1.Developing social competencies for survival

(1)Primary measures for elementary and secondary school students

Achievement Target 1: Solid cultivation of zest for life

To create the foundation of an individual’s social independence by definitively cultivating his/her zest for life* so that he/she may survive any major life upheavals. To cultivate the capabilities required of the individual to be a productive member of the nation and society, by maximizing his/her abilities according to his/her personal characteristics and individual life course.
*Zest for life is the ability constructed from solid academic abilities, richness in humanity, and a sound body, such as the capability or skill to recognize problems and learn, think, and act by oneself, as well as the ability to make better decisions in problem solving, no matter how society changes.

  • Solid academic abilities**: To reach the world’s top level of academic ability
    **Solid academic abilities mean acquiring basic, foundational knowledge and skills; the ability to think, make decisions, and express one’s own ideas in order to solve problems utilizing one’s knowledge and skills; and having an attitude of active learning (e.g., learning motivation).
    Achievement indicators
    1. Averages at to the top level in international student assessment surveys. Increase in the number of students/persons with a high level of learning achievement and decrease in the number with a low level. Higher correct answer rates on the National Assessment of Academic Ability and lower percentages of “no response” for the same questions in past surveys.
    2. Improvement in students’ motivation and learning habits
    3. Increase in the preparation rate of individualized teaching plans and individualized education support plans for students with disabilities in elementary and secondary school, as well as kindergarten
  • Richness in humanity: To foster children who have rich emotions, good relationships with others as well as with society and their natural environment, self-disciplined attitudes, and the ability to make decisions on their own and behave appropriately.
    Achievement indicators
    1. Increase in awareness of oneself and relationships with others and society
      - Increase in the percentage of students who obey school rules
      - Increase in the percentage of students with high self-esteem
      - Increase in the percentage of students motivated to understand others’ feelings
      - Increase in the percentage of students who have dreams and future goals
      - Increase in the percentage of students who participate in volunteer activities in their local communities
    2. Improvement of bullying situations. Decrease in students’ non-attendance and dropout rates in upper secondary school (increase in the percentage of solved bullying cases in the total recognized cases, decrease in the percentage of non-attending students and upper secondary school dropouts in the total student population) (see Achievement Target 6 for details)
  • Sound body: To cultivate health and physical strength to live vigorously throughout life, aiming to surpass the level of children’s physical strength from 1985 in the next decade.
    Achievement indicators
    1. A trend toward the improvement of physical strength (aiming to surpass the level of children’s physical strength from the 1985 level in the next decade)
    2. Promotion of health education and health management in school
      - Increase in the percentage of students who recognize the importance of health and utilize this knowledge in daily life
      - Increase in the percentage of schools that establish school health committees
      - Decrease in the percentage of children who do not eat breakfast
      - Increase in the percentage of schools that use local food products in school lunches

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 1: Improvement of educational content and methods to cultivate solid academic abilities

Basic Approach

We promote the fulfillment of educational content and methods for cultivating children’s solid academic abilities (including basic/foundation knowledge and skills; the ability to think, make decisions, and express one’s own ideas; and an attitude of active learning), focusing on the ability to recognize and solve problems, communication skills to collaborate with others, and the ability to examine matters logically from various viewpoints.

Therefore, innovation for collaborative and interactive lectures utilizing group studies and ICT, as well as cooperation between schools and families/communities should be promoted, along with the implementation of the new Course of Study. Also, in upper secondary education, in order to cultivate the basic and fundamental academic abilities students need, the quality of education is to be ensured by creating systems for appropriately assessing student achievement. Furthermore, well considered measures should be implemented regarding the required capabilities and abilities according to local situations and students’ statuses.

Main Efforts

1-1. Solid implementation and follow-up of the new Course of Study (Improvement of language activities, science and mathematics education, foreign language education, and information education)

The purpose of the new Course of Study should be understood and announced through a publicity and media campaign. Particularly, in order to effectively cultivate the abilities to think, make decisions, and express oneself, efforts should be made to improve language activities in each subject. Then, to develop students’ communication skills and information literacy and to improve science and mathematics education (with attention to observations and experiments) and foreign language education, the government will support the collection and provision of information on effective teaching methods and seek ways to improve the teaching system and educational materials.
Moreover, based on the results of the National Assessment of Academic Ability and international student assessments, the situation of implementing the new Course of Study and addressing problems at schools must be deciphered in order to identify which measures are needed, and the Course of Study itself should be continuously reviewed. In addition, schools should consider utilizing Saturdays for classes and experiential activities according to local circumstances. Textbook developers are also encouraged to improve the contents and styles of textbooks, taking into account the situation of teaching in schools after the introduction of the new Course of Study.

1-2. Promotion of new learning experiences with ICT

For the more effective cultivation of solid academic abilities, we promote collaborative and interactive lectures that use innovative teaching methods and instruction systems. This includes the improvement of language activities, group studies, and the active use of ICT.

In addition to promoting the development of model contents for digital textbooks and educational materials, digital devices and digital contents should be used to teach each subject, and they should be subjected to research to prove their effects. Local governments are encouraged to publish the results of such research broadly and to establish environments for ICT use in schools. Also, digital educational materials should be standardized to allow each school to use them via various digital devices. Moreover, measures for upgrading teaching abilities with ICT should be taken, so that all teachers are able to incorporate ICT into their teaching as soon as possible.

1-3. Improvement and enhancement of upper secondary education

In upper secondary schools, in order to cultivate the fundamental and basic academic abilities students need, efforts should be made to introduce a new exam that assesses student learning achievements. Skill examinations, depending on the academic subject, are also encouraged for improved evaluation based on objective data.

Moreover, research on methods of multi-faceted evaluation of the abilities to be acquired through upper secondary education will be promoted.

1-4. Promotion of education toward recovery 

Based on what was learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake, the type of education that will enable the whole country to advance toward the future with hope, along with the recovery of the suffering region, is defined as “recovery education.” It will be beneficial to develop and popularize new education models in order to cultivate individuals’ strength to survive in society, by supporting unique educational aids and the creation of educational programs by various entities in the suffering regions.

Based on what was learned from the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, efforts to encourage students to attain accurate knowledge concerning radiation, according to their developmental stages, will be promoted.

1-5. Promotion of career education to develop abilities required for social and vocational independence

 (see Basic Measure 13-1 for details)

Basic Measure 2: Cultivation of richness in humanity

Basic Approach

In order to cultivate children’s rich emotions, normative consciousness, respect for the lives of themselves and others, self-respect, consideration for others, abilities to establish human relationships, sociability, sense of public morality, and abilities to make decisions for themselves and behave appropriately, we promote moral education and human rights education. Further, we seek to improve and enhance experiential activities, reading activities, student guidance, and measures against harmful contents accessible by juveniles.

Main Efforts

2-1. Promotion of moral education

In order to promote the quality of moral education through all educational activities in a school centered on the “Period for Moral Education” and to cultivate moral sense, the ability to make decisions, and motivation and attitudes for practice, the book Kokoro no Note [Notebook for Moral Education] will be improved and distributed to all elementary and lower secondary school students. Ways to support various efforts, in line with the students’ development stages and the situations of the school and the community, will be addressed, including efforts to improve the teaching system to be led by moral education teachers, efforts to develop teachers’ capabilities, and the development or introduction of attractive educational materials. Based on the results of such measures, the idea of making moral education a subject with new framework will be discussed.

2-2. Promotion of human rights education

We support efforts toward human rights education by the boards of education and schools through the investigation of teaching methods for human rights education in schools and the dissemination of these good practices.
Human rights education will be promoted in order to cultivate students’ fundamental abilities and attitudes to become independent, sovereign members of society who are motivated to participate in society and have a sense of public morality. We also encourage collaboration among schools, families, and the community.

2-3. Establishment and improvement of the student guidance system and educational counseling system

Educational activities at each school shall be aimed at maintaining consistency among elementary and secondary schools, building good relations with relevant organizations, and facilitating school-wide involvement. The goals are the sound growth of each student and the development of self-discipline, towards self-realization.

Educational counseling systems shall be established in consultation with experts such as school counselors and school social workers, in order to provide all elementary and lower secondary school students in need with the appropriate educational counseling services. In addition, each school and municipal government will be also supported to secure educational opportunities for non-attending students and to address preventive measures against student suicide.

2-4. Thorough approaches to bullying and acts of violence

Although bullying is never acceptable, the reality is that practically every child in every school is subjected to it. This fact shall be broadly publicized, and efforts will be taken to understand the real situations of bullying in each school. Also, the boards of education and schools will take opportunities to hear about bullying from the students, and teacher training about how to handle bullying will be promoted so that teachers may cultivate a sense of human rights, enhance their ability to identify cases of bullying, and form appropriate responses.

To prevent bullying and violence, efforts including moral education, human rights education, and experiential activities will be undertaken, and classes for educating juvenile delinquents shall be promoted.

Imposing tough guidance, such as school suspension and punishments, shall be encouraged for students who engage in undesirable behavior. For students who are bullied, in considering the matter from their point of view, efforts shall be made to create safer classrooms and promote collaboration and cooperation among schools, the boards of education, police, and other relevant organizations, including dispatching police-related persons to the school for dealing with undesirable behavior. Moreover, in order for the entire society to foster and protect children, systems for addressing problems such as bullying in schools and communities shall be promoted, so that the problems can be shared and tackled by the entire community through collaboration among schools, families, and communities. In addition, preventive legislation on bullying is expected.

Corporal punishment is prohibited under the School Education Act and is unacceptable in any case. All teachers will be thoroughly instructed in the complete prohibition of corporal punishments and be asked to understand the student’s mind, leading them in an empathetic way, without corporal punishment.

