(Table 23 : Number of Students by School-type)
(As of May 1, 1995)
* Notes: 1. In the Table, the total does not include the number of schools and enrolled students in Special Training Schools and Miscellaneous Schools. 2. In the Table, the number of enrolled students in Upper Secondary Schools include those in advanced courses and short-term courses; The number of enrolled students in Universities and Junior Colleges include those in graduate schools, advanced courses and short-term courses as well as auditors and special non-degree students; The number of enrolled students in Colleges of Technology include those in advanced courses.
(Source: Survey by the Ministry of Education)
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(a) Kindergartens (Pre-School Education)
215. Kindergartens are schools which aim to provide care to and promote the mental and physical development of children (those from 3 to 5 years of age) by providing an appropriate environment. Education in kindergartens is not compulsory, since their objective is to nurse children who are in pre-school stage. As of 1994, however, approximately 60% of children of 5 years of age entered kindergartens. About 90 % of them went to kindergartens or nursery schools. Considering the importance of education during infancy, it is desirable to provide opportunities for kindergarten education to all children from 3 to 5 years of age. The Government is, therefore, endeavoring to disseminate kindergarten education, consolidating both public and private facilities and implementing the program in which allowances to encourage kindergarten education are provided for guardians of pre-school age children to mitigate their economic burden.
(b) Compulsory Education
(Elementary school education and lower secondary education)
216. In Japan, children from 6 to 15 years of age must attend elementary school and lower secondary school. Meanwhile, non-Japanese children are not required to attend school under the compulsory education system. If they wish, however, they are given the same educational opportunities. Elementary schools are intended to provide six-year general elementary education for boys and girls from 6 to 12 years old, according to their mental and physical development. Lower secondary schools are intended to provide three-year secondary education for boys and girls from 12 to 15 years old, according to their mental and physical development based on the education achieved in elementary schools.
217. Compulsory education offered by national and public schools is free of charge, and the textbooks used for compulsory education are supplied gratis by the Government, not only to pupils and students of national and public schools, but also to those in private schools. Moreover, cities, towns and villages must provide necessary aid to guardians who are recognized to have financial difficulty having their school-age children attend schools (Articles 25 and 40 of the School Education Law), so that compulsory education can be smoothly achieved. The Government also helps promote smooth implementation of compulsory education through the Law Concerning National Treasury's Share for the Encourage School Attendance of Pupils Having Financial Difficulties, which provides that the Government should subsidize municipalities encouraging education by offering school supplies to the children and students who have difficulties attending school for financial reasons. These measures for free compulsory education apply to non-Japanese children as well.
In Japan, to maintain a certain standard of elementary and secondary education throughout the nation and to ensure equal opportunity of education in practice as guaranteed by the Constitution, the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law (the Ministry of Education Ordinance) has established standards for school curricula, stipulating the course of study and the standard hours allotted to them each year. In addition, the "Courses of Study," the government guidelines for teaching (Notification by the Ministry of Education), specify standards for the content of each subject.
(c) Upper Secondary Education
218. An upper secondary school is an institution for upper secondary education, which provides higher general and specialized education. The School Education Law provides that those who graduated from a lower secondary school or its equivalent, or those who are considered by the competent authorities to have equal to, or higher scholastic ability than the above-mentioned students, are eligible to enter an upper secondary school, regardless of sex, race, nationality, or any other factor. In addition, Japan provides financial assistance for those who are unable to enter school for economic reasons, through scholarship funds, etc., whenever necessary. Japan is taking measures necessary to ensure equal opportunity for the upper secondary education, and consequently, about 97% of eligible students entered upper secondary school in 1995.
(d) Higher Education
219. The School Education Law provides that those who graduated from an upper secondary school or those who have completed 12 years of school education in regular courses, or those recognized to be equivalent to, or higher than, those mentioned above in regard to academic achievements in accordance with the conditions stipulated by the competent authorities are eligible to enter a higher education institution, namely, university or college, regardless of sex, race, nationality, or any other factor. Furthermore, the University of the Air was established in 1983 with the objective of providing the people with greater opportunities to receive high-level education, by promoting a new type of university education through broadcasting, etc. University of the Air offers higher education by effectively using diversified media, such as television and radio. Moreover, under the Japan Scholarship Foundation Law, the Japan Scholarship Foundation offers scholarships to excellent students who have financial difficulties. In addition to the Foundation, other organizations such as local public organizations and public corporations also extend scholarships to encourage education. Furthermore, both public and private universities reduce or exempt tuition fees for students according to their financial situations.
