1.The accomplishments and issues of the First Basic Plan

In the First Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education (Cabinet decision on July 1, 2008), the educational vision to be pursued from FY2008 to FY2017 was divided into two stages, one before the completion of compulsory education and one after, as described below. When the Second Basic Plan is put into practice, the verification results of the measures described in the First Basic Plan should be fully considered.

Educational Vision to be pursued over the next 10 years

To cultivate, in all children, the foundation for independence within society by the time they complete compulsory education

  • To improve the quality of public education and establish people’s trust in it
  • To raise children with the support of the whole society

To develop human resources capable of supporting and developing our society and leading the international society

  • To guarantee the quality of education in upper secondary schools and universities
  • To develop human resources who are capable of contributing to an intelligent population
  • To this end, world-class education and research centers need to be formed, and the internationalization of universities needs to be promoted.

(1)Status and issues of the stages until the completion of compulsory education

Preschool education

Preschool education has implications for lifelong personality development and serves as the foundation of learning for compulsory education. In consideration of this, several actions have been taken in order to ensure equal opportunity and improve the quality of preschool education. Some of these actions are the establishment of more Centers for Early Childhood Education and Care, which provide comprehensive early childhood education and care, the implementation of the new Course of Study for kindergartens, the evaluation of kindergartens, the promotion of student interchanges between kindergarten and elementary schools, and the provision of childcare support (e.g., daycare).
As a result of these actions, the number of Centers for Early Childhood Education and Care increased to 1,099 as of April 1, 2013 (from 229 on April 1, 2008). This increase achieved the level of the standard but is still not sufficient to meet the need.
On the other hand, the household burden of education expenditures remains high. This burden is said to be one cause of the nation’s low birthrate. 
Under such circumstances, the quality of early childhood education needs to be improved through, for example, support for education at home; further enhancement of the systematic provision of early childhood education and care; and actions for reducing the burden of educational costs, such as efforts toward free early childhood education.

Compulsory education (elementary and lower secondary school)

The goals of compulsory education are to enhance students’ individual abilities and develop a basis for their social independence and basic abilities as citizens of the nation. To provide high quality education for all, the national government is responsible for ensuring the foundation of compulsory education, such as by offering equal opportunities, guaranteeing minimum standards, and providing free education.

In a drastically changing society facing globalization, a declining birthrate, and an aging population, compulsory education, as a basis for human resource development, is needed to form a stronger safety net for learning than has been seen previously. This can be accomplished by avoiding the reproduction and ossification of disparities while maintaining students’ global top level academic ability and developing their attitude of respect for normative consciousness, history, and culture.

In 2008, the national Course of Study, which defines the curriculum standards for elementary and lower secondary school, was revised to include a better balance of solid academic abilities, richness in humanity, and a sound body. The revision increased the specified number of classroom hours and encouraged the improvement of teaching program contents with the aim of helping students develop more zest for life to meet the demands of the drastically changing society. Specifically, the description of solid academic abilities clearly expresses the purpose of developing a basis for lifelong study through three elements: “fundamental knowledge and skills,” “the ability to utilize knowledge and skills and think, judge, and express ideas by oneself,” and “motivation to learn.”

Regarding the actual status of students’ academic ability, the results of the National Assessment of Academic Ability and various international assessments show positive results, though some particular items indicate problems. It also becomes clear from the results that there are problems concerning students’ abilities in thinking, judgment, expressiveness, etc., especially on the descriptive format test. For example, the results of the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show improvement in comparison with past results. Japan is internationally ranked in the top group. However, its proportion of low level scores is greater than other top level countries, and there is some weakness in students’ abilities to understand the relationships between acquired information and to relate acquired information with their previous knowledge and experience. Also, the time Japanese students spend on homework outside of school is shorter than the international average. However, according to the National Assessment of Academic Ability, the number of students who report that they “do homework at home” is slightly increasing among elementary school students and increasing among junior high students. Regarding the motivation to learn, some students improved, but elementary school students’ interest in arithmetics and junior high school students’ interest in mathematics and science are weaker than the international averages.
Thus, in regard to the element solid academic abilities in the new Course of Study, we must admit that there remain many problems to be solved.
The new Course of Study was fully implemented in elementary schools in FY2011 and in lower secondary schools in FY2012. In order to achieve its purposes, education activities must be further enhanced by more detailed support, such as the improvement of the educational environment at every school and further development of teaching programs based on the results of the National Assessment of Academic Ability.

Regarding moral education, there remain some problems in the development of normative consciousness and sociality because of the atmosphere of extreme individualism, loosening social ties, and the decrease of interchanges and experience with people of different cultures and values. Moral education needs to be improved in each stage of schooling.

