An international school is slated to open in 2011 in Enobi, Uruma City, announced Governor of Okinawa Hirokazu Nakaima, Uruma City Mayor Hisao Chinen and president of Tokyo-based publisher Obunsha Co., Ltd. Fumio Akao at a press conference on July 25.

The three exchanged memorandums attesting to the basic consensus on the same day.

The school, which will be able to accommodate 800 students, will include kindergarten, primary and early secondary levels and will offer a “native course” designed mainly for foreign students and an immersion course for local Okinawans.

The prefecture of Okinawa intends the native course to be an educational facility for the children of foreign faculty members at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, which will start operations in 2011.

The land for the school was donated by Uruma City, and construction will be undertaken by the prefecture, while Obunsha will manage the school, including the design of educational programs. Student registration will open in 2010.