Fewer than half of Japan's school buildings are quake-resistant, according to a Cabinet Office study released Wednesday.

The proportion of schools that have been reinforced against earthquakes stands at 45.9 percent, while only 14 prefectures boast a ratio of better than 50 percent in terms of quake-resistant school buildings.

The study, in survey form, covered 151,624 buildings operated by 50,931 educational institutions nationwide, ranging from kindergartens to universities.