5 The Improvement of Textbooks

The new postwar educational system adopted the authorization system of textbooks, as were specified in the School Education Law, expecting that by way of the authorization a variety of textbooks could be available. When it became obvious in 1947 that these textbooks would not be ready for the inauguration of the new six-three compulsory educational system, the Ministry of Education made teaching materials available to the schools. In December 1947 the Textbook Committee (Kyokayo Tosho Iinkai) was established to respond to the inquiries of the Minister of Education in respect to the administration of textbooks to be used from 1949, and in April, 1948, the 1948 Regulations for Textbook Authorization were issued replacing former regulations for textbook authorization. In June, 1949, the Textbook Committee was dissolved into the Textbook Council (Kyokayo Tosho Shingikai) and the Textbook Survey for Authorization Committee (Kyokayo Tosho Kentei Chosakai). These two bodies were united into the Textbook Survey for Authorization Council (Kyokayo Tosho Kentei Chosa Shingikai) in April, 1950. The Law concerning Provisional Measures on the Publication of Textbooks, which was promulgated on July 10, 1948, and put in force on that day, attempted to facilitate the issuance of textbooks through coordinating supply and demand and maintaining reasonable prices. It had originally been intended by the Board of Education Law that the authorization of textbooks would be placed in the hands of the prefectural boards of education as soon as the rationing of paper ended. However there were many who felt that decentralization of authority over textbooks would present a number of technical, economic, and educational problems and hence this authority should remain centralized. The issue was settled on August 5, 1953, by are vision of the School Education Law and of the Board of Education Law, which were promulgated and put in force on that day, and the authority over textbooks for the elementary and lower and upper secondary schools was placed with the Minister of Education.

No sooner had this question been settled that other problems arose with respect to textbooks. The growth in the number of publishing companies competing for textbook sales was accompanied by an increase in the incidence of unfair trade practices. The Fair Trade Commission was obliged to issue warnings in 1952 and in 1954 of possible violations of the anti-monopoly law. Moreover, the Ministry of Education found itself unable under the existing system to keep pace with the rapid expansion of the types of textbooks needed within the school system. Increasing number of textbooks were being issued which had not received sufficient scrutiny. Hence textbooks were appearing which contained either factual errors or biased contents. The attempt of the Ministry in 1956 to secure passage of a new textbook bill which would improve the methods for authorization, selection, publication, and supply of textbooks failed when the measure was tabled in the Diet. Steps were then taken within the Ministry to expand the facilities and personnel concerned with textbook authorization: in October, 1956,Textbook Survey Officers were appointed to scrutinize text-books and many new members were appointed on the Textbook Survey for Authorization Council; and in the 1956 school year a total of 600 textbook centers aided by government subsidies were established throughout the country. As one aspect of the tuition-free compulsory education system, the. free .distribution of school textbooks was initiated in 1951. Whi1e the program was quite limited in the beginning, the enactment of the Law concerning Measures for the Free Distribution of Textbooks in Compulsory Schools, which was promulgated on December 21, 1963, and put in force on that day, provided a base for plans to expand this service. By 1969 the free distribution of textbooks was a reality throughout the entire compulsory education system.