2-5. Enhancement of experiential activities and reading activities in school

In order to cultivate a mind respectful of life and nature, kindness, and sympathy to others, a social mind and normative consciousness, nature experiences, and group lodging activities in schools will be promoted through collaboration among the relevant ministries. In addition, children’s reading activities, such as school-wide simultaneous reading, will be encouraged to allow children to become familiar with reading, which fosters rich emotions.

2-6. Promotion of education on tradition and culture

Education to accept, succeed in, and further develop Japanese and local traditions and cultures shall be promoted. Children’s opportunities to be exposed to first-class culture and arts must be promoted through collaboration between elementary and secondary schools and culture and arts organizations (e.g., museums, theaters, and music halls), and efforts to provide children with opportunities to be exposed to their local traditional cultures must be supported. In addition, assistance will be provided for development of budo, which is a unique and traditional martial art of Japan.

Education on general knowledge of religion will be promoted.

2-7. Promotion of measures to protect youth from harmful information

Collaborative efforts among local communities, private sectors, and relevant government offices and ministries will be made to raise awareness about children’s use of new devices such as smart phones. For example, parents will be informed about cell phones whose functionalities can be reduced or filtering according to age-appropriate stages, with the view to avoid giving children a cell phone if there is no need for it and to create rules for children’s access to the internet. In addition, instruction materials to respond to various problems in line with informatization will be prepared, as well as educational activities for teaching information morals, according to the new Course of Study.

2-8. Solid implementation and follow-up of the new Course of study

 (Restatement of Basic Measure 1-1)

2-9. Promotion of education toward recovery

 (Restatement of Basic measures 1-4)

Basic Measure 3: Cultivation of a sound body

Basic Approach

We maintain and improve children’s physical and mental health, as well as deal with current health problems, through the enhancement of school health, school lunch, and Shokuiku (diet and nutrition education). Furthermore, we promote school safety education (including disaster prevention education), in order to endure children’s safety and security.
Children’s opportunities for sports in schools and local communities will be increased, to improve and maintain their physical strength.

Main Efforts

3-1. Enhancement of school health, school lunch and Shokuiku (diet and nutrition education)

The capabilities of teachers and staff engaged in school health shall be improved, and the activities of the school physician, school dentist, and school pharmacist will be promoted. Also, systematic health education will be enriched throughout the entire educational system in school, focusing on learning in physical education and health and physical education classes. In addition, in order to increase the establishment ratio of school health committees, health management with collaboration among schools, families, and medical organizations in the local communities will be promoted.

Enhancement of Shokuiku (diet and nutrition education) shall be promoted with collaboration among schools, families, and local communities centered on diet and nutrition teachers. Also, in order to improve teaching on food, efforts to utilize local food products in school lunches shall be encouraged, and rice menus in school lunches shall be further broadened and fixated.

3-2. Improvement of sports opportunities for children in schools and communities

Based on the Sport Basic Plan, the government will establish an environment in which children can exercise sufficiently and realize the pleasure, meaning, and value of sports, through school activities for physical training (e.g., physical education and support clubs) and community sports activities.

3-3. Solid implementation and follow-up to the new Course of Study

 (Restatement of Basic Measure 1-1)

3-4. Promotion of education toward recovery

 (Restatement of Basic Measure 1-4)

3-5. Enhancement of experiential activities and reading activities in school

 (Restatement of Basic Measure 2-5)

3-6. Enhancement of school safety education, including disaster prevention education, for fostering an attitude to act independently

 (see Basic Measure 19-2 for details)

Basic Measure 4: Comprehensive improvement of teacher quality and ability

Basic Approach

In order to realize the high quality learning described by Basic Measures 1, 2, and 3, teachers’ professional quality and abilities will be improved comprehensively.

Namely, in order to enhance teachers’ practical instruction ability to develop new learning (e.g., learning for a particular subject and collaborative learning), high level expertise, and collaborative and cooperative skills with the local community, we will establish a continuous support system for teachers who have been learning throughout their careers, as well as comprehensive reform for initial teacher education, teacher employment, and teacher training, considering the introduction of new initial teacher education, which requires further education at the Master’s level. This will be accomplished through collaboration with the boards of education and universities.

Main Efforts

4-1. Building a system that supports teachers’ continuous learning throughout their careers: Comprehensive reform for initial teacher education, teacher employment, and teacher training

In addition to securing well qualified teachers, in order to allow teachers to gain expertise and practical instruction ability, the government will steadily advance innovation concerning initial teacher training, employment, and training by maintaining a foundation for teachers to continue learning throughout their careers, based on the assumption of a further requirement of Master’s-level education for initial teacher education.

4-2. Improvement of teacher training in universities and graduate schools

At the faculty level, the government will seek to develop teachers’ practical instruction abilities for problems concerning student guidance, such as bullying and special needs education, through the enhancement of experiential opportunities at school.

The government will enhance the quantity and quality of the Master’s-level course by developing professional graduate schools for teacher education. In addition, from the standpoint of strengthening the role of teacher training in the general graduate course, the government will advance measures to make practical subjects required for an advanced certificate.

In addition, in order to enable working adults to attend graduate school, we shall support evening course and correspondence programs.

4-3. Improvement of the state of teacher employment and various talented people's appointments

In order to secure qualified teachers while improving recruiting methods, etc., and to advance widespread appointment as members of society, graduate school graduates, etc., the government urges the practical use of the special certificate and provisional lecturer system.

4-4. Higher level training through cooperation with the boards of education, schools, and universities

The government will construct a development system to train people who can become the core of schools and local communities by sending qualified teachers to the professional graduate schools for teacher education for management training and sending them as managers or instruction supervisors.

While promoting the further enhancement of teacher training, such as the induction program, the government will simultaneously encourage the effective use of a fixed number of additional teachers needed for teacher professional development.

The government will support advanced measures such as the construction of a system of teachers’ programmed and unitized training, through collaboration between each prefecture’s board of education and universities; it is also promotes training that utilizes retired teachers. These measures promote teachers’ acquisition of advanced certificates. Moreover we will examine the significance of the system for renewing educational personnel certificates, such as for improvement of the certificate renewal course to match to the needs of participants.

4-5. Promotion of implementation of adequate personnel management

An adequate evaluation system to evaluate the abilities and achievements of individual teachers must be implemented, and the results of the system evaluation need to be adequately reflected in the treatment of teachers. At the same time, appropriate personnel management must be implemented. For example, teachers who have accomplished outstanding work should be highly evaluated and honored for their excellence, so that they can be further motivated. Conversely, those who perform inadequately should undergo training programs to improve their teaching, and those who violate work rules should be strictly punished.

Because personal relationships between teachers and students are the basis for school education, measures for mental health, including both preventive and rehabilitative methods, should be promoted, so that teachers approach the classroom in physically and mentally healthy conditions.

4-6. Establishment of an ability-based salary system

The salary and benefit system for teachers must be reviewed and, if necessary, redesigned to stimulate more educational activities and raise teachers’ morale and job satisfaction. For example, an ability-based salary system may be considered to reward hard-working teachers.

Basic Measure 5: Enhancement of early childhood education

Basic Approach

Considering the importance of early childhood education as the foundation for personality development over one’s lifetime, we promote early childhood education in kindergartens and make efforts toward the systematic provision of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services through the establishment of a new system under the law to strengthen ECEC services. We also enhance support for child-rearing practice and daycare in kindergartens.

Main Efforts

5-1. Improvement of the quality of early childhood education 

In order to improve the quality of early childhood education, it is necessary to promote the understanding of early childhood education. Smooth transitions to elementary school and the enhancement of child-rearing practice support and daycare centers are necessary. Further, we must tackle issues in early childhood education, such as the need for school evaluations. The improvement of early childhood education should be made with the understanding of the issues with instruction in kindergartens.

Given the new system to be established in accordance with the law to strengthen ECEC services, the allocation of teachers and staff should be reconsidered in order to balance the development of each individual infant with the situation of class groups.

In order to improve the quality of teachers and staff, the teachers and staff of kindergartens, nursery schools, and centers for ECEC should conduct a joint training program. An increase in the number of teachers who hold both a kindergarten teaching certificate and a childcare certificate must be promoted. It is also desirable to increase the number of teachers who hold a kindergarten teaching certificate.

Continuous financial support should be required to support various educational activities in kindergartens, such as daycare and support for child-rearing practices.

5-2. Provision of high quality early childhood education and care 

Under the law to strengthen ECEC services, the provision of comprehensive, high quality early childhood education and care is encouraged through a shift from kindergarten and nursery school to the Center for ECEC.

We provide grants for all preschool children who are three years old and above to attend kindergartens, nursery schools, and centers for ECEC under the law to strengthen ECEC services.

Basic Measure 6: Promotion of special needs education 

Basic Approach

The actions described below should be implemented in order to form a cohesive society in which people of various backgrounds live together and support each other.

  • Improvement must be made to the contents and methods of education for students with disabilities so that they can receive appropriate education according to their ages and abilities. They should also take classes with students without disabilities as much as possible. For motivated and talented students with disabilities, opportunities for education should be guaranteed, even at the level of higher education.
  • It is necessary to improve the educational environment for children learning overseas. Similarly the government will seek to improve the reception of returnee and foreign children/students in public schools, by providing Japanese language and adaptation programs.

Main Efforts

6-1. Realization of efficient school placement procedures and improvement environments based on reasonable accommodation for children with disabilities

In order to build an inclusive education system, which was promoted in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, efficient school placement procedures should be realized by the amendment of the relevant laws.
The other activities for the improvement of the environment include the following:

  • making individualized education support plans and individualized teaching plans;
  • creating a consistent support system from the early stages, including the infant period;
  • enhancing career guidance and vocational education;
  • preparing teaching materials that include the use of ICT, etc.;
  • promoting accessibility and improving educational facilities and equipment;
  • enacting solutions for classroom shortages at schools for special needs education;
  • allocating expert teachers and support assistants;
  • implementing joint activities and learning;
  • researching, studying, and gathering more data on ways to provide reasonable accommodation;
  • supporting motivated and talented students with disabilities in order to guarantee they can access opportunities for higher education.

