TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The education ministry accredited 22 Japanese-language schools on Wednesday, the first such approvals under a new national system introduced this year in an effort to ensure educational quality for the increased needs of the country's growing foreign population.

The schools, which cleared requirements on staffing and curriculum to obtain the accreditation, are required to report on their operations, including the content of their lessons, to the education ministry every fiscal year. If a school's management is deemed inappropriate, it will be subject to a corrective order.

Japanese-language schools that currently accept foreigners with student visas are designated under the Justice Ministry's rules. If the schools wish to continue to operate, they will need to get the education ministry's accreditation within a transitional period of five years.

Foreign residents in Japan surpassed 3 million for the first time in 2023, with around 85 percent of them being of working age, providing support to the nation's labor market.

The Japanese government eased visa regulations this year to expand the scope of foreign students allowed to stay on and find jobs in Japan, in response to calls from business and academic circles.

Out of 72 schools that applied for accreditation, three failed to become certified, 36 withdrew their application, and 11 are still under evaluation, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Of the 22 accredited schools, 15 plan to open next spring, the education ministry said. Information on the accredited schools will be disclosed on the ministry's website later.

Meanwhile, a new national qualification for teaching Japanese was also introduced in April. To teach at an accredited institution, instructors need to gain the qualification, with the first exam slated for Nov. 17.