The nation's first international school subsidized by the central government will open next April in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture, Chiba Gov. Akiko Domoto said Friday.

By supporting the school, the prefectural government hopes to attract top businesspeople and academics from around the world, she said.

Makuhari International School, to be managed as a private entity, plans to accommodate around 400 children for three-year kindergarten and six-year elementary school programs and charge lower tuition fees than similar schools, officials said.