Central Council for Education

 The Central Council for Education is an organization that carries out research and deliberations on important matters related to the promotion of education, lifelong learning, sports and other matters in response to requests from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and provides its opinions to the Minister.

 The Central Council for Education has, under the general committee, five subdivisions on Education Systems, Lifelong Learning, Elementary and Lower Secondary Education, Universities, and Sports and Youth.

 In FY2004, the Central Council for Education submitted three reports, concerning University Entrance Qualification Tests, pre-school education, and higher education respectively, and currently it is conducting vigorous deliberations concerning a variety of topics.

 In addition, in February 2005 the Compulsory Education Special Working Group established under the general committee began intensive deliberations on the ideal form of compulsory education overall and it plans to produce its conclusions by autumn 2005.

 MEXT is endeavoring to promote educational reform taking into account the reports submitted by the Central Council for Education.

Council for Science and Technology

 The Council for Science and Technology is an organization that carries out research and deliberation on important matters relating to the promotion of science and technology in response to requests from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and provides its opinions to the Minister. The Council for Science and Technology has six subdivisions under the general committee (Subdivision on Research Planning and Evaluation, Subdivision on Resource Study, Subdivision on Science, Subdivision on Ocean Development, Subdivision on Geodesy, Subdivision on Professional Engineers), two directly subordinate sections (Technology and Research Foundations Section, the Bioethics and Biosafety Commission), and three directly subordinate committees (International Committee, Committee on Human Resources, Basic Plan Special Committee). The Council for Science and Technology makes full use of the respective special characteristics of science and technology and ensures their harmonization and a comprehensive approach to them, and is engaged in vigorous discussions aimed at producing highly original and world-class research results.

 And in anticipation of the next Science and Technology Basic Plan, the Council for Science and Technology established the Basic Plan Special Committee in October 2004 and the committee has been studying basic policies toward the realization of an advanced science-and technology-oriented nation.

 MEXT is endeavoring to promote science and technology taking into account the reports submitted by the Council for Science and Technology.

Council for Cultural Affairs

 The Council for Cultural Affairs is responsible for research and deliberations concerning important matters related to the promotion of culture and international cultural exchange, in response to requests from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs.

 Four subdivisions, the Subdivision on National Language, the Subdivision on Copyright, the Subdivision on Cultural Properties, and the Subdivision on the Selection of Cultural Awardees, and the Cultural Policy Committee have been created under this council. The four subdivisions conduct wide-ranging research and deliberations in specialized fields, for example on matters concerning the improvement and dissemination of the Japanese language, the copyright system, and the protection and utilization of cultural properties respectively.

 Recently, the Council for Cultural Affairs has published three major reports: the report concerning the designation, etc. of cultural properties designated by the national government; the report of the Subdivision on National Language; and the report of the Cultural Policy Committee "Let's Revitalize Japan through Regional Culture!" (February 2005)

 These reports will serve as the foundation for the promotion of culture and the arts and the Agency for Cultural Affairs intends to further engage in the promotion of culture and arts based on the recommendations contained in

(・Policy Planning and Coordination Division, Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau  ・Policy Division, Science and Technology Policy Bureau  ・Policy Planning and Coordination Division, Commissioner's Secretariat, Agency for Cultural Affairs)