Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan) (MEXT)

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省 Monbu-kagaku-shō), also known as MEXT, Monka-shō, and formerly the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (文部省 Monbu-shō), is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.

The Japanese government centralises education, and it is managed by a state bureaucracy that regulates almost every aspect of the education process. The School Education Law requires schools around the country to use textbooks that follow the curriculum guideline set by the ministry, although there are some exceptions.

In January 2001, the former Monbu-shō and the former Science and Technology Agency (科学技術庁 Kagaku-gijutsu-chō) merged to become the present MEXT.

MEXT is one of three ministries that run the JET Programme. It also offers the Monbukagakusho Scholarship, also known as the MEXT or Monbu-shō scholarship.