UNICEF Report Card 20: Japan Ranks 34th in Economic Inequality but Maintains Smallest Academic Gap Among Advanced Nations

UNICEF's Innocenti Research Centre released 'Report Card 20,' examining economic inequality and child well-being across 44 high-income countries. The report highlights that high inequality correlates with health issues like obesity and lower academic performance. Japan faces significant economic disparity, ranking 34th out of 43 countries, with a child poverty rate of 16.7%. Conversely, Japan achieved the smallest academic gap between the wealthiest and poorest students, demonstrating high educational equity despite its increasing economic challenges.