If comics are your thing, why not make a career of it? In Japan, you can actually major in comics at a fully accredited university. And moreover, the Department of Manga (comics) at Kyoto Seika University, Spa! (10/24) reports, has been in existence for 33 years.
"I suppose 10 to 20 of our graduates have gone on to careers as professional artists," says a spokesperson for the institution, who adds that numerous others eventually take up such diverse occupations as editors, designers of video games and animated films, and other forms of media where cartoons are used, such as in advertising and industrial arts.
But certain programs at other institutions of higher learning seem a bit less focused. For instance, the eggheads at Denen Gakuen Women's College in Hyogo Prefecture have come with courses leading to a degree in "Future Design."
"While reviewing broad themes related to humanity and culture, they can propose designs for the coming future," explained a spokesperson for the institution who oversees entrance examinations.
Denen Gakuen also offers courses in "Life Pathology Studies," which go into the details of love relationships between men and women. Another popular course is Media Systems, in which students can study -- I kid you not -- about the ways people communicate via their cell phones.
This inventive approach to learning is not entirely new. Back in 1999, Utsunomiya Kyowa University in Tochigi Prefecture set up its "Faculty of City Life," which provides instruction in "fulfillment in urban living."
"If we had put 'economics' in the course name, co-eds would probably never sign up it," explains a staff at the registrar's office. "So we had to come up with something catchier." The institution must be doing something right, as it boasts that last year 100 percent of its graduates found jobs, well above the national average.
Some of the other unique or unusual programs the Spa! article introduces (and the institution where located) include:
- Faculty of Environmental Disaster Prevention (Fuji Joyo University) - Faculty of Healthy Produce (Hamamatsu University) - Faculty of Hospitality Tourism (Meikai University) - Faculty of Wellness Tourism (Josai International University)- Faculty of Canned Food Packaging (Toyo Food Industries Junior College)
In addition to accumulating regular course credits, students at Kansai International University in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, can avail themselves of its "campus mileage" point system.
Students who, for example, belong to clubs, take part in volunteer activities or acquire certification in some skill earn additional points that can be exchanged for a variety of goods and services, including meals at the campus cafeteria, parking on campus, items in shops on campus and even payment toward overseas study tours.
If institutions seem to be trying harder, notes Spa! it might be because they're running scared. For the past three years, the number of students enrolling in universities and junior colleges has declined. Out of 500 private institutions in Japan, enrollment at nearly one-half -- 225 -- is at less than full capacity.
Of course the falling birth rate is one factor. Yet another, according to Reiji Ishiwatari, a journalist and author who covers advanced education, tells Spa! is that despite the decline in college-age students relative to the overall population, the number of institutions of higher learning in Japan actually grew by 172 between 1995 and 2006.
"During the past decade, many two-year junior colleges metamorphosed into four-year programs," says Ishiwatari. "Also, many local cities and towns encouraged institutions to set down roots as a strategy to attract young people or keep them closer to home.
"But now the size of the pie is shrinking, and these schools are scrambling for creative ways to boost their enrollment." "Another thing you have to realize is that the teaching of many types of job specialties, such as medical technicians, nursing, tourism, and so on that were once the exclusive preserve of vocational schools, has shifted to the universities," Ishiwatari adds. "So you are bound to encounter a lot of new and unfamiliar departments."
(By Masuo Kamiyama, contributing writer)
October 28, 2006
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/news/20061028p2g00m0dm014000c.html
Monday, October 30, 2006
Indian intl school to open in Yokohama
Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada signed Thursday an agreement with an Indian nonprofit organization to set up a branch of an international school run by the group.
The establishment of the Global Indian Education Foundation school in Yokohama follows the opening of its first school in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.
The school is planned to open in spring 2008.
GIEF was established to provide the children of Indian businessmen and engineers abroad with good quality education. It has schools in five countries, including Singapore, where it operates two private schools teaching kindergarten to high school. About 2,600 students from about 30 countries--mainly India--attend the two schools.
In Kanagawa Prefecture, there are about 1,100 Indians, mainly in Yokohama.
Nakada said in a press conference, "Yokohama is making efforts to invite Indian companies, including the information technology industry. Opening an Indian international school is one effort to develop an environment that would be attract such companies." He said he had urged GIEF to come to Yokohama and was able to reach a swift agreement.
The GIEF Yokohama school hopes to have about 200 students when it opens and the city government will cooperate in selecting a site for the school.
GIEF Chairman Atul Temurnikar said at the signing ceremony, "We'd like Japanese children who are interested in an Indian education program, with the emphasis on advanced science and math classes taught in English to enter our school ."
(Oct. 28, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061028TDY03004.htm
The establishment of the Global Indian Education Foundation school in Yokohama follows the opening of its first school in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.
The school is planned to open in spring 2008.
GIEF was established to provide the children of Indian businessmen and engineers abroad with good quality education. It has schools in five countries, including Singapore, where it operates two private schools teaching kindergarten to high school. About 2,600 students from about 30 countries--mainly India--attend the two schools.
In Kanagawa Prefecture, there are about 1,100 Indians, mainly in Yokohama.
Nakada said in a press conference, "Yokohama is making efforts to invite Indian companies, including the information technology industry. Opening an Indian international school is one effort to develop an environment that would be attract such companies." He said he had urged GIEF to come to Yokohama and was able to reach a swift agreement.
The GIEF Yokohama school hopes to have about 200 students when it opens and the city government will cooperate in selecting a site for the school.
GIEF Chairman Atul Temurnikar said at the signing ceremony, "We'd like Japanese children who are interested in an Indian education program, with the emphasis on advanced science and math classes taught in English to enter our school ."