 *In the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, “reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments that do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden where needed in a particular case, to provide persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

6-2. Additional supports for children with developmental disabilities

To provide greater support for children with developmental disabilities, we must review the special support services in resource rooms at elementary and lower secondary schools and reconsider the distribution of teachers and other staff, including special needs education assistants, and then take necessary action. The government should also implement a program for all the teachers and staff to obtain knowledge and skills concerning developmental disabilities. Specifically, intensive training programs should be given to newly assigned teachers and management staff for special needs education classes. Regarding kindergartens and upper secondary schools, further improvement of special needs education system must be achieved. We must develop teaching methods by utilizing ICT and allow independent administrative institutions such as the National Institute of Special Needs Education (NISE) to transmit information actively.

6-3. Further accumulation of expertise for special needs education

The training course for those who are trying to obtain a teaching certificate for special needs education should be improved. Networks can be created among schools for special needs education utilizing the combination of local education resources (school cluster(*1)) and the function of schools for special needs education as resource centers (function as a resource center,(*2)) in order to build a support system for local special needs education.


 *1 The combined usage of local education resources (including kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, classes and schools for special needs education, and special support services). Each resource cannot meet each child’s educational needs alone; rather, the resources should be used in combination.

 *2 To maximize expert knowledge and skills, a school for special needs education functions as a hub of special needs education in a school district.

6-4. Improvement of education for children studying abroad, returnee children, and foreign children

In order to improve the educational environments for children studying abroad, we should continuously dispatch high quality teachers and improve educational materials for Japanese educational institutes overseas. We should also review Japanese teaching methods in accordance with individual situations, secure enough teachers and support assistants, and improve the quality of their skills, in order to provide fine teaching and supports for returnee and foreign students. Furthermore, we should understand the situation of these students’ acceptance in upper secondary schools and increase their opportunities for enrollment. For non-attending or non-enrolling foreign children, we should develop places for studying Japanese and learning customs in cities with many foreign residents, and help them make a smooth transition to public schools.

Basic Measure 7: Continuous development of the PDCA cycle at each school

Basic Approach

In attempting to make the activities for Basic Measure 1 more substantial, we must establish the PDCA cycle to modify and improve educational measures and teaching. For this purpose, the results of the National Assessment of Academic Ability, which is intended for all school children, must be utilized.
In upper secondary schools, students must steadily acquire the basic and fundamental academic abilities they need. We seek quality assurance for upper secondary education, such as by introducing a system to precisely measure each student’s learning achievement.
Main Efforts

7-1. Improvement of activities to establish the PDCA cycle, etc.

The government must understand the situations of schools and municipalities concerning the National Assessment of Academic Ability and continue to monitor the results of all in order to provide all schools and municipalities with opportunities to understand the issues of each and improve teaching through the comparison of each assessed result with the national average. In addition, further research is needed, such as studies on the correlations between academic abilities and family situations (including economic situations) and analyses of the changes over the years. We should also encourage the boards of education and schools to improve educational measures and teaching by utilizing the assessed results.

Regarding upper secondary schools, the efforts of Basic Measures 1 to 3 must be implemented.

For the improvement of educational guidance and the curriculum of each school, we should encourage activities for learning assessment. For the improvement of educational activities and other school management activities, we must promote school evaluation by persons concerned with schools (e.g., parents and local community members).

(2) Primary measures for students in higher education stages

Achievement Target 2: Acquisition of the ability to explore and tackle issues

We develop students’ active learning for their acquisition of the ability to explore and tackle issues* on the basis of a zest for life, in order to establish a model society for independence, collaboration, and creativity based on knowledge.
To this purpose, we increase student study hours to the same level as the U.S. and Europe, and aim to improve the quality of university education through various actions, such as fostering learning environments.

 *Ability to explore and tackle issues: the ability to adjust oneself to changes proactively, explore a future goal of one’s own, and evaluate that goal flexibly and generally from a broad perspective

Achievement indicators
  1. Improvement in the method of measuring the study hours of the students at each university. Substantial increase and guarantee of sufficient study hours. (Aiming at same level as Europe and the U.S.)
  2. Improvement in the environment for educational support
  3. Improvement in the curriculum system across all universities. (Systematization of the curriculum, implementation of organized education, improvement of syllabus, etc.)
  4. Improvement in the evaluation of education by students, graduates, companies, NPOs, etc.)
  5. Doubling of adult student enrollment

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 8: Quality change in university education to stimulate students’ active learning

Basic Approach

For the realization of a society modeled on independence, collaboration, and creativity based on knowledge, we develop various human resources who learn over their lifetime, think independently, and have the ability to explore and tackle issues that can deal with any situation, on the basis of a zest for life.

For undergraduate education, we should promote activities to change the quality of education, such as active learning (learning in which students proactively find issues and solutions), interactive lectures, practice, and experiments.

To improve the quality of undergraduate education, first of all, an increase and guarantee of the total proactive student study hours, including preparation before classes and deployment after, must be promoted. We must establish a virtuous cycle for quality change, which will be realized by the implementation of measures such as the improvement of education management across all universities. The improvement of management will promote the systematization of the curriculum, implementation of organized teaching, improvement of syllabi, and better educational skills for teachers.

Furthermore, systematic implementation of the graduate curricula must be strengthened in order to produce highly talented people who play active roles in various fields in the world.

Main Efforts

8-1. Establishment of renovation cycles and improvement of the environment for educational support

The government will encourage each university to build a team centered on its president and its diploma policy. This team will establish holistic educational management, to be implemented in a series of cycles consisting of systematic curriculum revision, implementation of organized education, strict performance evaluation, visualization and assessment of student learning outcomes, and improving the curriculum based on their results.
In order to achieve this, the government will reexamine the systems related to learning and consider when grants will be allocated to universities. We shall also refer to the status of efforts toward active information release to the public and the establishment of an educational reform cycle that starts from a substantial increase and guarantee of sufficient study hours by students and includes establishing organizational and systematic educational programs, for example.
For such actions, the government will promote coupling economic support for students under Basic Measure 17 with support for establishing learning environments: e.g., creating reciprocal-model courses, offering self-study support that uses ICT, strengthening the function of libraries that serve as a base for students’ proactive learning, and increasing and enhancing educational support staff, which may include assistant teachers.
Concerning the use of ICT, the government is encouraging the active participation of each university in efforts to link improvements in the quality of university education and also Open University knowledge to the larger world. Examples of how this shall be achieved are the distribution of educational content through Open Course Ware (OCW)* and the continuing rapid spread of transmission of lectures through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).**
Together with these efforts, the government will support unique self-initiated efforts concerning education, such as the development and research of educational methods and materials that stimulate students’ interest.
In addition, the start period of job hunting and employment activities will change to ensure students’ learning hours and opportunities for various experiences (e.g., studying abroad), and the government needs to cooperate with industry for its smooth implementation. (Recruitment public relations: after March 1, when the student is a university junior; Employment screening activities: after August 1, when the student is a university senior)

 *OCW is an open and free provision of formal course materials via the internet.

 **MOOCs are open access online courses for an unlimited number of participants. Some courses provide certificates upon completion.

8-2. Use of specialized staff and improving educational staff abilities 

We shall research how to promote formation of the base or coordination of universities for training, increasing, and using specialized staff who possess knowledge of learning assessment, test theory, or data analysis concerning education, selection of entering students, and specialists of faculty development (FD), who are necessary for universities to establish their learning systems.
Running concurrently with the above, the government is considering organization of the relationship of lectures for systematic FD and also “appropriate educational skill for taking charge of education in universities” under Article 14 of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities (Professor’s Qualification).

 *The term is used for the systematic approach by academic staff to improve and develop the university’s educational functions.

8-3. Research and development concerning understanding student learning outcomes

Concerning concrete measures for understanding student learning outcomes, the government will continue to refer to motivation for making efforts in international organizations and examples of multiple foreign countries, and will encourage swift and multi-faceted research and development in university consortiums and academic conferences.

8-4. Consideration for establishing the concept of “Bachelor’s Degree Curriculum Education as a Program”

Current university systems focus attention on and comprise the organizations of universities, undergraduate school departments, those disciplines, and graduate courses. On the basis of these circumstances, the government is progressing in considering modalities for a desirable university system to establish the concept of “Undergraduate Education as a Program.”

8-5. Enhancement and improvement of graduate school education

Based on the “Second Guidelines on Measures for the Promotion of Graduate School Education” (FY2011-16), the government will enhance the content and teaching methods of graduate education by establishing systematic education with a smooth transition from coursework to research activities, in coordination with industry.
In addition, the government will support the initiatives mentioned in Basic Measure 15-1, such as the reformation and strengthening of graduate school education in order to develop global leaders.

8-6. Promotion and consideration of junior college roles and functions

Even concerning junior college courses (that will lead to an Associate degree) that fulfill the role of providing equal opportunity in higher education, liberal arts education, and vocational education, and also serve as community lifelong learning centers, the issue involving the change in the quality of university education, for such the enhancement of course planning, is a shared point shared. The government will further consider modalities of the role and function of junior colleges, taking into account these characteristics.

Basic Measure 9: Quality assurance of higher education

Basic Approach

We will improve quality assurance systems, strengthen cooperation among these systems, and promote the visualization of education and research activities to ensure and enhance the quality of higher education, focusing student protection and international recognition through the following efforts and the efforts described in Basic Measure 8.
Main Efforts

9-1. Establishment of a comprehensive system for quality assurance of university education

We will strengthen quality assurance in university education by promoting mutual cooperation among quality assurance systems, such as the Standards for the Establishment of Universities, Approval System of the Establishment of Universities, and Certified Evaluation and Accreditation, as well as by clarifying these standards and enhancing the systematic process for approving the establishment of a university.

