Is there any difference/similarities between European and Japanese schools?

Teachers, classes, periods, relationship between teacher and student, social norms, etc. I especially wanted to confirm something about a, rumor? Fact? that i heard. Accentually someone wrote that homeroom teachers aren't required/don't actually teach the students, but do the job of more akin to a counseler or a second more professional parent (doesn't remember the exact wording, but something like that) where they decide who teaches the students while handeling the behind the scenes paperwork and perent teacher meatings.