EDUCATION REFORM - LOVE YOUR COUNTRY OR ELSE?
KEYWORDS: COMPULSORY EDUCATION, SCHOOL CREDITS, TUITION, BUSINESS COMPETITION.
   
Probably the most dramatic factor affecting education in Japan was the strong effort, particularly in Tokyo to inspire patriotism in students. Japanese teachers, long a leftist lot, have always been reluctant to go along with this kind of activity, but the government really went after uncooperative teachers. Many were suspended. Those who had contracts up for renewal were not renewed. The government in some cases went as far as criminally prosecuting the teachers. While the teachers then went to the courts, the courts were not very sympathetic. For more details on this issue from a constitutional law aspect see another article in this website, NATIONAL ANTHEMS, FLAGS AND ELECTIONS . Internationally this emphasis could also be looked at in consideration of the usual protest over Japanese school books which tend to white wash Japan’s participation in WWII, as for example calling its invasion into China an “advance” or not mentioning, or even denying such matters as the Rape of Nanking.

In 2004, an interim report from the leaders of the ruling block, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party planned a revision of the Fundamental Law of Education, giving greater emphasis to patriotism. If carried out, it would be the first revision to that law since 1947.

Interesting to foreigners is that reform would also include measures permitting the transfer of credits from foreign universities with branches in Japan to Japanese accredited universities. In addition, students of these schools as well as graduates will be permitted to transfer or enter Japanese universities or graduate schools.

In 2004 the Ministry of Education was considering greater leeway to the municipal governments in their administration of compulsory schools, which is basically the first 9 years of schooling, usually classified as six years of elementary/primary education and three years of secondary/junior high school.

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved Attorney Roderick H. Seeman

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