Our History

SOSHI 50th IPU10th

55 Years of the SOSHI Educational Group

SOSHI Educational Group continues its pursuit of innovation in school education.
Over the last 55 years, we have been the frontrunner of private education, ranging from pre-school to tertiary levels, providing distinctive educational services.

  • 1966

    Private after-school tutoring service ‘Learning Circle’ was founded (renamed Sozo Gakuen EDIC in 1989).

    The starting point of the SOSHI Educational Group was a tutoring service, which was started by the founder Hiroshi Ohashi at the request of four children in his neighbourhood.
    Fifteen years later, the school had grown dramatically and was teaching 5,500 students in 10 locations.

  • 1981

    Education Research Foundation was established.

    In order to satisfy wider public demand, Ohashi started establishing various educational foundations.

    Bunkyo Seminar university entrance preparatory school was established (renamed 'Sogaku Seminar' in 1997).

  • 1986

    Kokusai Jiyu Gakuen upper secondary specialised school was established.

  • 1987

    Kokusai Jiyu Gakuen Tokyo Campus opened.

  • 1990

    IPC Tertiary Institute (International Pacific College) opened (renamed IPU New Zealand in 2015).

    In 1987, academic leaders and educational experts, including Ohashi, gathered in Honolulu, Hawaii to discuss the concept of a tertiary educational system with a consortium of campuses in Pacific-Rim nations. The outcome was a plan to establish New Zealand’s first private tertiary international institute with boarding facilities.
    In 1990, IPC Tertiary Institute (International Pacific College, renamed IPU New Zealand in 2015) was established in Palmerston North.
    IPU New Zealand now has students from more than 25 countries, including non-native speakers of English, and is successfully helping them to achieve their goals at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

  • 1992

    Clark Memorial International High School opened.

    (Kokusai Joho Gakuen Incorporated opened.)

    Making use of a nationwide upper-secondary correspondence learning system, Clark High School now has 64 locations in Japan and overseas, where more than 11,000 students are learning.

  • 1995

    Ehime Women’s College joined the group

    (renamed IPU Women’s College in 2012).

  • 2001

    Merger of Kokusai Joho Gakuen Incorporated and Ehime Joshi Gakuen Kokusai Joho Gakuen Incorporated.

    Corporate name changed to Soushi Gakuen Incorporated.

  • 2002

    Nihon College of Health and Medical Science opened.

    The group established two medical specialist colleges in order to develop practitioners with the ability to heal body and mind.

  • 2003

    Tokyo International Business College opened.

    TIBC offers a forum where students from various parts of the world can deepen their international connections while striving to achieve their goals.

  • 2004

    Fukuoka International Business College opened (renamed Tokyo International Business College Fukuoka Campus in 2012).

  • 2005

    CLARK High School tennoji Campus opened.

  • 2007

    International Pacific University opened.

    The first university of the group started in Okayama, Japan. With ‘excellence in academic and sporting pursuits’ as the institutional core value, IPU develops educational specialists, top athletes and international students.

  • 2010

    Soshi Gakuen High School opened.

    The new addition enabled the group to offer upper secondary education in a more comprehensive manner.

  • 2012

    Tokyo International Business College Kobe Campus opened.

  • 2015

    CLARK High School Osaka-umeda Campus and Nagoya Campus opened.

  • 2016

    Tokyo Management College joined the group.

    As a college that prepares students for their career paths after two years of study, Tokyo Management College develops work-ready individuals who are skilled and qualified to meet the needs of local communities.

  • 2017

    The 50th anniversary.

    Since the establishment of a tutoring school with four children in 1966, SOSHI Educational Group has continued to address current and future challenges in education and develop individuals ready for the future, defining ‘Education as a Creative Challenge’.

  • 2022

    CLARK High School Sapporo-Odori Campus opened.

     

    Seijyo Gakuen Junior and Senior High School joined the group.

    Since its establishment in 1909, we have practiced "education of the heart." With “career education,” “expression education,” and “leadership education” as our educational guidelines, we cultivate young people who will open up their own futures and realize their dreams.

    The 55th anniversary

    We continue to evolve day by day without stopping.