Kumon Milestones

The Kumon Method, which began in Japan with the love of
one parent for his child, is now a highly esteemed method
of education that benefits students around the world.

Our Milestones & Achievements

Right at this moment, someone, somewhere around the world is learning with Kumon

60 years have passed since the founding of Kumon.
More than four million students* in more than 51 countries and regions are studying with the Kumon Method.
The Kumon Method is aimed at building up the basic academic skills of reading, writing, and math regardless of a student’s age. It is an individualized study method that enables students to become self-learners.

The foundation of Kumon is the development of basic academic skills.
The positive results of study with the Kumon Method have been recognized.
Therefore, the Kumon Method has been welcomed into communities around the world with widely differing cultures, values, and educational systems

*total enrollments for all subjects

Japan
Worldwide

1950

1954: Toru Kumon, a high school maths teacher, began providing education-based on the concept of self-learning to his son, Takeshi, then a second grader in elementary school. He wrote numerous calculation problems on loose-leaf paper for his son. This was the origin of the Kumon Method.

1955: The first Maths Centre using Kumon Worksheets is opened in Moriguchi city, Osaka.

1958: The office of the Osaka Institute of Mathematics is established in Osaka, Japan.

Toyonaka Uenozaka Centre where Toru and Teiko Kumon instructed students together (circa 1965).

1960

1962: The Osaka Institute of Mathematics Ltd. is established. The first Kumon Centre is opened in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

From 1959 to 1962 the Kumon office was located in a rented room inside this residence in Osaka.

1963: Kumon’s Tokyo Office is opened.

1969: The total number of subject enrolments exceeds 10,000.

1970

1972: The company name, Osaka Institute of Mathematics, is changed to Osaka Kumon Institute of Mathematics. The Tokyo Kumon Institute of Mathematics Ltd. is established.

1974: The Secret of Kumon Math (published by Koseido Publishing) becomes a best seller.
The Kumon Method became widely known through the publication of this first book written by the founder, Toru Kumon. The book officially introduced the aims and theory of the Kumon Method for the first time, and included numerous concrete cases of instruction and learning effectiveness. The book generated a tremendous response and the company was flooded with inquiries.

1977: Kumon begins publishing workbooks for preschoolers.; The total number of subject enrolments in Japan exceeds 200,000.

1979: The first Kumon Instructors Conference is held in Osaka, Japan.

Kumon began holding the Instructors Conference annually from this year to provide Instructors with an opportunity to share the results of their instruction and voluntary study group activities with their colleagues from around Japan.; The total number of subject enrolments in Japan exceeds 500,000.

1980

1980: The Kumon English Programme (for native Japanese speakers) is launched.

1981: The Kumon Japanese Programme (for native Japanese speakers) is launched.; The first Instructors Conference on Learners with Special Needs is held.

At this annual conference, Instructors develop their understanding of how to instruct students with special needs and receive practical advice for how to apply what they learn in their Centres.; Both the Osaka Kumon Institute of Mathematics Ltd. and the Tokyo Kumon Institute of Mathematics Ltd. are restructured from limited liability companies into joint-stock corporations.; The total number of subject enrolments exceeds 1 million.

1982: The Osaka Kumon Institute of Mathematics Co., Ltd. and the Tokyo Kumon Institute of Mathematics Co., Ltd. merge to become the Kumon Institute of Mathematics Co., Ltd.

1983: The company name, Kumon Institute of Mathematics, is changed to Kumon Institute of Education.; The first Kumon logo is created.

1984: The Kumon Japanese Learning Program (for foreign learners) is launched.

1985: The Kumon Penmanship Program is launched.

1986: The Kumon French and German programs (for native speakers of Japanese) are launched.

1988: Kumon Publishing Co., Ltd. is established.

1989: The total number of subject enrolments in Japan exceeds 1.5 million.

1990

1995: Company founder Toru Kumon passes away.

1996: Kumon Lifelong Integrated Learning Co., Ltd. (Kumon Penmanship and Calligraphy) is established.

1997: Kumon President Takeshi Kumon passes away.

2000

2000: Kumon is reorganised into a group management structure.
The Kumon Toru Research Institute of Education Co., Ltd. is established.

2001: Joint research into the effects of learning therapy on senile dementia begins.; The first Kumon World Leaders’ Seminar is held.
Held under the theme, “Kumon in the 21st century and my personal mission,” this training session saw Kumon staff in key positions from around the world gather together to discuss topics such as The Kumon Way and how best to share Kumon’s values.; The first English Immersion Camp is held.
The children who participate in this camp take on the challenge of total immersion in English. The camp was initiated with the intention of fostering capable people who can contribute to global society by joining together with people from different countries around the world.; The new Kumon logo is created.

