When the closure of a Tokyo international preschool made headlines last month, the incident put the spotlight on whether international schools deliver what they promise, particularly in light of their often lofty tuition fees.

Earlier this year, the building of the Chateau School in Tokyo's Minato Ward was suddenly shuttered and the school went on a hiatus, leaving parents with not only the need to find a new school or other extracurricular activities to fill their children's time, but also little chance of achieving a tuition refund without pursuing legal action themselves.

The reality is that many child care facilities and schools in Japan don’t need specific governmental authorization to operate or to use “international” in their names — as was the case with the Chateau School before its hiatus — and some of these might not have the international accreditation that is used to convey an institution's high standards and commitments to families.

So, how are schools in Japan — including preschools and international schools — categorized? And how can you choose an international school you can trust? Here are some of things to look out for:

How are preschools classified by the Japanese government?

Preschool and kindergarten — as well as high school — are not considered compulsory education. In other words, students are only required by law to attend first through ninth grade.

So while it was advertised and covered in the news as an "international school," the Chateau School didn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the education ministry.

Many institutions at the preschool level are legally classed as companies, and this was the case for the Chateau School. Because it was a preschool, its operation fell under the jurisdiction of the health ministry through the Child Welfare Act. In addition, it is currently classified as an “unauthorized” child care facility, according to its local ward office.

Schools classified as unauthorized under the School Education Act lack government or legally binding protections or regulations, often leaving parents to fend for themselves in the event of a closure like that of the Chateau School’s.

How are international schools for upper grades categorized?

The education ministry describes international schools as “educational facilities for foreign students, where classes are mainly conducted in English.” Such schools are categorized as either Article 1 schools, miscellaneous schools or unauthorized schools.

Schools recognized by the government under Article 1 of the School Education Act follow the national curriculum and associated guidelines of the education ministry. They are funded completely or in part by the taxpayer.

Examples of Article 1 schools include Makuhari International School in Chiba Prefecture, UWC ISAK Japan in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, and Amicus International School in Okinawa Prefecture. While many preschools are considered unauthorized child care facilities, some are operated by these Article 1 schools, which could act as a guide for parents when they are choosing an institution.

Miscellaneous schools, meanwhile, are established with the approval of individual prefectures, and these encompass elementary, middle and high schools as well as universities, vocational schools and English conversation schools, known as eikaiwa. These schools are required to meet certain requirements, such as having set class hours and a set number of teachers.

Several long-standing international schools belong to this category. Examples include the American School in Japan, Yokohama International School, Nishimachi International School and Marist Brothers International School.

Miscellaneous schools can also be classed as gakkō-hōjin, or legally incorporated school corporations with oversight from prefectural governments. Some prefectures may even require schools to be gakkō-hōjin.

Can these classifications help you pick a school?

The short answer is yes, but not always.

Koji Kitayama, a deputy assistant minister at the education ministry’s International Affairs Division, said a good way to pinpoint a trustworthy school would be to confirm its Article 1 or miscellaneous status and obtain details on its financial stability.

“As general advice, it is important to properly examine the financial situation of the school, because there are many schools out there that do not have official accreditation,” he said. “If they have obtained classification as such, that information should be available.”

However, Kitayama’s office also advises that, because jurisdiction for miscellaneous schools lies with their respective prefectures and not the education ministry, parents should review the prefecture's school standards and the details of the school provided by the prefecture.

Still, a school’s unauthorized status shouldn't necessarily deter you from exploring or choosing it, said Matthew Parr, head of school at Nagoya International School, which is also considered a gakkō-hōjin, and president of the Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).

“In terms of advice to parents, in Japan it's hard because there is such a range," he said. "Just because places are not authorized as a school by the Japanese authorities, it doesn't necessarily mean they're unethical or not well-run.

“Of course, it is wise to start by looking at authorized schools, but there may be schools that don’t quite fit the mold for Japanese authorization that are still good places to learn as a child.”

If an international school isn’t an Article 1 school, what accreditation or standards can they have?

There are many accrediting bodies trusted by governments and educational institutions, such as universities, across the globe that demonstrate a school’s high standards.

These include, but are not limited to, the Council of International Schools (CIS), the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). For example, Seisen International School in Tokyo is accredited by CIS and NEASC, while Nagoya International School is accredited by CIS and WASC.

“Beyond Japanese authorization, if you really want to know if it’s a good international school, you have to look for a quality international accreditation, like WASC, COBIS (Council of British International Schools), CIS or one of the other big international accrediting bodies,” Parr said. “In addition to meeting our own standards for membership, all JCIS schools must have a recognized international accreditation, because we know that this is the minimum necessary to assure us that this is a school with sound and ethical practices in learning, well-being and operations.

“There are many different ways to be a ‘great school.’ Beyond ensuring the school is accredited, parents need to visit the school and imagine their child being happy there," Parr added. "Good education is a partnership between parents and the school around the learning and well-being of their child, and when parents feel this partnership starting to build when visiting a school, it is a sign that this might be the right fit.”

Schools can also be recognized according to their curriculums, such as with IB World Schools offering International Baccalaureate programming — for example, the Canadian Academy in Kobe or the Aoba-Japan International School campuses located across Tokyo. Similarly, schools can also be recognized for offering other globally acknowledged, non-Japanese curriculums.

What are other tips for finding an international school that is right for me?

Kitayama said that based on his time living and working in France, one's surrounding communities can also provide peace of mind when choosing a school.

“In certain communities, there is a degree of information circulation. When I lived in France, information about schools was mostly shared within the Japanese community," he said. "So it's probably helpful for parents to search and share within their communities to find relevant information.”