Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Science, Sports and Culture 2000 > Trends in Educational Reform Section 2 Q15 Toward Maintaining and Improving Manufacturing Ability

Along with changes in industrial structure, the progress of informatization and globalization, and other developments in recent years have caused the share of the country's GNP held by Japan's manufacturing industry to fall, and there are fears that the industry will decline.

Moreover, while the outstanding technicians who have made crucial contributions to each sector of the industrial world continue to age, there has been a tendency for people's (mainly young people's) interest to move away from science and engineering. Due to these developments, the decrease in the ability to manufacture that has supported Japan's economy until now, including the difficulty in cultivating and securing successors to those great technicians, is now being recognized as a serious social issue.

In consideration of this situation, the Basic Law to Promote Basic Manufacturing Technology was enacted in Mach 1999. This law called for the comprehensive and systematic advancement of measures by the national government regarding the promotion of manufacturing.

In addition, in May 2000, the Discussion Group on Manufacturing, under the auspices of the Prime Minister, put together a message to the people and policy recommendations for the maintenance of a strong manufacturing industry in Japan.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (MESSC) has adopted the view that the manufacturing base starts with people, and as such, is aiming to enhance education regarding manufacturing by offering education that matches each stage of children's development.