Page 20 - Japanese Growth and Education: 演講人：Motohisa Kaneko教授

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children to succeed in entrance examination to get into better high school or

junior high school. The regime of entrance examinations thus constituted what
may be called an “examination hell.” That invoked a widely held sense of guilt
on the side of adults.

Education thus had been seen as a symptom of social ailment that has to
be addressed politically. The pressure created through this process subsequently
resulted in policy changes in early 1990s in the form of diversification of

high school courses and entrance examination to university. Also, curriculum
requirements stipulated in National Education Standards. These changes
took place when the 18-year old population started its long-term decline.
Consequently, the pressure on entrance examination has lost influences on a part

of 18 year-olds, but the basic structure of the J-Mode failed to change.

Changing environment

At the same time, the social and economic environment started changing

dramatically since the 1990s.

Changes in value and behavior

Fundamental changes came from the shift in the values held by the public.
In the period of economic growth, the desire of typical family was focused on
acquiring the living standards of middle class. Majority of the parents wished,
but were unable, to advance to high school and college. There were clear goals

to be achieved in lifetime, and the precondition for achieving such goals was
educational credential. Parents hoped their off-springs to get into the path

leading to better life, and the initial step was education. They could persuade
the children of its importance. Children took the message to follow the rule of