Reflecting the nation's declining birthrate, the number of single-sex schools in the country has decreased dramatically, according to a 2011 poll by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
There were 464 schools attended by only male or female students nationwide, according to the survey. Single-gender schools account for less than 10 per cent of all schools, and their number is half of what it was 20 years ago.
The decline is mainly due to a shift at many schools to coeducation to attract more students amid the low birthrate.
Despite the decrease, boys schools still rank high in terms of the number of successful applicants to top-notch universities, highlighting an advantage of single-sex education.
Citation: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/ANN/Story/STIStory_791800.html
In addition to the nation's declining birthrate, more important facts seem to push up the trend.
Single-sex schools, especially male schools, can produce large amounts of men who have high academic careers but don't have enough skills to communicate with the oppsite sex people. So, Japan now has single males or females in colleges. The rate of single males or females in colleges increases as the rate catches up the nation's declining birthrate.
But, a high school I belonged to hasn't yet realized it and still says "Females can discourage men from studying harder."