(e) Use of Information on Education and Occupation
220. At school, guidance/counseling is given to students to help them have a clear objective for their present and future life and acquire the ability and will to determine their course of life with their own will and responsibility. In giving guidance/counseling, it is important to accurately grasp the ability and aptitude of students through all educational activities, and then collect and use information on courses of life and carry out enlightening activities methodically and systematically. In this way, various training activities have been carried out and guidance materials have been produced.
221. In cooperation with schools, the Public Employment Security Office offers systematic vocational counseling, keeping close relations with guidance/counseling given at schools, so that new graduates can select occupations according to their aptitude and ability. As part of vocational counseling, such tests as the General Vocational Aptitude Test and Occupation Readiness Test (except for junior high school students) are conducted to grasp aptitude and promote self-understanding. In addition, various kinds of vocational information, lectures on occupation, and vocational counseling are available.
(f)Encouragement of Regular Attendance
222. In Japan, to make sure every child receives compulsory education, the municipal board of education registers all school-age children in the student list and designates to guardians a school in which a child should enroll upon his/her entrance to school. The school's principal is required to keep precise records of the attendance rate of enrolled students and give them appropriate guidance. Moreover, the municipal board of education should remind guardians to have children attend school if they fail to do so without justifiable reasons.
223. In reality, however, there is a growing number of students suffering from the so-called school-phobia in recent years. These students do not or cannot attend school, mainly due to psychological, emotional, physical, or social factors and backgrounds (except for diseases or financial reasons). To solve this problem, the Government is advising the boards of education to deepen understanding of each child and give guidance, respecting their individuality, at school. Various measures have also been taken to improve the aptitude and ability of teachers, to establish a system to offer educational counseling, and to promote cooperation among families, schools and local communities.
224. As for withdrawal from upper secondary schools, the Government is advising the board of education to work on this issue comprehensively and actively through the following measures:
Measures against the problem of bullying
225. Recently, bullying has become a serious problem in Japan and the situation is grave where a number of suicides presumably caused by bullying have occurred. This is a serious concern which may affect children's rights. The Government, therefore, guides the boards of education, etc. to thoroughly work on this issue at schools, strongly recognizing that "bullying the weaker shall never be allowed." The Government also advances measures to respect each child, emphasize individuality, improve the aptitude and ability of teachers, post experts from outside of schools, establish a system to offer educational counseling, and promote cooperation between families and local communities. At the same time, the Government tries to instill respect for human rights, including the right to life, in children through all educational activities.
Regarding this problem, other administrative organs in addition to the Ministry of Education conduct in concert various measures such as counseling services and public relations activities. Civil liberties organs of the Ministry of Justice, for instance, have set their main target for public relations activities in 1996 as "Let's Protect the Rights of Children - Bullying: don't do it, don't let it happen, don't overlook it -," and are launching campaigns with this target throughout the nation with the support of schools, families and local communities. The police, furthermore, make efforts to identify bullying cases promptly and prevent recurrence, providing appropriate measures for the bully through thorough investigation of cases and conducting rehabilitation activities for victims in consideration of their character, surrounding environment and the degree of psychological damage.
(h) School Rules
226. In Japan, school rules may be established for students, so long as they are reasonable and necessary for achieving educational goals. The Government has sent notices to educational institutions to continue to improve school rules in consideration of the actual conditions of students, guardians' viewpoints, and the actual state of local communities, since school rules are related to daily education and guidance. At Japanese schools, disciplinary actions may be taken when they are considered necessary for educational purposes. In taking disciplinary actions, the Government instructs educational institutions to carefully consider whether such actions are really necessary from the educational viewpoint, and pay full attention to the circumstances surrounding each student by listening to his/her explanation and opinions. It is also important that such disciplinary actions have essential educational effects, instead of just serving as sanctions.
227. In Japan, corporal punishment is prohibited under Article 11 of the School Education Law. The Government has been giving instructions to educational institutions to realize the principle of the provision "no corporal punishment" in every possible opportunity. Civil liberties organs of the Ministry of Justice, if they receive such reports or information on corporal punishment, investigate the cases suspected to have infringed upon human rights, hearing explanations from the people concerned. After investigation, they awake (with "instruction" or "warning") the teacher and the principal of the school to respect fundamental rights of children and request them to take measures to prevent repeating such acts. In 1994 and 1995, among cases involving infringement upon human rights (16,035 cases in 1994 and 16,296 cases in 1995), cases of corporal punishment numbered 89 and 111 respectively.
