Kirk here. Prefectural high schools in Kumamoto have long held “morning extracurricular classes” (朝課外; asa kagai) to help students prepare for university entrance exams. Recently, the head of the prefectural board of education (pictured responding to questions in the prefectural assembly) announced the board’s decision to abolish the practice at prefectural schools. Getting to school in time for these early classes was difficult for pupils and their parents and was also in conflict with the Ministry of Education’s call for more autonomous study. The article doesn’t say anything about private schools. Have private schools been holding such classes? If so, I assume they may continue because the article only mentions a change in prefectural schools.