9-2. Active provision of university information

We will promote the utilization of an information database tentatively called “University Portrait,” which will be managed independently by the newly established organization related to the certified evaluation and accreditation organization, as well as universities. The information in University Portrait is not ranked by difficulty of admission. University Portrait will provide official and useful information, including educational challenges and outcomes according to each university function and distinction, for national and international stakeholders.

9-3. Improvement of university evaluation

The certified evaluation and accreditation organizations will note each evaluation’s internal quality assurance (IQA). Considering this, we will promote the following efforts for certified evaluation and accreditation focusing on student learning outcomes, such as establishing the reform cycle in institutional academic management.

  • Develop criteria to understand each university’s distinctions more clearly
  • Evaluate universities focusing on the education and research activities that the universities themselves emphasize according to their functions
  • Utilize opinions and ideas from various stakeholders, including industry and local communities
  • Reduce the burden of evaluation and accreditation

 *IQA is a process by which higher education institutions take responsibility for checking and evaluating their various activities. The results are used to reform and improve the institutions, as well as to ensure educational quality.

9-4. Promotion of efforts for subject quality assurance

The government will promote efforts to build and enhance subject quality assurance for the development of higher skilled students in colleges of technology and universities.

We will also encourage universities and certified evaluation and accreditation organizations to utilize standards, which are developed for subject curriculum design by the Science Council of Japan and are expected to be a useful guide for developing and improving the reform cycle.

9-5. Strength of the foundation and system for quality assurance in international higher education

The government will promote “CAMPUS Asia” programs, which are collaborative programs developed by the universities of three countries (Japan, China, and Korea). In addition, we will establish functions to collect and provide formal information about the Japanese and overseas higher education systems, and to evaluate transnational education and educational collaborations, in order to contribute to the good practices of international institutions and the development of an international quality assurance framework in higher education.

9-6. Promotion of efforts for quality assurance and enhancement of professional training colleges

Concerning professional training colleges, the government will promote the efforts in Basic Measure 13-3 for quality assurance and the enhancement of education.

(3)Primary measures for students in elementary, secondary, and higher education

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 10: Development of a flexible education system according to student growth

Basic Approach

In addition to promoting the continuance of smooth connections between schools at each level of education, we will progress in deep consideration for modalities of the 6-3-3-4 system and build a flexible educational system suited for child development.

Regarding the pathway from upper secondary schools to universities, in Japan, university entrance examinations are responsible for ensuring the quality of upper secondary education, reputations of each university’s educational standard/level, and assessment of applicant abilities. The government will review the current examinations and develop a new quality assurance system focusing on students’ education process.
We will shift the current selection process to include a multi-faceted and comprehensive assessment of applicants’ motivation, capacity, aptitudes and so on for university, as well as promote the quality assurance of upper secondary and university education. At the same time, the government will encourage coordination between upper secondary schools and universities, and early admission practices.

Main Efforts

10-1. Development of a flexible education system according to student growth

The government will promote efforts at coordinating nursery, kindergarten, and elementary school students and joint training by exchanges and teachers of infants and children, as well as encourage innovative guidance methods and educational curriculum revisions in each school. It will aim to smoothly link education for young children and elementary school education.

The government will support efforts toward combined elementary and lower secondary school education in each city, town, and village. It will present examples of efforts for uniform education, elementary and lower secondary school coordination, and coordinators who perform coordination, and also special examples demonstrating a standard of the educational curriculum for elementary and lower secondary school education. These examples will be used to realize learning suited for the development of children/students. Throughout their nine years of compulsory education, and we aim to smoothly link elementary and lower secondary school education.

Each school providing combined lower and upper school education will be required to provide unique education through its six-year curriculum. The government will promote efforts to achieve this combined education, including research on unique and good curricula (which utilize exceptions of curriculum standards such as the Course of Study) and the dissemination of these curricula in schools or local governments.

The government will work to establish an environment for providing the necessary information to expand each person’s abilities and also properly and comprehensively utilizing each effort at curriculum development and course improvement related to early school entrance. It will promote coordination between upper secondary schools and universities in accordance with student abilities and motivation to learn.
In particular, concerning early admission to university (i.e., skipping a grade) and early graduation from upper secondary school, the government shall progress with the efforts described in Basic Measure 14-1.

In looking to build a flexible educational system in accordance with child development, survey research will be implemented related to school systems and the administration of such that includes modalities for the 6-3-3-4 system. The government will progress in its deep consideration of this issue while giving thought to the circumstances.

In addition, the government will advance the efforts described in Basic Measure 13-3 in looking to create a new, specialized framework for practical, vocational education in upper secondary schools from the perspective of building an educational system that allows various choices.

10-2. Shift to a quality assurance system focused on processes (not points) in pathways from upper secondary school to university

The government aims to shift to a quality assurance system focused on processes (not points) by promoting smooth pathways from upper secondary school education and university education (e.g., by improving university admissions) and cooperation between the two levels of education.

Concerning upper secondary schools, the government shall implement the efforts described in Basic Measure 1-3, including the introduction of new tests for assessment of student learning achievement levels, in order to develop the fundamental and basic academic abilities required for upper secondary school students.
Concerning universities, we shall promote the investigation and development of evaluation methods for the learning outcomes of many kinds of students, jointly with related organizations. These methods may include student surveys on learning conditions and the use of assessment tests to clarify learning outcomes (see Basic Measure 8-3 for details).
In addition to these efforts, the government will review the university entrance examination system, including the use of achievement test results and method used to develop globalized human resources. If necessary, it will promote drastic reforms of that system and each university’s practices.

(4) Measures to be promoted in each life stage

Achievement Target 3: Development of competencies for independence, collaboration, and creativity over one’s lifetime

We promote the wide use of learning outcomes and an increase in quality learning opportunities for personal and various social problems, in order to enable every person to develop competencies* for independence, collaboration, and creativity, which are required to survive in society, over his/her lifetime.

 *The competencies include thinking power, problem-solving skills, health, rich humanity, sociability, and publicness.

Achievement Indicators
  1. Increase in the ratio of persons who have learned how to cope with modern and social problems
  2. Increase in the percentage of experiential activities and reading activities
    - Increase in the number of schoolchildren who engage in experiential activities
    - Increase in the percentage of schools that conduct reading activities by all students
    - Increase in the percentage of municipalities that use the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Children’s Reading Activities
  3. Improvement in the application of learning results
    - Increase in the percentage of persons who take advantage of gained knowledge and technology
    - Increase in the number of young people who participate in the evaluation and promotional system for youths’ experiential activities
  4. Improvement in the handling of private education-related companies concerning instruction quality
    - Increase in the percentage of private companies who disclose information and perform self-evaluations

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 11: Promotion of learning as a means to solve current social issues

Basic Approach

We should allow each person to gain the power, not only to be independent in society and to collaborate and to cope with others and to live his/her life, but also to solve issues in the local area with initiative.

 In order to achieve this, the government will promote learning about modern and social subjects, various experiential activities, and reading activities through public facilities such as schools, citizens’ public halls, and libraries through the collaboration of general administration offices and the private sector, to result in people’s subjective actions.

The government will promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) that leads every person to be a supporter, who has a global point of view about modern and social issues, identifies his/her own issues, and tackles issues in their immediate environment.
Main Efforts

11-1. Promotion of learning for current and social issues

The government will enhance learning opportunities founded on basic plans concerning the formation of a gender-equal society, human rights, environmental protection, consumption, local disaster prevention and safety, and sports.
In addition, from a standpoint of connecting learning results and participation in local area activities and social contribution, we will promote measures to enhance one’s consciousness and power to participate in local activities as a social member, to live independently within one’s community in old age, and to utilize one’s experience and knowledge to solve various local issues through collaboration and cooperation with others. Furthermore, through the enhancement of quality and quantity aspects of UNESCO Associated Schools, we will promote ESD in order to establish a sustainable society on a global scale.

11-2. Promotion of various experiential activities and reading activities

At schools and centers for children and youth, through cooperation with related administrative organizations and private bodies, various experiential activities that specifically target youth, such as experiences with nature and social experiences including volunteer activities and international exchanges, will be promoted.
Furthermore, based on the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Children's Reading Activities, the government will support children’s reading activities through school-wide simultaneous reading, promotion of collaboration between public libraries and schools, and awareness-raising for the significance of children’s reading activities.

Basic Measure 12: Promotion of learning quality assurance and assessing/using learning outcomes

Basic Approach

We should construct an environment in which all students feel safe and receive high quality education, and in which learning achievements may be evaluated and practically utilized in society.
For this purpose, the government will build a system to promote learning opportunities provided by various groups that will be guaranteed and improved in quality, as well as a system to evaluate the knowledge and skills that students gained.

Main Efforts

12-1. Quality assurance and improvement of learning opportunities provided by various education providers

The government will construct and disseminate a system to evaluate and disclose information concerning lifelong learning and social education fields by creating and spreading the guidelines and by supporting improvement to ensure the quality of ISO29990,* the international standard for learning services for non-formal education and training. In addition, this will be achieved by promoting measures to further improve the corresponding courses authorized by MEXT. Furthermore, in order to improve the quality of social educational facilities, the government shall further promote the efforts described in Basic Measure 30-1.

 *The international standard published by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) in September 2010 for learning service providers in order to improve the quality of non-formal education and training.

12-2. Construction of a system to assess knowledge/skills and use the results widely

We will establish assessment and utilization systems for student learning outcomes, such as a certification system for educational support staff. In addition, by spreading the measures of self-evaluation and informational disclosure of the private companies implementing exams, we shall heighten the social validity of the examinations. Moreover, the government and related organizations will construct a system to assess and honor the successful results of experiential activities by youth.