Compared with their counterparts around 1985, children today are physically weaker. The child population tends to be polarized, with a large gap between those who exercise and those who do not. The seriousness and range of current health problems must be taken into consideration.

In order to solve the issues described above and implement detailed and high quality education, Japan has sought to reduce class sizes by increasing the staffing levels of teachers and other personnel. Other necessary actions include a review of past efforts at class size reduction and small group instruction, and the improvement of teacher training systems.
Some issues reflect social problems as well as educational ones. In a society where education at home or community education is difficult to carry out, children’s learning must be supported through the reconstruction of communities as well as the enhancement of school education.
The causes of some problems in education are attributable to the children’s home environment or living conditions, such as their parents’ financial status. To resolve these issues, the government and schools need to work with the welfare administration.

It is difficult for school teachers to solve all the problems and issues in compulsory education on their own. Our measures (e.g., engagement with business leaders outside schools, creation of the School Management Council System, establishment of the School Support Regional Headquarters, and collaboration with related organizations) have been implemented steadily; however, they are not yet spread nationwide. With the formation of an effective and efficient network through the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and other resources, and with the increased duties assigned to schools, schools are expected to evolve into centers of community learning environments where various people gather, cooperate, and create.

(2)Status and issues of the stage after entering upper secondary school

Upper secondary school education

In upper secondary education, unlike in compulsory education, students can decide what kind of school they attend, according to their motivation and ability. Various types of upper secondary schools exist to meet students’ purposes and needs. The current enrollment rate of upper secondary school has reached 98%, and therefore, support for upper secondary schools as education institutions which are universal among the general public, is needed. For this purpose, educational costs need to be reduced by an appropriate amount, as almost all lower secondary school graduates will go on to attend upper secondary institutions. Furthermore, quality assurance is needed for the various types of upper secondary schools.

Since FY2012, tuition-free public upper secondary schools and tuition support funds for private upper secondary schools have been implemented. These supports, coupled with the reduction or waiver of tuition and enrollment fees by prefectural governments, have alleviated the burden of educational costs on family budgets. As a result of the prolonged depression, there has been a rise in the number of applicants for upper secondary school tuition support funds. Further support for low income students and a reduction in the tuition fee gap between public and private upper secondary schools need to be considered.

There are several types of upper secondary school education, such as a credit system and integrated courses, and students can choose a track based on their own learning needs. Current problems include a decrease in the amount of time students spend studying and a drop in student motivation. The average amount of time upper secondary school students in Japan spend studying has been declining for the last 15 years. We need to create a system that will guarantee the quality of upper secondary school education. The 2008 revision of the Course of Study has been implemented annually since FY2013. Although it is commendable that there are various types of upper secondary schools, at this point, it is critical to improve the educational outcomes of public expenditures and guarantee the quality of upper secondary education at all types of schools. This will include creating smoother pathways to universities, as specified in the Course of Study.

Higher education

Due to the changes in social and economic structures caused by Japan’s transition to a sophisticated, mature society, the roles required of higher education institutions have become further diversified. For example, schools are now expected to be world education and research centers, the basic skills they will need at world education and research centers, contribute to the development of rounded professionals, and assist the revitalization of the local community. Under this diversification of roles, the enrollment rate in higher education is increasing across the world. The rate in Japan (including professional training colleges) is approximately 80%, which is the same as the average for OECD countries, due to Japan’s high motivation for higher education. On the other hand, the university enrollment rate in Japan is 51%, while the average rate of OECD countries is 62%.(*1)
In the future, the demand for higher education graduates with sophisticated knowledge and skills is expected to increase worldwide. In the face of drastic changes such as globalization, the rapidly declining birthrate, and the aging population, we need useful and capable human resources with fundamental knowledge and skills who can guide Japan in search of new opportunities. For example, core and specialized human resources are needed for future prospective markets. For this purpose, practical vocational education that incorporates the demands of industry must be supported.

In response to the rapidly declining birthrate, aging population, inactive local communities, and a borderless situation through globalization, higher educational institutions need to be reformed rapidly and drastically.

We need to provide a national fundamental policy for university operations, including a future vision of Japan and the desired human resources. In doing so, we must paying attention to international as well as domestic trends. Three points of view, namely, the “enhancement of university governance,” “improvement of educational quality,” and “equal opportunity for education” must be taken into consideration in the creation of a policy for driving the autonomous, varied development of universities.