(i) International Cooperation
228. Japan extends cooperation to the activities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): It contributes to UNESCO the Funds-in-Trust for the Promotion of Literacy ($700,000 in fiscal year 1995) for the Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) and also holds training seminars under the Asia and the Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID). In addition, Japan subsidizes the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO to support the programs of development of literacy materials, etc. Under these programs and other related activities, Japan dispatches Japanese experts to developing countries and invite specialists from those countries. Furthermore, it provides assistance in various ways to non-governmental international cooperation programs for the promotion of education in developing countries such as those by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.
229. Japan also grants funds to developing nations to construct elementary and junior high schools and social educational facilities, to spread broadcast education, and to train teachers.
It also donated approximately $ 1 million to the educational projects implemented by UNICEF for girl children in Asian countries .
230. Article 1 of the Fundamental Law of Education provides that "education shall aim at the full development of personality, striving for the rearing of people sound in mind and body who shall love truth and justice, esteem individual value, respect labor and have a deep sense of responsibility, and be imbued with independent spirit, as builders of the peaceful state and society." This goal of education should be "realized on all occasions and in all places" as a challenge to the whole educational process starting from childhood. This goal has become a common philosophy for education and should be regarded highly not only in school education but also in home and social education.
Education of Non-Japanese Children
231. In Japan, non-Japanese children who learn at "school" defined by the School Education Law are basically educated in the same way as Japanese children. In actually receiving non-Japanese students in a school, each school is making efforts and contriving means to help them adapt to the school, in consideration of their original language and customs. Specific lessons are provided individually to non-Japanese students outside their original classes in accordance with their aptitude and ability, and "team-teaching" has been carried out under the cooperation of more than one teacher at their school. The Government is also: preparing and distributing textbooks to study the Japanese language and guidance materials for non-Japanese children; training teachers in charge of them; sending those with knowledge of their native languages; and posting extra teachers to schools which admit them. The Government, moreover, designates some schools as "pilot schools" to promote study of methods of receiving non-Japanese children.
In extracurricular activities, no restrictions have been imposed on offering non-Japanese students the opportunities to learn their own language and culture. Such opportunities of learning are actually given in several local governments.
(a) Establishment of Cultural and Educational Facilities
232. In Japan, under the Child Welfare Law child welfare facilities have been established to give children sound play grounds, to promote their health and to develop their emotional maturity. In the field of social education, the Government encourages various events to provide children with ample experience and activities, subsidizes social educational facilities, such as public halls, and provides places for learning activities under the law concerning the establishment of the system for promoting measures for life-long education. This way, the Government is working on this issue by taking a comprehensive approach.
The following are the major recreation facilities:
(a) National Olympic Memorial Youth Center
233. This center was established as a youth education facility under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education to raise healthy young people and promote youth education. This purpose has been achieved through: the training of young people, youth education leaders and other persons related to youth education; collaborative and cooperative activities with organizations and groups involved in youth education; and professional research studies on youth education. In 1994, a total of 680,000 people used this center.
(b) National Youth House
234. This is a social educational facility aimed at bringing up healthy young people through group lodging. As of October 1993, 732 houses were established throughout the country, and in 1992, a total of 16,130,000 people used these houses.
(c) Child Cultural Center
235. This center is a social educational facility to promote voluntary activities based on young people's interests and concerns by spreading scientific knowledge, cultivating aesthetic aptitude through cultural activities and providing counseling for boys and girls. This center is equipped with such facilities as a library, music room and planetarium, and serves as a center for young people's daily activities, including various events and exhibitions held by groups and organizations. In 1992, a total of 2,820,000 boys and girls used this center.
(d) National Youth Camping Site (South-Zao)
236. This camping site was planned in commemoration of International Child Year of 1979. It opened with the objective of cultivating the independent spirit, endurance and tolerance of Youth for sound minds and strong bodies, by making young people experience the harshness and beauty of nature through camping in the grandeur of nature. Up to 3,000 people can camp on this 159-hectares site.