12-3. Ensuring and improving learning quality by utilizing ICT, and assessing and utilizing learning outcomes 

In addition to carrying out learning service provider research concerning the actual situation of digital content, the government will create a system to guarantee its quality and to spread and encourage digital contents. This system, currently under development, is scheduled to begin in FY2014. The government will support the evaluation of learning results utilizing ICT, collaboration by private sectors and local government bodies, and measures such as e-portfolios or e-passports. It will also work to improve their social validity.

Achievement Target 4: Development of abilities for social and vocational independence

In addition to raising basic and general abilities that provide a foundation for social and vocational independence, we will prepare opportunities in which students can correspond to the mobilization of the labor market and gain practical and academic knowledge and skills throughout their lifetimes.
In order to achieve this, enhancement of career education, improvement of internship projects, and collaboration between education and employment are required to avoid job mismatching.

Achievement Indicators
  1. Heightened consciousness of schoolchildren’s future
    - Increase in the percentage of children who have dreams and targets in the future
    - Increase in children’s awareness that the content they study in school can be utilized in society
  2. Increased efforts for improving young people’s working situation (employment rate and early job-leaving rate caused by job mismatching)
    Substantial career education and vocational education
    - Improving student experiences in workplace and internship projects in secondary schools, universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and specialized training colleges, etc.
    - Increase in the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) in universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and specialized training colleges
    - Greater adult student enrollment in the above schools (increase in the number of universities that offer programs based on a learning credit system, increase in the number of specialized training colleges that offer courses for working persons, doubling of the number of working persons among newly enrolled students)
    - More female academic staff at universities
    Employment support
    - Increase in the number of universities that disclose the employment situation of new graduates.
    - Increase in the number of career consultants and career consulting rooms

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 13: Enhancement of career education, vocational education, support for participation in society, and the development of core specialists or highly trained professionals through industry-academia-government collaboration

Basic Approach

As one of the modes of social competencies for survival, as well as abilities and behavior for social and vocational independence, we aim to raise children and youth who create visions of working and professional consciousness independently in order to understand the significance they hold through in their job as a member of society.

In clarifying the practical vocational educational system, the government will take measures to allow students to gain necessary knowledge and skills at any time in their lives, even after they begin working life.

In order to foster core experts for the promotion of industries and local area activation in growth fields, the government will enhance practical vocational education through industry-academia-government collaborations that allow working people and students to learn more easily. It will coordinate measures to ensure and improve the quality of specialized training colleges. At the same time, the government will strengthen cooperation between schools and Public Employment Security Offices to resolve employment mismatching, as well as develop a new learning and evaluation system that places high value on a person’s knowledge and skills gained in his/her working experiences and builds next step careers matching these knowledge and skills.

Main Efforts

13-1. Promotion of career education to develop the abilities required for social and vocational independence

The government promotes and enhances systematic career education in each school (from preschool to higher education), especially general education courses of upper secondary school.
In promoting career education, we will support efforts at collaboration among the local community, society, and industry, including experimental activities (e.g., experiences in the workplace and internship projects) and utilization of external human resources, by establishing a conference for career education support in the community. We will also promote teaching through all school education activities based on each student’s development level. Especially in universities, we shall greatly increase domestic and overseas internships opportunities with industry cooperation.

13-2. Promotion of transverse vocational education in schools

We should build a learning system in which adults can learn easily, such as a system of learning unit accumulation through coordination with educational organizations and industry, in order to train core specialized personnel in growing fields. In addition, we should continue to link learning related to occupations and aim to build a learning and assessment system in which the results of linking to occupations in society can be evaluated properly.

 *A learning method that allows the systematic accumulation of multiple units under uniform rules to allow learning according to the learning level of the individual.

13-3. Promotion of efforts for vocational education at each school level

In specialized upper secondary schools, we should aim to enhance vocational education for acquiring practical, necessary abilities in specialized fields through experiential activities by such as long-term internships.
The government will promote leading-edge vocational education through the strengthening of coordination of practical guidance, universities, and industry through engineers and teachers who are also working members of society.
For universities and junior colleges, the government will give high level specializations for each field through the promotion of educational improvement by cooperation between businesses and schools. It will also build a system of joint education through coordination between universities and the introduction and improvement of third-party assessments and achievement targets by field, considering societal trends and international standards.
For colleges of technology, we will reexamine the modalities of studies in accordance with increasing knowledge and skills.
For specialized training colleges, we will make efforts to achieve quality assurance, such as by raising teacher qualifications. We will build a system for school evaluation and releasing information to the public.
In addition, the government will steadily progress with efforts for advanced trials in looking to create a specialized, new framework in occupational hands-on education in higher education.

13-4. Continue support for linkage to society

The government will promote the establishment of an environment for finding employment and hiring activities, which will involve efforts to use appropriate hiring customs that include changes in the period for the start of finding employment and hiring activities, the introduction of regular hiring, standards for graduates and handling of third-year new graduates, and also appropriate assessment of study results in universities. Promotion shall extend to establishing a system in universities, which involves the placement of employment consultation staff and furthering coordination with job supporters, setting up a job supporter consultation service, and furthering dispatch consultations that continue to coordinate with related offices and ministries. These activities will support students to find employment.

13-5. Enhancement of adult reeducation opportunities

We will strengthen the function of universities, graduate schools, and professional training colleges as lifelong learning places by enhancing educational opportunities that meet various needs such as reeducation for adults who aim to take on the challenge of reemployment (including women who have left the workforce due to pregnancy), pursuing a higher career, changing occupations, or improving their skills. From this perspective, the government will promote the admission of adults to universities, graduate schools, and professional training colleges through cooperation with industry and educational agencies to develop practical programs that link to employment and smooth job changes, as well as programs that support creative innovations. In addition, to help adults at universities, we should establish an environment that includes flexible administration of scholarship loan programs and also promotes understanding from industry in considering issues of time and financially limiting circumstances. In addition, we expect to progress further in enhancing the subjects taught in university communications education that includes the Open University of Japan, which allow learning without time or space limitations.

2.Developing human resources for a brighter future

Achievement Target 5: Human resource development to initiate and create social changes and new values

We will train personnel capable of being successful leaders on the world stage, particularly in international negotiations, and personnel who are able to cooperate with various people in the global community. Such personnel shall be leaders who guide each field of society, create change and new values for society as a whole, and possess excellence abilities* in addition to social competencies for survival.
In looking toward such training, we aim to the double educational and research bases of a global standard and dramatically increase the number of students who participate in study abroad. We shall also improve linguistic skills, including practical English skills.

 *Example of ability: fluent linguistic skills for international negotiation, communication skills, and independence, a spirit for taking on challenges, understanding of cultural differences while maintaining a Japanese identity, creativity

Achievement indicators

Concerns for personnel who create new values
  1. Averages at to the top level in international student assessment surveys. Increase in the number of students/persons with high level learning achievements. (Restatement of Achievement Target 1)
  2. Increase in the percentage of child students who take on new challenges without forgetting failures, even difficult ones
  3. Increase in the number of students who participate in international science and technology contests
  4. Increase in the number of trans-disciplinary educational programs to train leaders
  5. Doubling of the number of research universities that are internationally competitive in the next 10 years
  6. Improvement of universities international reputation (Increase in the number of universities that have a strong international reputation in research, education, and internationalization)

Achievement indicators

Concerns for global human resources
  1. Improvement in skills of English as the international common language
    - 50% of all secondary school students achieve the expected English skills under the Course of Study (Lower secondary school: grade 3 of the EIKEN Test, which assesses practical English proficiency, or above; Upper secondary school: grade pre-2 to 2 of the EIKEN Test or above)
    - Increase in the number of universities that set targets for students’ English skills at graduation (e.g., 80 points on the TOEFL iBT) and students who achieve such targets, as well as the number of universities that set the number of students who have experienced studying abroad with credit acquisition.
  2. 50% of lower secondary school and 75% of upper secondary school English teachers have the expected English skills (grade pre-first of the EIKEN Test, 80 points on the TOEFL iBT, 730 points on the TOEIC, or above)
  3. Increase in the number of Japanese students studying abroad and international students in Japan (e.g., doubling of the number of Japanese students studying abroad by around 2020)
  4. Increase in the proportion of foreign faculty members in all faculties at universities. These faculty members shall include Japanese faculty who have earned degrees at foreign universities and/or who have experienced education or performed research for more than one year outside Japan.
  5. Increase in the proportion of courses taught in foreign languages to all courses at universities.
  6. Increase in the number of students entering university in months other than April (the beginning of our traditional academic year)

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 14: Provision of various and high level learning opportunities that expand outstanding ability and individuality 

Basic Approach

In order to train personnel who mainly guide and create changes and new values for all of society, we need to develop social competencies for survival beginning in elementary and secondary education. In addition to increasing the number of children who are interested in various fields, we need to further expand the spirit of challenge and creativity.

In order for this to be achieved, students who are able and willing should be given opportunities for high level learning and friendly competition with each other. The government needs to improve education, especially science and mathematics education, for example, by promoting early admission to university, considering early graduation from upper secondary school, providing learning opportunities for progressive education, and promoting national competitions (including the Japan High School Science Championships) for these subjects.

Main Efforts

14-1. Promotion of a system for expanding outstanding ability and individualism

The government will progress in the efforts described in Basic Measure 10-1 and look to build a flexible educational system that takes child development into account and enables all students to expand their abilities.
In particular for linking upper secondary and university education, we shall consider a system for approving early graduation at the stage of higher education and also encourage the continuation of active efforts at each university that aim for the provision of early entry.