As contributions to the efforts at improving educational quality, various kinds of educational programs have been implemented according to the mission and functions of each university. The government has supported the establishment of education and research centers and encouraged networking among universities and institutes.
While universities and other higher educational institutions are required to create and provide innovative knowledge and values, and also aggressively lead society, they cannot fully meet the expectations of industries, or they may need to generate innovations more rapidly. It is also noted that Japanese university students’ average study time of 4.6 hours per day is very short compared with other countries. Other issues reported from survey results are a decrease in the number of students who study abroad, the low enrollment rate of people with jobs, and the low acceptance ratio of foreign students compared with other countries.
The pathway from upper secondary school to university has changed qualitatively; it has become more complicated and diversified due to the following changes: high enrollment rates under the deregulation of university and student quotas, various systems and actual situations of upper secondary education, and various types of university entrance examinations and admission policies. As a result, the average time that upper secondary school students with average academic performance spend studying has decreased by half, and the number of universities that offer remedial education has increased.
In response to these problems and issues, the quality of education must change in order to foster students’ active learning while respecting the autonomy of universities and other higher education institutions. Moreover, all higher education related bodies (including universities) need to realize various stakeholders’ expectations and their own responsibility to meet those expectations. For this purpose, it is necessary to establish smoother pathways from upper secondary schools to postsecondary schools, ensuring that all levels of education (elementary, secondary, and higher education) work toward a common base of general abilities, specialized knowledge, and practical skills required in the new knowledge-based society. In addition, it is necessary to increase the enrollment of various groups, such as adults and overseas students, and to meet stakeholders’ (especially students’) needs.
Even for professional training colleges, which provide practical vocational education, the assurance of educational quality is needed, taking into account the flexibility of the colleges’ characteristics.

Progress can be seen in university governance, such as profiling universities by their mission or strengthening interrelationships between universities. However, issues have been reported in relation to organizational management and the provision of information (e.g., the support system for presidential leadership; faculty councils; and the provision of research, education, and financial information). We need to work on university quality improvement and efficient university management while simultaneously affirming the strengths and characteristics of each university.
Since the national universities were incorporated in 2004, achievements have been seen in the areas of education, research, and contribution to society (e.g., improved student services), as well as university governance and management. The government should promote reforms that strengthen the capability of national universities (e.g., categorizing the universities by mission or location, and promoting collaboration and reorganization across faculties and universities), as well as provide direction for these reforms.
At prefectural/municipal universities, the president, chair of the board, and founders should establish organizational management and improve the university governance by exercising their leadership in research and educational activities that meet the needs of students, local communities, and society based on their individual university’s mission.
Private universities are encouraged to establish quality assurance systems for the provision of high quality education that satisfies stakeholders, to strengthen the balance of fund distribution, and to show their various strong points and quality improvement. Specifically, stakeholders require the thorough disclosure of university information and verification that the review and improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Action; PDCA) cycle works effectively and efficiently. Universities should also seek to improve their university governance, for example, by establishing organizational management to make appropriate decisions through the leadership of the president or chair of the board.

For the purpose of offering equal educational opportunities, more reductions or waivers of tuition and enrollment fees by universities and scholarship loan programs are being offered. However, the burden of educational costs on family budgets is still heavier than in other countries. Specifically, the recently widened income gap may create another gap in enrollment opportunity. To avoid this, it is necessary to reduce the burden of educational costs for students from low income families.

International competitiveness needs to be enhanced through the internationalization of universities and other higher educational institutions, establishment of world top class research and education centers, development of human resources in growing industries, etc.


 *1 This was the enrollment rate in tertiary-type A education in 2010 according to OECD’s Education at a Glance 2012, and it includes foreign students. Japan’s average rate excluding these students was 56%.
Tertiary-type A education consists of largely theory-based programs designed to provide sufficient qualifications for entry to advanced research programs and professions with high skill requirements, such as medicine, dentistry, or architecture. The duration is at least 3 years full-time.
Tertiary-type B education typically consists of shorter programs compared to type A programs. They are focused on practical, technical,** or occupational skills for direct entry into the labor market, although some theoretical foundations of the field may be covered.
In Japan, universities are categorized as type A, and junior colleges, colleges of technology, and professional training colleges as type B. In the United States, higher education institutions are not categorized into these two types for the calculation of the enrollment rate. Thus, the U.S.’s enrollment rate in tertiary-type A education (74% in 2010) generally includes 2-year community colleges.

(3)Status and issues of lifelong learning

Partly due to the process of globalization, Japanese society is becoming increasingly diversified. In this diverse society, the development of individual potential abilities needs to be fully pursued over a lifetime. For example, people in the workforce who have left the stages of school education can further develop their skills through reeducation or brushing up their knowledge. Young jobless people, part-time workers, or socially withdrawn recluses need to enhance their abilities and skills to achieve social and vocational independence.

