Comparison

Chile vs Japan

Side-by-side comparison of how these places approach childhood.

At a glance

Chile

In Chile, every newborn receives a free 'Chile Crece Contigo' box with baby supplies from the government.

This universal program, inspired by Finland's baby box, delivers diapers, clothes, and parenting guides to every family โ€” a rare social policy achievement in South America.

Japan

In Japan, six-year-olds ride the Tokyo subway alone.

A culture of collective responsibility and meticulous safety infrastructure makes child independence possible in one of the world's largest cities.

Indicators side by side
Under-5 mortality rate
6.8
Chile
2.3
Japan
per 1,000
Education spending (% of GDP)
5.4%
Chile
3.4%
Japan
%
Child poverty rate
13.7%
Chile
13.9%
Japan
%
Corporal punishment
Banned
Chile
Banned
Japan
Childcare enrollment (0-2)
30%
Chile
53%
Japan
%
Paid parental leave
30 wk
Chile
58 wk
Japan
weeks
Child stunting rate
1.8%
Chile
7.1%
Japan
%
Immunization (DPT3)
93%
Chile
99%
Japan
%
Adolescent birth rate
23.1
Chile
3.1
Japan
per 1,000
PISA average score
412
Chile
536
Japan
points
Secondary completion rate
85%
Chile
99%
Japan
%
Early childhood education enrollment
85%
Chile
90%
Japan
%
Birth registration rate
100%
Chile
100%
Japan
%
Child labor rate
1%
Chile
0%
Japan
%
Child benefit spending (% of GDP)
1.2%
Chile
1.6%
Japan
% of GDP
How they compare
Child independence expectations
Chile
Japan
Low High
Structured enrichment emphasis
Chile
Japan
Low High
Risk tolerance in play
Chile
Japan
Low High
School systems
Marketized South American model

Chile

School starts at age 6. Chile has one of the most market-driven education systems in South America, with public, subsidized-private, and fully private schools competing for students. School runs roughly 8 AM to 4 PM under the extended school day policy.

East Asian model

Japan

Academic rigor balanced with group harmony. Students clean their own classrooms and serve lunch. The school year starts in April. Cram schools (juku) supplement formal education for 60%+ of students by middle school.

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โ† Chile profile ยท Japan profile โ†’