The government will strengthen the function of colleges of technology, which develop superior manufacturing human resources through their unique, specialized five-year education programs offered to students after lower secondary school education. Specifically, it will do this by systematically organizing and promoting basic measures.

The government is deepening considerations for rebuilding the roles and functions of junior colleges as places for creating foundations in a knowledge-based society, provided by various learning opportunities through community coordination and cooperation and also serving as a familiar form of higher education at the universal phase.
In addition, we will seek to enhance high quality practical vocational education by coordinating with educational agencies and industry.

14-2. Development of science and mathematics-related human resources

The government will support measures for Super Science High Schools and increase the number of participants in the Japan High School Science Championships, international science and technology contests, the Science Intercollegiate Contest, etc. By promoting comprehensive measures to develop human resources in science and mathematics, we aim to increase the number of students who like science and mathematics, pick out students with outstanding talents and develop their talents, and train and secure human resources in science and technology strategically and systematically. In particular, we aim to increase the proportion of female students who enroll in science courses by providing them with extra guidance.

The government promotes efforts at collaboration with education institutes, industry, and related ministries, in order to develop and secure human resources in science and technology within the next 20–30 years.

14-3. Development of preeminent human resources in sports, culture, and arts

In looking to enhance our international competitiveness based on the Sport Basic Plan, the government will coordinate with relevant organizations to build a system of human resource development for raising youth athletes who possess superior talent to top levels athletes. This will include identifying, developing, and reinforcing talent.

In addition to the provision of opportunities to restore results and training opportunities domestically and overseas for upcoming artists, support will be provided for training specialized human resources for businesses related to theaters and music halls. We will seek to train future artists and observers and provide opportunities for children to come into contact with first-rate culture and arts.

Basic Measure 15: Enhancement of universities’ research capacity and the formation of distinguished education and research centers by strengthening the function of graduate schools

Basic Approach

The government will promote the drastic reformation and strengthening of graduate school education, mainly doctoral programs, in order to develop global leaders through close coordination with industry and academia. Furthermore, it will provide talented students and young researchers with an environment that allows them to dedicate themselves to learning and scholastic research in a self-reliant manner, in order to foster creative and outstanding researchers.

In addition to promoting the formation of educational and research bases that harness the strengths of each university, we will strengthen the research capabilities of universities through activities such as continuously and widely promoting various forms of creative research, including basic research.

Main Efforts

15-1. Development of creative and outstanding researchers

The government aims to create a virtuous cycle in which those who hold advanced degrees play active roles in every field and stratum of society, through the drastic reformation of graduate school education to develop and spread trans-disciplinary Ph.D. degree programs, and through human resource development through coordination with industry and graduate schools. In addition, the government will take measures to attract talented students and young researchers to graduate schools, such as by providing an environment (e.g., fellowships) dedicated to learning and research, and revising entrance examinations to secure diverse student bodies. Outstanding researchers will be trained and secured through the establishment of an environment that allows them to do independent research, such as in the tenure track system.* With the mobilization of scholastic human resources, cooperation and collaboration with industry in order to create diverse career paths for postdoctoral researchers will be promoted. In addition to securing the diversity of researchers and promoting the formation of a gender-equal society, the government will progress in efforts for female researchers to balance childbirth and child-rearing with their work so that they can utilize their abilities.

 *The tenure track system is a mechanism that enables young researchers to accumulate independent research experience while being hired for a fixed term of service, prior to obtaining a permanent position through strict evaluation of their works.

15-2. Strengthening university research

We aim to establish national and international competitive environments, including a certain number of world class research universities, through the following: establishment and improvement of world top level centers for research and education activities as international brain circulation hubs; establishment and improvement of research systems and environments with international standards; and industry-academia-government collaborations.
In addition, regarding competitive funds such as Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, from the perspective of results and efficiency of application, the government will promote necessary efforts at verifying the results and effects of a system reform.

15-3. Promotion of industry-academia-government collaboration for generating innovation

With the aim of generating continuous innovation through the establishment of a “platform” for Research and Development (R&D) under university-industry collaboration, the government will promote the establishment of the Center of Innovation (COI) framework, a large-scale and university-industry collaborated R&D platform in which universities concentrate all their powers on innovative research issues and corporations lead the commercialization of their achievements.
In addition, the government promotes joint R&D based on the research outcomes obtained in universities, application of intellectual property, and improvements to the university-industry collaboration system.

Basic Measure 16: Strengthening of initiatives for global human resource development, such as foreign language education, communication with international students, international student exchange programs, and internationalization of universities

Basic Approach

In an age of accelerated globalization, in establishing a Japanese identity and deep understanding of Japanese culture as a premise, it is important to cultivate global human resources who possess rich linguistic abilities, communication abilities, autonomy, and positivity, and who are able to work actively in various fields with an intercultural understanding spirit.

For this purpose, when instilling the actual as a premise, we must strengthen foreign language (e.g., English) education, promote study abroad by upper secondary school and university students, implement measures for the internationalization of universities (e.g., arrangement for fall admissions and international collaboration in education with universities in foreign countries), ensure the quality of an international higher education (e.g., mutual approval of credits and an appropriate scholastic evaluation), strengthen the foundations of international higher education, and enable all motivated and talented students to study abroad.

Main Efforts

16-1. Strength of foreign language (e.g., English) education

In order to promote steady implementation of the new Course of Study, the government will support the promotion of strategic innovation in English education, such as the coordination of foreign language education materials, creating base schools to execute good practices, and evaluating students’ English abilities through external language proficiency examinations. In addition, by providing information through English education portal websites and video materials, we will expand the available opportunities for increasing student motivation and using English. In order to properly assess the English abilities that are to be acquired during upper secondary school, external certification examinations (e.g., TOEFL) are expected to be further utilized for university entrance examinations.

Also, the government will review early-stage English education in elementary schools and consider taking steps such as increasing learning hours and authorizing English as a subject. We recommend that middle schools teach English classes entirely in English.

In order to improve instruction power and English ability, we should implement teacher training, including overseas postings, as well as encourage the utilization of external language proficiency examinations during recruitment and self-training. The government will hold forums in order to spread the International Baccalaureate and workshops for teacher training. It will develop a Dual Language IB Diploma Programme: English-Japanese, where some subjects may be taught in Japanese.

 *Program that enables students 16 to 19 years old to acquire international university admission qualification.

16-2. Promotion of communication with international students and international exchange programs for upper secondary school and university students

There is a target to rapidly increase the number of students studying abroad, doubling the number of Japanese students studying in foreign countries by 2020 (University students: 60,000 to 120,000; Upper secondary school students: 30,000 to 60,000). In order to reach this target, the government and private sectors should collaborate to offer study abroad in upper secondary school and university for all young people who possess the motivation and ability to act globally. In addition to providing information about studying abroad in local areas, upper secondary schools, universities, related ministries, and government offices will collaborate to adjust the job hunting and recruiting season to accommodate students who study abroad.
Furthermore, the government will enhance measures to offer exchange programs (i.e., promote intellectual exchange programs for Japanese and international students or young working adults), and give children an international perspective to encourage them to participate in study abroad.

In order to realize the “300,000 International Students Plan,” we shall coordinate the system toward the internationalization of universities, financial support (e.g., grants), holding study abroad fairs utilizing bases in foreign countries, and the strategic acceptance of international students with living and job support, as well as strengthen the network of study abroad alumni and promote the acceptance of excellent international students.

16-3. Support for efforts for internationalization of upper secondary schools and universities

We should foster global leaders who will be able to play an active role on the international stage, beginning in upper secondary school education, through the execution of globalized education. In order to achieve this, the government will seek to establish Super Global High Schools, which are a new type of upper secondary school for developing foreign language skills alongside international knowledge and skills, such as liberal arts and problem solving skills.

In order to succeed in the global society, we aim to enhance international competitiveness by broad promotion of thorough internationalization of higher education institutions in our country. Especially for the development of core universities that are internationally competitive with world-class educational systems and environments, the government will primarily support universities that conduct classes in English and that accept foreign faculty members or young Japanese faculty members who acquired their degree abroad. It shall also support securing environment to introduce fall admissions while taking into account the situation in each university, as this will contribute to the internationalization of universities and experiential activities of students. In addition, the government will promote various collaborations, such joint programs with foreign universities.

In order to ensure the quality of vocational education at universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, professional training colleges, etc. and to secure international competitiveness, the government will construct a system to allow learning outcomes to be proved abroad, joint programs with higher education institutions in foreign countries, etc.

16-4. Strength of the international quality assurance system in higher education

(Restatement of Basic Measure 9-5)

3. Building safety nets for learning

Achievement Target 6: Provision of learning opportunities for all who are motivated

For students seeking support who have difficulties and barriers to learning, various learning opportunities should be offered throughout their lives. In addition, all students possessing the ability and desire should receive secondary education and higher education.
For such students, educational disparities that are due to economic, time-related, or geographical limitations should be reduced.