In this situation, universities and specialized training colleges have promoted the acceptance of these people in the working world and created the learning credit system. In spite of these actions, the re-enrollment rate of universities and colleges remains low. Employees’ turnover rate within 3 years of graduation has been approximately 30% for university and college graduates and 40% for high school graduates. This demonstrates a definite problem in the continuity from education to employment. We need to create a system in which graduates utilize the knowledge and skills they have acquired in society. This will necessitate building reciprocal relationships between schools and jobs.

Regarding learning opportunities, both the national and local governments have been widely implementing educational programs. Various educational services have been also provided by the private sector. Yet, in addition to the number of opportunities available, we need to focus on the quality of learning opportunities.

In the future, in order to realize a lifelong learning society, we need to encourage the acceptance of students in the workforce by universities and colleges. We need to identify specific issues related to this matter and implement plans in a focused way. The issues to be considered are the guarantee and improvement of educational services, evaluation and utilization of educational outcomes, response to contemporary social problems, provision of learning opportunities to those in difficult situations, and promotion of local activities through education.

On the other hand, these issues must be solved by each local community as well as by the markets and the nationwide standards, because the diversification of society makes local community issues more diverse and complex. Social education, in its original sense, plays a central role to develop persons who can solve issues in diversified local communities. However, many local governments cannot take on this main role due to changes in the quality of local communities. They also cannot coordinate well with the practice of social education by authorities other than social education sectors, NPOs, universities, private companies, and others.

Given the super-aging society and declining birthrate, people who have reached retirement age and are living their second stage of life can help build an active and sustainable society by contributing their rich experience, knowledge, and skills.

Parents hold the primary responsibility for their children’s education. Education at home is important as the basis of for developing a zest for life, and for this reason, various local human resources have been utilized to support it. Under changing home and local environments, many families have feelings of anxiety and loneliness about raising their children. They may struggle to provide education at home due to issues concerning the development of the children’s sociality, independence, and basic lifestyle habits. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) held a committee meeting to review the promotion of home education and submitted a report in March 2012. According to the report, home education can be supported by establishing strong ties between families, their local communities, and society. Families can be further supported through the coordination and cooperation of the field of education with welfare departments.

2.General overview of the First Basic Plan and future direction

General overview of the First Basic Plan

Based on the aforementioned situations, the accomplishment of the “Educational Vision for the Next 10 Years” in the First Basic Plan is in progress. New issues such as the education gap, cooperation with communities, ICT utilization, and the need for innovative creation have emerged. Since the goal is set to be accomplished by 2017, the vision and the Second Basic Plan should be implemented in parallel. However, given the major turning point of the nation marked by the social changes discussed above, and the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Second Basic Plan should be prioritized. Based on a review of past education policies, it is necessary to add more future-oriented renovation plans to the Second Basic Plan.

Past educational reforms

In the most of the past educational reform plans, as shown in the four-part series Reports of the National Council on Educational Reform,(*2) the end trying to catch up with and surpass Europe and the U.S. and the maturation of the economy were assumed as characteristics of Japan’s 21st-century society. More recently, in a situation where many developed countries have implemented strategic education plans (e.g., mid- and long-term plans with achievement goals), the First Basic Plan was also created as the first general education plan for Japan. 
Through these various efforts at reform, the conditions of education have improved; however, some issues remain unresolved. It is reported that the trend toward decreased study time outside of school has hit bottom and turned to an upward tendency in the compulsory education stage but to a downward tendency in upper secondary education. Some reports point out that Japanese students in the higher levels of education spend an insufficient amount of time studying. This is just one of many unresolved issues that have been repeatedly pointed out and are becoming increasingly exposed and complex. We are also not able to provide adequate countermeasures against the all these issues in part because of the drastic changes taking place within society.


 *2 The ideas in the Reports of the National Council on Educational Reform are as follows: the principle of respect for the individual; an emphasis on basics and fundamentals; the development of students’ creativity, thinking, and expressive ability; the expansion of available opportunities; a humane educational environment; the transition to a lifelong education system; countermeasures against globalization; and the information society.

Main causes of the unsolved issues

 The causes of the unsolved issues are listed below:

  • During the period of high economic growth, our society emphasized the uniformity and commonality of values and human resources. As a result of this emphasis, the development of various individual abilities was not considered.
  • The idea of lifelong education is not yet well accepted by society. Efforts to enhance society-wide cooperation for education and to create smoother pathways and linkages among schools or between school education and social life have not been going well. There is a tendency to fall into polarized points of view.
  • The PDCA cycle has not been well implemented by the education administration, schools, and students in the process of reform. The execution of the cycle below has not worked well for the resolution of the issues.
    - Planning specific goals in response to questions such as “What is the goal we need to accomplish?” or “What kind of abilities need to be developed?”;
    - Checking results and outcomes based on objective data;
    - Improving issues and enhancing good practices for the next plan.

(Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau, Policy Planning and Coordination Division)