1. Textbooks

1) Definition of Textbooks

 Textbooks are defined as "books for children or students that are used for lessons as principal teaching materials on subjects organized and arranged in accordance with the composition of curricula at elementary schools, junior high schools, compulsory education schools, high schools, secondary education schools and other schools equivalent to these and which are authorized by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or whose copyrights are owned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology" (Article 2 of the Act on Temporary Measures Concerning Publication of Textbooks).

2) Types of Textbooks and Obligation to Use Textbooks

 All children and students need to use textbooks in learning. As mentioned above, textbooks include those authorized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT-authorized textbooks) and those copyrights are owned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT-authored textbooks). Article 34 of the School Education Act (Act No. 26 of 1947) provides that these textbooks must be used at elementary schools. This provision is applied mutatis mutandis to junior high schools, compulsory education schools, high schools, secondary education schools and schools for special needs education.
 At high schools, upper courses of secondary education schools, schools for special needs education and classes for special needs education, books other than these textbooks (general books, etc.) may be used under special circumstances, such as where there are no appropriate textbooks.

3) History of the School Textbook System in Japan

 Although prior to the educational system reform after World War II, a notification system, approval system or authorization system had been temporarily adopted for textbooks for elementary schools, since 1904, a state designation system had been adopted. Regarding textbooks for secondary schools, an authorization system has been mostly adopted.
 After the war, under the School Education Act enacted in 1947, Textbook Authorization System has been adopted for all elementary schools and lower and upper secondary schools up until now.