b. Specialized Schools

Neither the 1879 Education Order nor the 1880 Education Order included detailed provisions for specialized schools. However, at that time, there were a large number of specialized institutions. Many of these were, of course, poorly organized and the government merely listed these as miscellaneous schools. However, those few which showed an impressive academic standard were called specialized schools, and several of the private institutions who received this recognition later developed into well-known universities.

Among the best equipped specialized schools of that time were the medical institutes; they were also the most numerous. By 1884 there were 32 medical schools (thirty local public and two private). Many of the prefectures set up medical schools. In May, 1882, the Department of Education issued General Regulations for Medical Schools (Igakko Tsusoku), which provided for two categories of medical schools: category A offering a course of four or more years and category B a three-year course. An entrance requirement for category A was graduation from the primary course of a middle school. In July of that year, General Regulations for Pharmaceutical Schools (Yakugakko Tsusoku) were also issued.

Mention should also be made of those specialized schools which were devoted to the study of law. Of these, the Law School of the Department of Justice represented the highest standard. As noted above, it later merged with the Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo. Many private schools concerned with legal and political curricula were also established, and several of these developed into powerful academic institutions. In 1879, the forerunner of Hosei University, Tokyo Hogakusha, and in 1880, the forerunner of Senshu University, Senshu Gakko, were established. Meiji Horitsu Gakko was founded in 1881 and later became Meiji University. In the following year the school which was to become Waseda University, Tokyo Senmon Gakko, commenced instruction as did in 1885 the forerunner of Chuo University, Igirisu Horitsu Gakko.