If I were to be foreign exchange student in Japan, would I have to go to school six days a week?

Question:

I have always wanted to go to Japan because of the culture and the chance to go to another country. I am 17 and would want to go for a semester of my senior year. I get all A's and B's and have all AP and honors classes. I just hear that they will actually go for six days a week and I heard somewhere (although I don't think it is true) that they go for like 14 hours a day. If that is the case then I really wouldn't want to go to school there.

Answer:

Most schools do not do 6 days a week anymore. But if you attended a school that had 6 days a week then you would have to attend because you are a student and you have no choice in the matter. (What would you do anyway? If all your friends are at school you wouldn't be able to hang out with anyone anyway.)
And they do NOT go for 14 hours a day. School time is about the same as in the US, but when you count optional club activities and optional cram school then it can make "school" become longer. But these aren't mandatory for you to join, and you would especially have no reason to go to cram school since it's only for helping kids prepare for the entrance exams.