Education in Contemporary Japan

This book looks at schooling in Japan and considers the links between education and society.

This book looks at the system and practice of schooling in Japan and considers the relationship between education and society at large. It is unique in presenting a Japanese 'insider' perspective to an Anglophone audience, highlighting some of the negative aspects of the Japanese education system.A balanced introduction to and examination of contemporary Japanese education. While the postwar system of schooling has provided valuable ingredients for economic success, it has been accompanied by unfavourable developments such as excessively competitive exams, stifling uniformity, bullying, and an undervaluing of non-Japanese ethnicity. This book offers up-to-date information and new perspectives on schooling in contemporary Japanese society, and uses detailed ethnographic studies and interviews with students and teachers. It examines the main developments of modern schooling in Japan, from the beginning of the Meiji era up to the present, and includes analysis of the most recent reforms. It develops a new picture of the role that schooling plays for individuals and the wider society. Essential reading for students and educators alike.