foreword

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
MORIYAMA Masahito

  I extend my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and their bereaved families and offer my heartfelt sympathy to those affected by the disaster.
  The administrative areas that are the responsibility of MEXT, such as education, science and technology, academics, sports, culture, and art, are extremely important areas that make people’s lives happy and rich and serve as a growth source for our country.
  MEXT White Paper for FY 2023 covered 2 themes as special features.
  Special Feature 1 focused on the relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto, marking the first relocation of a central government agency to a local region since the Meiji era. The report introduces (1) the background and process of the relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto, (2) the initiatives taken after the relocation, and (3) new developments in cultural promotion, including the process of considering the scale of the relocation and the new location up until the March 2023 relocation, initiatives in collaboration with local governments, etc., after the relocation, and new initiatives such as regional revitalization through the promotion of food culture and cultural tourism.
  Special Feature 2 introduced the “World x Learning Plan (Sekai x Manabi Plan),” compiled in May 2023. Building upon the Toyama-Kanazawa Declaration by G7 Education Ministers’ Meeting, the plan aims to promote (1) study abroad and personnel exchanges from Japan, (2) the acceptance and retention of outstanding international students and personnel, and (3) the internationalization of education through an integrated approach. Based on this plan, the White Paper introduces the measures MEXT promotes to develop global human resources consistently.
  The additional section, titled “The Responses of MEXT to the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake,” introduces efforts to ensure the quality and availability of education and adequately improve the learning environment, even in disaster areas. It also introduces efforts related to improving the environment for sports, providing mental health care for students, responding to cultural property damage, and supporting research institutions.
  We are entering a post corona society with COVID-19 now reclassified as a Class 5 infectious disease. The MEXT will draw on the experiences of the past few years, carefully listen to feedback from the field to address the challenges surrounding MEXT administration, and earnestly work toward realizing a fulfilling and happy life for each individual and the sustainable development of society.
  We hope this White Paper reaches as many people as possible, is extensively used, and helps to deepen their understanding.

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