Chronology of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT)

  • 1871 Ministry of Education established
  • 1872 Promulgation of the school system
  • 1947 The Basic Act on Education, School Education Law enacted
  • 1949 Scientific Technical Administration Committee established
  • 1950 Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties enacted
  • Protection of Cultural Properties Committee established (external bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science and Technology)
  • 1956 Science and Technology Agency established (external bureau of the Prime Minister’s Office)
  • 1959 Council for Science and Technology Policy established
  • 1961 Sports Promotion Law enacted
  • 1964 Tokyo Olympics held
  • 1968 Agency for Cultural Affairs established (merging of the Protection of Cultural Properties Committee and the Ministry of Education Cultural Affairs Bureau)
  • 1972 Sapporo Olympics held
  • 1984 National Council on Education Reform established (to 1987)
  • 1995 The Science and Technology Basic Law enacted
  • 1996 The First Science and Technology Basic Plan formulated (to FY2000)
  • 1998 Nagano Olympics held
  • 2000 The Basic Plan for the Promotion of Sports formulated (to FY2011)
  • 2001 MEXT established (merging of the Ministry of Education, Science Sports and Culture and the Science and Technology Agency)
  • Fundamental Law for the Promotion of Culture and the Arts enacted
  • The Second Science and Technology Basic Plan formulated (to FY2005)
  • 2002 The First Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts formulated (to FY2006)
  • Five-day week system implemented for schools
  • 2006 The Third Science and Technology Basic Plan formulated (to FY2010)
  • Revision of the Basic Act on Education enacted
  • 2007 The Second Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts formulated (to FY2010)
  • 2008 The First Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education formulated (to FY2012)
  • 2011 The Third Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts formulated (to FY2015)
  • The Fourth Science and Technology Basic Plan formulated (to FY2015)
  • The Basic Act on Sport enacted
  • 2012 The Sport Basic Plan formulated
  • 2013 The Second Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education formulated (to FY2017)
  • 2015 The Fourth Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts formulated (to FY2020)
  • Japan Sports Agency established (external bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology