Abstract
This chapter begins with a brief outline of the current Japanese educational system as understood by the author and demonstrates a human need for improved general well-being and inter-personal pedagogy particularly since COVID-19. The term social emotional learning (SEL) was simultaneously introduced in the mid-1990s to the West, while the term having a Zest for Life was promoted in Japan. Policies in Japan have attempted to keep in line with current Western trends in education, yet a gap between policy and practice persists. There are three key areas highlighted—high-stakes testing, enhancing inter-cultural communication, and finding voice—where further implementation of SEL resources and practices could improve outdated approaches and ease social tensions in Japan. This chapter concludes with the hope of inter-connectedness through reading, writing, open resources, and adaptation in classroom practices that would lead to greater understanding of what it means to become a global citizen.
TopThe Japanese Educational System
In Japan, compulsory education is nine years: six years of primary education, and three years of secondary education. However, as society proclaims senior high school as a necessity, it is often referred to as a 6-3-3 system, including the additional three years of senior high school. The decline in the number of young people, the aging population, the stagnant economy, globalization, artificial intelligence, the economic crisis, and the pandemic, have all contributed to significant stressful changes in Japanese society. Since the turn of the century, with increasing pressure from foreign nations, as a national strategy Japan has promoted educational reform (MEXT: Reform of Compulsory Education, n.d.). The pressure to attend high school and university is now at an all-time high as shown by the FY2021 school basic survey conducted yearly by MEXT (NIC, 2022). The 6-3-3-4 system of education, including four years of university study, was established aiming at a principle of equal opportunity in education, and a bachelor’s degree is often the minimum requirement on job application forms. Throughout this chapter, unless otherwise specified, the term “schools”, will therefore refer to any level of education in the 6-3-3-4 system. See figure 1 for a visual overview of the educational system taken directly from the public website (MEXT: Reform of Compulsory Education, n.d.).
Figure 1. Organization of the school system in Japan (MEXT: Overview, n.d.)
Key Terms in this Chapter
Othering: Defining oneself as privileged over or above an Other.
MEXT: Japan’s ministry of education, culture, sports, science, and technology.
Global Citizen: Transcending political and geographical boundaries to feel at home in the wider world with daily activities.
Zest for Life: Having an enjoyment for life as defined by the Japan ministry of education as being capable of making better decisions during societal progressions.
Special Activities: Additional activities beyond academics to assist in self-fulfillment.
Ethnocentric: A belief that one's own culture is superior to other cultures.
Gleicher’s Formula: C = A × B × D > X There are practical steps if a clear vision of change is engaged.
Competencies: The ability to apply and use knowledge and skills to perform certain functions within a given setting.