Description: This book offers a balanced introduction to and examination of contemporary Japanese education. The postwar system of schooling has led to some unfavorable developments such as excessively competitive exams, stifling uniformity and an undervaluing of non-Japanese ethnicity. This book examines the main developments of modern schooling in Japan and includes analysis of the most recent reforms, presenting a new picture of the role of schooling for individuals and the wider society. Essential reading for students and educators alike.
Review Quotes: "This is the most informative book on Japanese education of the 1990s. The authors rely on a historical and qulitative approach to provide a welath of information about the functioning of contemporary Japanese education, with a special focus on the themes of inequality and diversity. This style of presentation should make the book attractive to a wide range of readers including undergraduates in anthropology, sociology, teacher education, and related courses...this is most comprehensive discussion of Japanese education to appear for some time. It is a good read and deserves the attention of a wide circle of readers." Journal of Japanese Studies