Foreword

Yoshimasa Hayashi Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology

 The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) publishes the White Paper on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in an effort to introduce to a wide spectrum of the Japanese public all the new developments in the areas of education, science and technology, sports, culture and the arts.

 The lead features of the White Paper on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 2017 are “Developing Cultural Policies to Foster Social and Economic Values” and “Work Style Reform of Schools”.

 Circumstances surrounding the cultural administration of Japan have been changing greatly in recent years. The Feature 1 “Developing Cultural Policies to Foster Social and Economic Values” describes the following topics: enactment of the New Basic Act on Culture and the Arts, formulation of the Basic Plan on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts (the First Plan), functional enhancement toward development of the new Agency for Cultural Affairs and preparation for the full-scale relocation to Kyoto, reform of the system for protection of cultural properties, and efforts for cultural programs directed toward the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

 While the role of schools is expanding along with the recent complexing and diversifying circumstances in education, the long working hours of teachers has become a problem too serious to ignore. To maintain and develop high-quality school education, an urgent issue is to streamline the heavy workload of teachers.

 The Feature 2 “Work Style Reform of Schools” describes the development of discussions at the Central Council for Education and the efforts of MEXT in response in addressing work style reform of schools, and presents the preliminary results of the Survey of Teachers Working Conditions. It also introduces cases of municipal governments applying progressive approaches to “Work Style Reform of Schools.”

 The Government of Japan identifies the “Rebuilding of Education” as a key issue and promotes efforts and actions. This White Paper includes the section titled “Steady Progress toward the Rebuilding of Education”. Revision of the National Curriculum Standard and articulation reforms of high schools and universities are introduced as major educational reform programs. It also describes the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education and discussions at the Council for the Implementation of Education Rebuilding and the Central Council for Education.

 Promotion of educational rebuilding, science, technology and innovation, and sports/culture is a core factor in “Human Resources Development Revolution” and “Supply System Innovation”. I proposed the holding of the “Ministers’ Meeting on Human Resource Development for Society 5.0” and discussions were held about the abilities required for a wide range of the people and human resources needed to create and lead society, with a realistic vision of Society 5.0. The Conference produced a report entitled “Human Resource Development for Society 5.0 ~Changes to Society, Changes to Learning~” MEXT will exert all efforts to promote measures for the creation of upcoming new era.

 The understanding and the cooperation of the general public are also essential in order to promote the administration of education, culture, sports, science and technology. I hope that this White Paper will be widely used and serve as a help in deepening everyone’s understanding of the activities of MEXT.

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Education Policy Bureau Policy Division

(Education Policy Bureau Policy Division)

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