Achievement indicators

Main concerns for elementary and secondary education
  1. Increase in the percentage of eligible students who attend kindergarten
  2. Decrease in the number of upper secondary school students who drop out due to financial reasons
  3. Decrease in the number of students/persons with a low level of learning achievement on international academic surveys (Restatement of Achievement Target 1)
  4. Decrease in the influence of differences in household economic conditions and educational environments on academic achievement
  5. Improvement of the bullying situation, decrease in non-attendance, and reduction of the drop-out rate of upper secondary school (increase in the percentage of solved bullying cases in the total recognized cases, decrease in the percentage of non-attending students and upper secondary school drop-outs in the total student population)
Main concerns for higher education and lifelong learning
  1. Improving the situation of ensuring advanced education opportunities and reducing disparities in school excursions (ensuring opportunities for advancement to higher education even for students from low income households, including disaster-affected households)
    - Increasing the percentage of students who successfully receive scholarship loans among those who apply and meet the standards
    - Increasing the percentage of students from low income households who receive tuition and enrollment fees support
  2. Doubling the number of adult students (Restatement of Achievement Target 2)

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 17: Financial support to reduce the burden of educational costs

Basic Approach

We continue to reduce the burden of educational costs through generous support for enrollment, the Program of Free Tuition Fee at Public upper secondary Schools, upper secondary School Tuition Support Fund System, and efforts to provide sufficient scholarship loans. We aim to ensure learning opportunities for all who want to access and/or have sufficient abilities, in order to prevent the entrenchment of educational inequality.
In addition, we shall execute continuous generous support for the enrollment of children and young people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Main Efforts

17-1. Reduction of the burden of educational costs in early childhood education

With the aim to reduce economic burden based on the income status of children’s guardians, the government will support children’s entrance to kindergarten by continuing to partially subsidize regional public organizations that implement programs for encouraging kindergarten entrance and reduce fees for education.
In addition, by establishing grants, which are provided through kindergartens, nursery schools, and centers for ECEC, and by building a new comprehensive support system under the law to strength ECEC services, we aim to reduce household burden according to family income. In considering such circumstances, the government will comprehensively examine issues of revenue sources and the existing systems with a view toward making early childhood education free.

17-2. Reduction of the burden of educational costs in compulsory education

In addition to making classes and textbooks available for free at national public schools, the government will continue to provide generous support for enrollment for households with economic hardships, aiming to ensure proper educational opportunities.

17-3. Reduction of the burden of educational costs for upper secondary school education

By law, after three years of implementing financial support the Program of Free Tuition Fee at Public upper secondary Schools and upper secondary School Tuition Support Fund System),), the support measures will be reviewed. However, some problems remain, such as the burden of educational cost on low income households and the gap in educational cost between public and private school. With the limited financial resources, to address these issues effectively, The government will review measures aimed at reducing the burden of educational costs at the level of secondary education by comprehensively considering educational grants for low income households and efforts to reduce the gap in the cost of education between public and private school, including the relation of current systems, as well as the introduction of income limits for financial support eligibility.

17-4. Reduction of the burden of educational costs in higher education

The government will progress financial support for students of universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and professional training college with motivation and ability so that these students will not be forced to abandon their studies for financial reasons and will be able to study without anxiety. This support will be provided in the form of reductions or waivers of tuition and enrollment fees, and also scholarship loan programs. Specifically, regarding scholarship loan programs, an interest-free scholarship loan program combined with an income-contingent repayment scheme introduced in FY2012 shall be steadily implemented. In addition, regarding the interest-free scholarship loan program, under the premise of establishing an environment that allows input of the payer’s income information, a transition from the current system of fixed amount repayment to one of flexible amount repayment determined annually according to post-graduation income shall be considered. Moreover, we shall review the rate of delinquent charges. Thus, the means of student economic support shall be considered, and scholarship loan programs shall be enhanced in order to establish an environment that allows students to receive education without anxiety.

17-5. Generous support for the enrollment of children and young people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

The government will provide the following financial supports, considering the situations and needs of disaster-stricken areas.

  • Support for the enrollment of kindergarten for children with financial difficulties
  • Support for educational costs (e.g., school supplies) for elementary and lower secondary school students
  • Scholarship loan programs for upper secondary school and university students
  • Support for educational costs for students with special needs
  • Funding to implement reductions or waivers of tuition and enrollment fees for students at universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, specialized training colleges, and miscellaneous schools

In addition, support shall be provided for purchasing school buses and paying the costs of commuting for children with financial difficulties.

Basic Measure 18: Educational support such as providing learning opportunities for people who face difficulties in learning or participating in society

Basic Approach

To resolve disparities in education, in addition to efforts to provide school support for improving the academic ability of students who face challenges due to their domestic living environments, we also implement study support and mental health care for children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, as well as generous support for the enrollment of children in remote areas and isolated islands.

In addition, given the impact of educational disparities derived from household inequality and the reproduction or entrenchment of such disparities, opportunities shall be provided for adults to gain reeducation and career advancement skills and for children to benefit from learning support and experiential activities. This will be achieved through close cooperation with welfare, labor, health, and medical government agencies so that children and youth who face setbacks and difficulties (including non-employed, socially withdrawn recluses, and upper secondary school dropouts), as well as non-regularly employed persons and early retirees, can gain independence and rejoin society.

It is necessary to promote further efforts at collaboration among families, local societies, related organizations, and schools, in order to reduce students’ undesirable behaviors, which are still priority educational issues (e.g., violence, bullying, and non-attendance). To this end, we will establish and improve student guidance and educational counseling systems.

Main Efforts

18-1. Support for economically and geographically disadvantaged children

It is necessary to establish an education system for personal support in order to promote instruction suited to individual students and the development of necessary learning materials. This system shall aim to increase students’ desire to learn and foster their fundamental academic abilities, by ensuring opportunities for reeducation and providing detailed instruction through supplemental studies and small class sizes that use achievement-based teaching. Further, the system shall be for schools that have high numbers of students who experience difficulties in their scholastic abilities due to their domestic living environments.

The government will continue to implement generous support for enrollment for elementary and lower secondary school students. It will also provide assistance toward long distance school commute expenses by purchasing school buses and boats to secure opportunities to study for children in remote and depopulated areas. In addition, the government will continue to implement generous support for enrollment by assisting with school commuting and housing expenses for students commuting from isolated islands where there is no upper secondary school. This support shall be based on regulations of revised acts for measures to promote isolated islands.

18-2. Learning support for coordinating various main constituents to interrupt the “chain of poverty”

In addition to promoting information sharing for upper secondary school dropouts, the government will build a system for coordination among schools, including Community Youth Support Stations and Hello Work, which is a job placement assistance service, in order to achieve support for currently registered students. Related government agencies and NPOs will collaborate to provide the following: reeducation opportunities for upper secondary school dropouts, study support for current students, support for education at home for households with problems, and support for young people’s independence and participation in society using libraries and citizens’ public halls.

We encourage social independence for persons with experiences of dropping out or non-attendance and special needs students, by providing professional staff (e.g., school counselors) and promoting the development and introduction of unique programs (e.g., vocational subjects that lead to vocational qualifications) in part-time and distance courses of upper secondary schools. We also support evening courses at lower secondary schools, which provide an opportunity to receive compulsory education for persons who did not complete it by the age of 15.

18-3. Learning support and mental health care for children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

For the study support and mental health care of children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the government will continue to dispatch school counselors and increase the staffing levels of teachers and other personnel in accordance with each situation.

18-4. Establishment and improvement of a student guidance system and educational counseling system

(Restatement of Basic Measure 2-3)

18-5. Thorough approaches to bullying and acts of violence

(Restatement of Basic Measure 2-4)

Achievement Target 7: Provision of safe and secure educational and research environments

We must ensure student safety by providing safety education for students to acquire the ability to protect themselves. Moreover, we need to improve educational and research environments by strengthening the earthquake resistance of school facilities and reinforcing disaster prevention functions so that students can learn in a safe and secure environment.

Achievement Indicators

Main concerns for elementary and secondary education
  1. Improving the rate of earthquake resistance of public school facilities based on the “Basic Policy on the Improvement of School Facilities,” aiming for the early completion of earthquake resistance by 2015. In addition, we shall aim to complete earthquake resistance for private schools as early as possible, based on the model of earthquake resistance at public schools.
  2. Improving the maintenance status of disaster protection facilities and equipment for evacuation center designated schools
  3. Making child fatalities zero and decreasing student injuries in accidents, disasters, and other incidents under the supervision of schools
  4. Increasing schools’ efforts to improve children’s safety action capabilities
Main concerns for higher education

Improving university earthquake resistance rates: Concerning national universities, based on the third Five-Year Program for Facilities of National Universities, we shall aim for the early completion of earthquake resistance. In addition, we shall aim to complete earthquake resistance for private universities as early as possible, based on the model of earthquake resistance at national universities.

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 19: Enhancement of educational and research environments and ensuring students’ safety in schools (e.g., enhancing safety education)

Basic Approach

School facilities are students’ learning and living places, and they also serve as emergency evacuation facilities in the local community. Therefore, the government will seek to strengthen the earthquake resistance of school facilities and disaster protection functions (including earthquake resistance measures for nonstructural members), as well as pursue countermeasures against deterioration.

In addition, since there is a need to ensure school safety and nurture fundamental education, such as by teaching children/students methods of self-initiated safety for their lifetime. The government aims to strengthen its coordination with communities and families and promote organizational efforts in schools toward school safety education (e.g., disaster prevention education) that nurtures proactiveness, based on the plan for the promotion of school safety, for both public and private institutions.

Main Efforts

19-1. Safe and secure school facilities

Concerning public schools, the government will promote steady earthquake resistance efforts based on the Basic Policy on the Improvement of School Facilities, which aims for the early completion of earthquake resistance by FY2015. To achieve these efforts, the government will encourage the acceleration of earthquake resistance for regional public organizations. In addition, it will seek to strengthen disaster protection functions (including the earthquake resistance measures for nonstructural members) and the maintenance of evacuation routes as countermeasures against tsunamis. Concerning prevention measures for events such as ceilings falling in sports facilities, we aim for swift completion as well.
Furthermore, the government will promote the lifespan extension of deteriorating school facilities, given the declining birthrate.

At national universities, it is necessary to improve and maintain aging structures in addition to completing earthquake resistance measures as early as possible. In addition, among earthquake resistance measures for nonstructural members, similar to earthquake resistant facilities, we aim for swift completion, even for countermeasures for preventing ceilings from falling inside sports facilities. In order to achieve these aims, the government will continue steady implementation of the third Five-Year Program for National University Facilities.

