Higher Education in Japan.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper presents a portrait of the higher education system in Japan. After providing demographic information about Japan, the document outlines the overall educational structure through brief statements about kindergarten education, compulsory education, the elementary school, the lower secondary school, upper secondary education, curriculum, textbooks, universities and graduate schools, junior college, colleges of technology, special training schools, and miscellaneous schools. The recent development of higher education in Japan, with a focus on governmental planning efforts, is discussed, and statistical data on the number of higher education institutions and students are given. A description of how the university system has been able to respond to Japan's employment needs is detailed. The University of the Air, which is concerned with communications and media education, also is described, along with recent reform efforts in higher education. The last two sections of the paper concern, planning and the management of resources, and international educational exchange efforts. (DB)