Education Reform In Japan

The author of the essay argues that the Japanese education system is widely praised but is also widely criticized for its strict uniformity and alleged failure to train the creative minds needed for the next stage of economic advance. Twice since 1967, the Japanese government has embarked on, but then failed to see through, major reform initiatives. The author argues that the failure lies in the inability of bureaucrats, party leaders, and politicians to agree on reform, and that this immobilism is not confined to education reform.

The Japanese education system is widely praised as a model to be emulated in western countries. In Japan, however, the system is widely criticized for its strict uniformity and for its supposed failure to train the creative minds needed for the next stage of economic advance. Twice since 1967 the Japanese government had embarked on, but then failed to see through, major reform initiatives. This book explains why the reform attempts have failed. The failure lies, the author shows, in the inability of bureaucrats, party leaders and politicians to agree. Moreover, the author goes on to argue, when these rifts develop the Japanese policy-making process becomes strangely paralyzed, with no way of breaking the impasse. This immobilism is not confined to education reform, but afflicts other aspects of Japanese policy-making.