Concerning private schools (including universities), the government aims for the early completion of earthquake resistance and measures for preventing ceilings from falling inside sports facilities, taking into consideration the circumstances of public schools under the support plan for reinforcing disaster protection functions, but focusing on private school facilities. In addition, the government will seek to strengthen disaster protection functions, including earthquake resistance measures for nonstructural members and the maintenance of evacuation routes as countermeasures against tsunamis.

19-2. Promoting school safety

It is necessary to nurture a students’ proactive attitude to protect themselves in the event of danger. Such protection shall be achieved in the three areas of living safety, traffic safety, and disaster safety. The government aims to improve and spread educational content and educational methods for increasing awareness to build a safe and secure society from the viewpoint of cooperation and public help.

We must improve education on disaster prevention and ensure instruction time for organizing guidance content and systematic disaster prevention education in schools.

The government will improve the safety management system through consultations with external experts and also enhancement of the training for education staff. In addition, it will encourage the update of emergency response guidelines and school safety plans to include safety inspections for school facilities and equipment, for both public and private schools, in coordination with related departments and agencies, community residents, and guardians. The government will promote school safety coordination among communities, families, and related organizations by developing and training community volunteers and educating guardians using school guard leaders.

In particular, for school routes, the government will support on-site efforts to ensure traffic safety by related organizations such as schools, the boards of education, road administrators, and the police by coordinating with related government ministries. Further, in promoting efforts that include safety inspections, the government will encourage coordination with related people such as guardians and community residents.

4. Building bonds and establishing vibrant communities

Achievement Target 8: Establishment of vibrant communities through support and cooperation

We must create active communities through support and cooperation, as well as spread family and community networks by implementing and participating in various learning activities.

In particular, it is necessary to spread independent participation toward separate individual communities. We should establish various networks and a cooperative system positioned as the core of the community that contributes to the promotion and recreation of schools and social education facilities for communities.

Achievement Indicators

Concerns for elementary and secondary education, and lifelong learning
  1. Building a system of organizational coordination and act in concert with administrative offices, schools and communities in all school districts, including the School Support Regional Headquarters, among others
  2. Transitioning 10% of all public elementary and lower secondary schools to community schools
  3. Improving the level of participation in resident communities
    - Increasing the percentage of students who participate in community events
    - Increasing the percentage of senior citizens who participate in community learning and activities
    - Increasing the number of registered volunteers at social education facilities
    - Increasing the number of community residents who participate in school support and after-school activities
  4. Implementing the provision of information and assessment for administrative status in all schools and social education facilities
  5. Establishing a Comprehensive Community Sport Club in every municipality
  6. Enhancing support for education at home
    - Implementing support for education at home (e.g., increasing the number of support teams for education at home), such as by ensuring learning opportunities for education at home in all elementary school districts and providing counseling services for home education.
    - Improving communication status at home and children’s basic living habits
Concerns for higher education and lifelong learning
  1. Increasing the number of education programs offered at universities in coordination with community companies, the government, and other public offices
  2. Increasing the number of joint research projects with community companies for companies within the same prefecture and regional public organizations
  3. Increasing education programs, meaning short-term programs or programs based on the learning credit system, that are aimed at resolving community issues
  4. Improving the support status of universities for student volunteers in communities that include volunteers for the Great East Japan Earthquake
  5. Improving the status of the number of lectures offered to the public for communities and opening more university gymnasiums and libraries

Concrete measures for the next five years

Basic Measure 20: Development of a good learning environment and a collaborative system for building bonds and establishing vibrant communities

Basic Approach

Having a diverse social network and an established cooperative system serving as a base for schools and citizens’ public halls is necessary in linking community educational resources to establish a positive growth cycle in which people learn to build and stimulate communities. Active communities cultivate learning and have the strength to remain viable.

Given the necessity of such networks, the government must work at the level of independent efforts, schools, and communities to have all of society support schools and children’s activities. In short, it must build a system in which the schools and communities in each district cooperate to support educational activities. In addition, the government should promote efforts to form communities centered on places of learning that include social education facilities of schools and citizens’ public halls. Moreover, it must strengthen lifelong learning functional capabilities for places in the community that are sites of learning, even higher education institutes.

Main Efforts

20-1. Promotion of efforts to support children’s learning by the entire society

The government is building a nationwide system in elementary and lower secondary school districts, to be completed by FY2017, that will support children’s learning through community resident participation, mostly volunteering by parents or guardians. This system will include the School Support Regional Headquarters and after-school classes for children.

20-2. Creating schools within communities

The government will assist the realization of high quality school education as well as the creation of a system that resolves children’s issues within the community. In particular, parents/guardians and community residents will exhibit their strength through harnessing community schools in school administration. In order to achieve this aim, the government will promote effort that include the expansion of school discretionary limits, effective school evaluations by persons concerned with schools, and expansion of community schools (School Management Council System).
Through this combination, the government will strengthen the administrative and coordinating functions needed for community coordination. It will then place able administrators and train school staff appropriately to achieve high quality management of community schools (School Management Council System).

The government will encourage efforts, such as the acceleration of matching support sought by schools with support able to be provided by communities, society, and industries, to achieve education activities that are supported by cooperation among schools, communities, and society.

20-3. Structuring local communities to serve as learning environments

Citizens’ public halls should serve as the primary social education facilities. Related departments and agencies and related institutes should continue cooperating to support community activities and lecture learning as part of the process of forming of local communities that can resolve their own issues.
Together with these facilities, the government promotes a complex integrated school facility that includes social education facilities and surplus classrooms for community use.
Added to these facilities, the government will makes efforts to foster Comprehensive Community Sport Clubs based on the Sport Basic Plan and offer support for activities in theaters and music halls, which form the core of local communities.

20-4. Strength of the learning function for reeducation in communities

Previously, university higher education institutes functioned as the base for lifelong learning centers in communities. Based on this past relation, lifelong learning centers should be used to promote the strengthening of functional capabilities and enhancement of public lectures as places for reeducation and establishing a personnel approval system for training community support personnel.

In addition, we also support the Open University of Japan, which provides courses via television and radio and runs study centers for its students in each prefecture. The Open University is a resource for public lectures and courses that collaborate with local governments and other universities and a learning environment that is accessible to a wide range of people, especially those in the workforce.

Basic Measure 21: Increase of higher education institutions that function as centers of community (promoting the Center of Community framework) 

Basic Approach

Universities that serve as the base for intellectual creative activities should be the Center of Community (COC). Using various resources that higher education institutes possess, it is necessary to link the invigoration of communities with investment in improving education and research functional capabilities by making efforts to resolve various issues directly facing communities. This will lead to further support for these kinds of activities.

Main Efforts

21-1. Support higher education institutes that promote the COC framework

Higher education institutes (especially universities) conduct education and research, and make efforts to solve various issues in society and regional communities through extension courses based on each university’s education and research, industrial development with industry-academia-government collaboration, sports promotion, disaster prevention, environmental protection, medical services, public health, and depopulation countermeasures. In this way, higher education institutes contribute to the reproduction and invigoration of regional communities.

Hereafter, the government will aim to strengthen the function of COCs, which have the trust of the community, and enhance mutual exchanges with the community through student participation in the resolution of challenging issues. This can be achieved by supporting education, research, and social contribution activities, drawing on various resources and higher education institutes in the community. This type of academic coordination surpasses the scope of undergraduate school studies and specialized fields in its inclusion of the real circumstances of communities.

Basic Measure 22: Support for education at home with abundant and good relationships

Basic Approach

Parents and guardians have the primary responsibility for the education of their children, and parents educating their children in the home play an important role in developing harmony of body and mind, fostering feelings of independence, and teaching basic lifestyle. However, in modern society, education at home has become a hurdle due to the diversification of family environments and changes in communities. Under such circumstances, the initiative of education at home continues to be esteemed.
Coupled with efforts raised by Basic Measure 20, in order for education at home to take place with rich connections that include communities and schools, we must strengthen the support for education at home through community cooperation and also enhance learning opportunities that lend help to parents and their children.

The government will promote the creation of a system for coordination between schools and social welfare for families facing issues in order to enhance support for education at home that addresses the various issues facing diversifying households.

Main Efforts

22-1. Promotion of home education support through community cooperation

We should accelerate efforts to strengthen the support system for home education by, for example, establishing a base that functions to allow exchanges and consultation for parents in locations in the proximity of elementary school communities. People in the community who are experienced in child-rearing shall be put to the task of supporting learning for parents, who are the ones implementing home education.
In addition, the government will reinforce the development and spread of experience-based learning programs based on the development level of the children in looking to enhance parent learning.
Moreover, the government will coordinate with parent-teacher associations to provide learning opportunities in social education facilities such as citizens’ public halls and libraries (at schools where it is easy to connect with parents) and spread methods to expand learning opportunities that use various locations, such as workplaces and child-rearing plazas. It will also promotes learning about childrearing for secondary school students, who are expected to become parents themselves in the future, and this learning will include personal contact with infants.

The government will accelerate, based on community characteristics, the promotion of support for the well-thought-out activities in the “Support Team for Education at Home” model. The meticulous planning for these activities involves the development of community staff involved in support for education at home that centers on coordination with specialized staff (e.g., health education nurses).
In addition to building a network of education, social welfare related institutes, and organizations, the government will seek to create a system for coordinating with student guidance counselors to pay home visits to families facing issues and offer consultation services.

22-2. Promotion of lifestyle development for each life stage

The government promotes the creation of healthy living habits for children by encouraging cooperation with companies or regional public organizations, along with having information provided that relates to concrete efforts based on the principles of enlightenment, work life, and balance and concerns the importance of healthy living habits for children. These company efforts shall allow working parents to have sufficient time to become involved with their children and communities. Secondary school students will be able to manage their lives for themselves, so the government will also implement awareness-raising activities for these students and those in higher levels.

(Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau, Policy Planning and Coordination Division)