2003: All Kumon signboards are replaced with the new Kumon logo signboards.

2007: Activities for child-raising support begin.

2008: Kumon celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding.

2010

2010: Kumon begins offering its educational services to universities.

2011: Global Communication & Testing Co., Ltd. (GC&T) is established.
GC&T is in charge of promoting the TOEFL Junior® and TOEFL Primary® tests in conjunction with its partner ETS (Educational Testing Service), the world’s largest nonprofit test development organisation.

2012: The Baby Kumon Program is launched.

2014: This is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toru Kumon.

2018: Kumon celebrates the 60th anniversary of its founding.

Worldwide
Japan

1950

1960

1970

1974: The first overseas Kumon Maths Centre opens in New York.; It was with the opening of a Kumon Centre in New York in 1974 that the provision of Kumon Method study outside Japan first began. Initially, most students at this Centre were the children of Japanese expatriates. However, as the effectiveness of the Kumon Method became more widely known, local children began to enrol. Today, Kumon has established itself as a provider of quality education for local children through local Instructors in many countries around the world.

1975: Centre opens in Taiwan.

1977: Centre opens in Brazil.

1979: Centre opens in Germany.; The number of Kumon students in Taiwan topped 1,000.

1980

1980: An affiliated company is established in São Paulo, Brazil.; The Kumon South America head office building is completed (August 1994); An affiliated company is established in Düsseldorf, Germany.

1982: An affiliated company is established in Los Angeles, USA.

1983: The total number of overseas subject enrolments exceeds 10,000.

1984: An affiliated company is established in Sydney, Australia.

1988: An affiliated company is established in Hong Kong.; An affiliated company is established in Toronto, Canada.; A public elementary school in the United States implements Kumon Maths.
When the vice principal of Sumiton Elementary School in Alabama saw a TV program about Kumon she became convinced of the efficacy of the method and felt that it could really help her students to get over their aversion to maths. This was the first time that the Kumon Method was utilised in regular school classes outside of Japan. The results were even greater than expected and this achievement was hailed as the “Miracle of Sumiton” in a variety of media. This publicity led to greater awareness of Kumon and the establishment of more and more Centres around the world.

1990

1990: The Kumon English Program (for native English speakers) is launched in Australia. The Kumon English Program is currently provided in 24 countries and regions around the world.; An affiliated company is established in London, UK.

1991: An affiliated company is established in Madrid, Spain.; The total number of overseas subject enrolments exceeds 200,000.

1993: The Kumon Chinese Program (for native Chinese speakers) is launched in Taiwan.; The Kumon Chinese Program is currently provided in six countries and regions around the world.; The total number of enrolments in the world exceeds 2 million.

1994: The Kumon Portuguese Program (for native Portuguese speakers) is launched in Brazil.

1995: An affiliated company is established in Singapore.; An affiliated company is established in Santiago, Chile.; An affiliated company is established in Mexico City, Mexico.; An affiliated company is established in Shanghai, China.; The total number of overseas subject enrolments exceeds 500,000.

1996: An affiliated company is established in Johannesburg, South Africa.; An affiliated company is established in Manila, the Philippines.

1997: A Kumon Office is established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

1998: An affiliated company is established in Bangkok, Thailand.; An affiliated company is established in Buenos Aires, Argentina.; The total number of overseas subject enrolments exceeds 1 million.

2000

2000: An affiliated company is established in Jakarta, Indonesia.

2001: The total number of enrolments in the world exceeds 3 million.

2003: The total number of overseas subject enrolments exceeds 2 million.

2004: The Kumon EFL Program (English as a Foreign Language) is launched in Brazil. The Kumon EFL Program is currently provided in 30 countries and regions around the world.; The Kumon Spanish Program (for native Spanish speakers) is launched in five countries in South America. The Kumon Spanish Program is currently provided in eight countries around the world.; An affiliated company is established in New Delhi, India.; Up to this point, Kumon’s overseas development had proceeded by receiving offers from local parties. In this case, however, Kumon established an affiliated company in India in order to provide learning opportunities to as many children as possible. In India we continue to seek out the optimum manner of providing the Kumon Method.; An affiliated company is established in Bogotá, Colombia.

2005: The Kumon CFL Program (Chinese as a Foreign Language) is launched in Korea.; An affiliated company is established in Guangzhou, China.

2006: An affiliated company is established in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.; The total number of enrolments in the world exceeds 4 million.

2008: The Kumon Thai Program (for native Thai speakers) is launched in Thailand.

2010

2011: An affiliated company is established in Beijing, China.

2018: An affiliated company is established in Macau.

Our Milestones & Achievements

Right at this moment, someone, somewhere around the world is learning with Kumon

JapanWorldwide

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

WorldwideJapan

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Japan
Worldwide

Worldwide
Japan