（1）The Need for Reform in the Educational System

The Japanese education showed remarkable development during the ten years between 1920 and 1930. By 1930 attendance rate for compulsory education at ordinary elementary schools increased to 99.5% of all school-age children, and moreover, middle level, higher and teacher education also greatly expanded and improved. The opportunity for education beyond the compulsory level came within the reach of children from all social backgrounds. The modernization of major employment sectors within Japanese society, i.e. the Civil Service, the business and banking world, the military, etc., resulted in a steadily rising demand for school-trained personnel. Gradually an individual's position in society came to be more closely related to the level of schooling he attained than to his social background.

As Japan entered the thirties, there was a further intensification in the demand for education on the part of the general public resulting in fierce competition to enter the universities. At the same time, many entrepreneurs who once had opposed the extension of the length of compulsory education on the grounds that it would interfere with their efforts to recruit cheap labor came round to the view that industry would benefit from a more highly educated public. The military also shared this view.

Under these circumstances, the government decided it was time once again to conduct a comprehensive review of middle level and higher education and to establish an entirely new school system suited to the new needs of the nation.

Following several proposals submitted to the government by the Houses of the Imperial Diet to promote educational reform, in October, 1936, the Education Renovation Council (Kyogaku Sasshin Hyogikai) proposed the creation of an advisory organ to carry out a far-ranging review of the educational system under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister. This organ was established on December 10, 1937, as the 1937 Education Council (Kyoiku Shingikai), as authorized in the 1937 Education Council Organization Order promulgated on that day.

The 1937 Education Council, which was to respond to inquiries of the Prime Minister and conduct investigations and deliberations of important matters on educational reform and to submit proposals to the Minister, was composed of a president, no more than 65 members and several provisional members; the Minister of Education was also permitted to participate in the proceedings of this body and to offer his opinions. The first president was Arai Kentaro followed by Hara Yoshimichi and Suzuki Kantaro.

The first general meeting was called in December, 1937, with the following explanation: "In view of the radical changes in the world situation and of recent developments in science and culture, we consider it of utmost necessity to plan for the promotion of reform in the various fields of education...."

The Council completed its investigations in October, 1941, with its fourteenth and final general meeting. Over the three years and eleven months of the Council's life, 61 special meetings were convened along with 169 smaller meetings to take up various minor matters and adjustments.