Multicultural Education in the United States and Japan.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper compares multicultural education in U.S. and Japanese schools, analyzing multicultural education from the ethnic perspective. The paper notes that while the United States is a country with a long history of immigration and is composed of people with many different racial backgrounds, Japan is a country of a single race with only a few exceptions (Korean and Ainu). It discusses kindergarten through 12th grade a general multicultural education curricula in U.S. and Japanese schools, finding that the curricula identify the difference between the schools regarding multicultural education. In U.S. schools, students can study various cultures through ethnic events such as black history month and Asian history month, and are able to cultivate cultural awareness. In Japan, the Ministry of Education sets the guideline for Japanese education throughout the nation and does not create the opportunity for students to learn about Korean and Ainu cultures. The paper discusses target language programs, citing as an example Chicago's (Illinois) Mount Prospect District 59 English as a Second Language Program. It also discusses higher education as a multicultural map. The paper considers the problems that multicultural education confronts today and the future of multicultural education, contending that in the climate of internationalization and globalization, multicultural education is important for Japan and the United States. (Contains 4 figures, 10 tables, 56 notes, and 21 references.) (Author/BT)