distinctive entrepreneurship/innovation positioning, backed by BBT's business-education parentage
- Strong language-inclusion model: native-English faculty plus integrated Intensive English Preparation through Grade 8
- High diversity (~50 nationalities) while remaining accessible to Japanese-heritage families
- Transparent published fees, enrollment and class-size caps
Trade-offs
- 'Full IB Continuum' marketing vs. evidence that MYP may be candidate-stage, not authorized — a continuity gap in the middle years
- Multi-campus, age-split sites (2–6 vs 3–15 vs 15–18) can mean transitions between physical campuses
- No published verified IB average — only a reported range (27–40); cohort-level outcomes not transparently public
- Heavily Japanese-connected student body (~65% with at least one Japanese parent) may dilute the international-immersion some expat families expect
- Accreditation/authorization detail relies partly on a Wikipedia article with maintenance flags
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Families (esp. Japan-resident or mixed-heritage) wanting an English-medium IB pathway with strong EAL onboarding
- ✓Students drawn to entrepreneurship, innovation and project/STEAM-oriented learning
- ✓Families needing a 2-to-18 single-provider pathway in northwest/central Tokyo
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families wanting a single continuous campus from early years through DP (campuses are age-split and geographically separate)
- ✕Those requiring an A-Level/Cambridge route (not offered — IB only)
- ✕Families who specifically want a fully-authorized MYP middle-years programme today (verify before enrolling)
- ✕Boarding seekers (day school only)
Curriculum
IB-aligned, English-medium. PYP and DP authorization documented; MYP appears candidate-stage — the 'IB Continuum' claim should be independently verified at ibo.org. No Cambridge/A-Level route.
Fees
Tuition reported at ~JPY 2,330,500–3,094,500 for 2026/2027 (international-schools-database). This is tuition only; the official fee pages were not directly accessible, so application/registration/capital fees are not public via the sources reviewed. Confirm the full schedule directly with the school.
Admissions
Entry supported by an integrated Intensive English Preparation programme (through Grade 8). Class-size caps published (K3/K4: 15 + 2 adults; K5–G3: 20; G4–secondary: 24). Confirm deadlines with the school.
Campus Life
Three Tokyo campuses (Hikarigaoka/Nerima, Meguro, Bunkyo) plus an online/global campus; a Kanazawa campus referenced for 2027. ~600 students, ~50 nationalities.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: IB Diploma results cited as a range of 27–40, with 100% of graduates progressing to further education. No published average score or independently verified destination list was found.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
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