Foundations laid for a branch of Rugby School to open in Japan

At the reception on October 24 head master Peter Green announced that heads of terms had been signed with an operating partner in Japan to enable the foundations to be laid for Rugby School Japan.

The school, set to open in 2022, will make history as the the first British independent school to open a sister school in Japan.

It follows the opening of Rugby School Thailand in 2017- which now has 700 students.

The school (the equivalent of a combined junior high school and a high school in Japan) will have the capacity to educate 750 boys and girls, both as day students and boarders.

It will be built in the Tokyo area, with an additional campus being considered in Kansai and enrichment campus on Hokkaido, where Rugbeians will spend time each year.

At an event in Tokyo, attended by Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko; His Excellency Mr Paul Madden, CMG, the British Ambassador; representatives of the British Chamber of Commerce and the British Council; as well as Old Rugbeians, Peter Green said the school would be a legacy project for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and praised Japan for the magnificent way in which the country was hosting the tournament, especially having suffered the effects of a major typhoon.

Mr Green said: “Rugby School Japan will be an authentic interpretation of Rugby School England, sharing Rugby’s aims and ethos, but within – and mindful of – the cultural context of Japan.

“Everything we do at Rugby School is about encouraging the children in our care to develop into whole people, into well-rounded adults. While Rugby School is unashamedly academic, we believe that to help children to grow with confidence in themselves and curiosity about life they need to have as many opportunities as possible.

“Not just in the classroom but in music and drama and sport; in community activities and charitable projects; in exploration and in reflection. So I am very proud that our partners in Japan have chosen the Rugby School model for this new English-speaking school in Japan."

Visit www.rugbyschooljapan.com for more information.