(e) Public Halls
237. Public halls play an important role as a major social educational facility in everyday life. As of October 1993, there were a total of 17,562 halls in Japan.
(f) Museums
238. Museums play an important role as a social educational facility supporting people's activities of study in use of real materials. As of October 1993, a total of 861 museums were in Japan.
(g) Libraries
239. Japan had a total of 2,138 libraries as of October 1993.
(h) Sports Facilities
240. There are approximately 300,000 sports facilities throughout Japan, half of which are school physical educational facilities. Public sports facilities account for about 20% of the total, and private sports facilities, including those owned by private companies, account for about 25%.
(i) Children's Hall/Center
241. This is a comprehensive facility for promoting the sound growth of children. It aims at providing children with a sound play ground, enhancing their health, cultivating feeling, and fostering and promoting activities by local organizations such as the Mothers' Club and Children's Association. A total of 4,102 children's halls/centers existed in Japan as of January 1995.
(j) Children's Recreational Ground
242. A recreation ground for children is a facility which has the same purpose as a Children's Hall/ Center. As of January 1995, there were 4,189 recreation grounds for children.
243. The Government implemented in fiscal 1994 a new "Program to Build Towns Friendly to Children." To secure playing fields for children, the Government is formulating a plan to expand children's halls/centers, children's recreation grounds and parks, and is also promoting guidance in play and the opening of parking lots, sections of road, company grounds and idle land as playgrounds for children.
Encouragement of Culture, Art and Recreational Activities
244. The Government also carries out the following services to give children opportunities to enjoy culture, art and recreational activities.
(a) Affording Opportunities to Appreciate Art
245. To help increase the opportunities for children to appreciate and participate in art, the Government sends excellent performing artists throughout Japan, including a performance tour of the Children's Art Theater, Lower Secondary School Art Appreciation Program, and Youth Art Theater. The Government also holds mobile art exhibitions in various districts to exhibit Japanese and foreign art masterpieces as well as superior modern art works possessed by national museums.
As for traditional culture, to offer opportunities to enjoy masterpieces, special exhibitions have been held showing cultural assets to children with easy-to-understand explanation at national museums in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara. In addition, national theaters give children opportunities to appreciate traditional performing arts such as Kabuki, Noh plays, and Bunraku, accompanied by easy-to-understand explanation, at low rates. As to Noh play and Bunraku, they also give special performances during the summer vacation, selecting mainly easy-to-understand programs children would love. Furthermore, local public organizations, private museums and art museums actively offer children opportunities to enjoy cultural activities through workshops and art appreciation classes. The Art and Culture Promotion Foundation also supports various art and cultural activities conducted by art and cultural groups for children and youth persons.
(b) Promotion of Cultural Activities
246. Comprehensive School Festivals are held to present art and cultural activities of upper secondary school students throughout Japan, and the National Upper Secondary School General Cultural Festival is held with the objective of improving creative activities and deepening mutual understanding.
(c) Promotion of Sports Activities
247. Physical and sports activities are important for children, since these activities are useful for developing their physical strength, cultivating the basis for them to enjoy sports for all their lives, and forming their character in a broad sense. The Government is, therefore, promoting physical and sports activities at schools, including physical education classes and activities in athletic clubs after school. The Nationwide Athletic Meet is held for lower secondary school and upper secondary school students. The Government subsidizes prefectural expenses involved in holding the Athletic Meet and dispatching participants. It is also encouraging sports activities in local communities by giving assistance to programs promoting sports activities of youth and children, and it has held the Nationwide Sports Recreation Festival annually since 1988 as a national festival in which anyone may participate and enjoy him/herself. Furthermore, it is providing assistance for the programs to encourage sports exchanges with youth in foreign countries, which contribute to the promotion of international exchanges through sports. The Sports Promotion Fund supports the holding of sports tournaments, etc. targeting boys and girls.
248. The police are promoting practice in Japanese traditional martial arts, Judo and Kendo, as sports activities to enhance the sound growth of boys and girls, using training halls (dojo) at police stations and other appropriate facilities. Some 100,000 boys and girls participate in this Judo and Kendo practice from all over Japan. To encourage mutual friendship among boys and girls who practice Judo and Kendo, and to demonstrate the results of daily training, the "National Police Station Juvenile Judo and Kendo General Meeting" has been held in August each year since 1988. (The 9th General Meeting was held in August 1996.)