Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1996 > Priorities and Prospects for a Lifelong Learning Society Chapter 1 1

The task confronting Japan as it moves toward the twenty-first century is to create an enriching and dynamic social environment. This will require the formation of a lifelong learning society as the basis for a social structure in which people can freely choose learning opportunities at any time during their lives and in which proper recognition is accorded to those learning achievements.

The need for a lifelong learning society reflects a number of social factors. First, to remedy the harmful effects of Japanese society's preoccupation with academic credentials, we need to create a social environment in which appropriate value is placed on learning achievements at all stages of life, regardless of whether they are accompanied by formal academic credentials. Second, the maturation of Japanese society, as evidenced by rising income levels, expanding leisure time, and the aging of the population, is reflected in increasing demand for learning activities that contribute to spiritual enrichment and enjoyment of life. Third, people today must constantly acquire new knowledge and skills in order to keep pace with the issues affecting Japan's society and economy, including advances in science and technology, the increasing use of sophisticated information technology, internationalization, and changes in the industrial structure.

We need to respond to the various demands for learning that will emerge in this social environment. We must also ensure that proper recognition is accorded to all learning achievements, whether they result from school education or from various other learning opportunities. We can fulfill these needs by creating a lifelong learning society.