Rikkyo University announced on April 17 the launch of 'Christian Education Linkage Schools' for members of the Christian School Education Alliance, aiming to build a new high school–university framework grounded in shared Christian values; two high schools in Hokkaido and Yokohama were named as the initial participants, with a pathway for recommended admissions to be explored later. The article notes that the 2026 Tokyo metropolitan entrance exams showed trends including a softening of affiliate‑school demand among MARCH universities, and that Rikkyo stands out for its limited emphasis on science: only four science departments exist in the Faculty of Science, with the university overall science share around 6%, compared with larger shares at Meiji, Hosei and the planned expansions at Chuo. Even after adding the Environmental Studies Department in 2026, the share remains modest. The piece also discusses the broader trend of 'affiliated‑school attrition' post‑COVID, with some Christian schools moving toward coeducation while Rikkyo's affiliated schools remain single-sex, and all four affiliated schools belong to the Nippon Seikokai (Anglican Church).