(Oct. 28, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061028TDY03004.htm
Chiba goes back to school to attract international business
How does one go about attracting foreign investment? It's a common preoccupation, but the Chiba prefectural government has come up with a novel solution: The prefecture's first private international school.
There's a lot riding on the new plan. For when it comes to foreign investment, Chiba Prefecture is lagging badly behind. According to the prefectural government, some 60 foreign firms had their headquarter operations within Chiba Prefecture as of fiscal 2005. In Tokyo, it was roughly 2,600 firms, and in Kanagawa Prefecture, some 300.
Officials say they hope the school, which will be located in Chiba city's Makuhari Shintoshin district, will not only increase investment from foreign companies, but also attract Japanese who are returning from overseas. This in turn, they say, will help stimulate the local economy.
Chiba is a special case. The city has been approved as a special deregulation zone for education, meaning that the school will be approved as a regular school under Article 1 of Japan's School Education Law, becoming the nation's first international school to be set up as an Article 1 school, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The new school, to open in April 2008, will be able to accommodate an estimated 120 kindergarteners and about 290 elementary school children.
It is scheduled to be built on a roughly 10,000-square-meter plot located about 700 meters from JR Kaihin-Makuhari Station. The location is also close to the Makuhari Messe international convention facility as well as the large-scale France-based supermarket Carrefour.
Elementary school classes will have about 20 to 24 pupils per class, and lessons--with the exception of Japanese-language classes--will be conducted in English.
Previously, conventional international schools in Japan were considered "unapproved schools," because their academic curriculums do not meet the standards established by the central government.
This meant that not only were they not eligible for private school subsidies from the central government, but if a child of Japanese citizenship attended one of these elementary or junior high schools, the child's guardians would be held in violation of a law requiring children to be educated. (In Japan, only elementary and junior high school education are mandatory.)
But the new Makuhari international school will be treated just like any other.
Why a school? An official at the Chiba prefectural government's policy promotion department explains, "Foreign companies often determine the location of their offices and stores based on whether there is a good educational environment for their employees' children. We have had cases where foreign firms decided to set up office outside of Chiba because there were no international schools within the prefecture."
The international school is intended to welcome Japanese children who were raised overseas due to their parents' work obligations. By attracting families who lived overseas to live in Makuhari, the prefectural government hopes the city's population will increase, the local economy will be stimulated and the area's image improved.
The Chiba prefectural government also believes the new school will act in a similar way to draw foreign companies. And foreign companies that have the funding, technology and manpower to move overseas, the prefectural government believes, can be expected to make investments within the prefecture as well.
One example of this was the opening of Swedish furniture retailer IKEA in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. Not only did the company create jobs locally but it also attracted more customers to local furniture stores.
The prefectural government plans to fund the roughly 1.4 billion yen in construction and maintenance costs for the school through donations from companies and individuals.
At a September meeting to promote the school plan and discuss the rough outline of its development, the Chiba prefectural government sought the support of 18 major companies including Chiba Bank and Oriental Land Co.
A foundation set up to prepare for the school's founding is to manage the costs. Neither the Chiba municipal government nor the Chiba prefectural government plans to contribute funding.
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610240086.html
There's a lot riding on the new plan. For when it comes to foreign investment, Chiba Prefecture is lagging badly behind. According to the prefectural government, some 60 foreign firms had their headquarter operations within Chiba Prefecture as of fiscal 2005. In Tokyo, it was roughly 2,600 firms, and in Kanagawa Prefecture, some 300.
Officials say they hope the school, which will be located in Chiba city's Makuhari Shintoshin district, will not only increase investment from foreign companies, but also attract Japanese who are returning from overseas. This in turn, they say, will help stimulate the local economy.
Chiba is a special case. The city has been approved as a special deregulation zone for education, meaning that the school will be approved as a regular school under Article 1 of Japan's School Education Law, becoming the nation's first international school to be set up as an Article 1 school, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The new school, to open in April 2008, will be able to accommodate an estimated 120 kindergarteners and about 290 elementary school children.
It is scheduled to be built on a roughly 10,000-square-meter plot located about 700 meters from JR Kaihin-Makuhari Station. The location is also close to the Makuhari Messe international convention facility as well as the large-scale France-based supermarket Carrefour.
Elementary school classes will have about 20 to 24 pupils per class, and lessons--with the exception of Japanese-language classes--will be conducted in English.
Previously, conventional international schools in Japan were considered "unapproved schools," because their academic curriculums do not meet the standards established by the central government.
This meant that not only were they not eligible for private school subsidies from the central government, but if a child of Japanese citizenship attended one of these elementary or junior high schools, the child's guardians would be held in violation of a law requiring children to be educated. (In Japan, only elementary and junior high school education are mandatory.)
But the new Makuhari international school will be treated just like any other.
Why a school? An official at the Chiba prefectural government's policy promotion department explains, "Foreign companies often determine the location of their offices and stores based on whether there is a good educational environment for their employees' children. We have had cases where foreign firms decided to set up office outside of Chiba because there were no international schools within the prefecture."
The international school is intended to welcome Japanese children who were raised overseas due to their parents' work obligations. By attracting families who lived overseas to live in Makuhari, the prefectural government hopes the city's population will increase, the local economy will be stimulated and the area's image improved.
The Chiba prefectural government also believes the new school will act in a similar way to draw foreign companies. And foreign companies that have the funding, technology and manpower to move overseas, the prefectural government believes, can be expected to make investments within the prefecture as well.
One example of this was the opening of Swedish furniture retailer IKEA in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. Not only did the company create jobs locally but it also attracted more customers to local furniture stores.
The prefectural government plans to fund the roughly 1.4 billion yen in construction and maintenance costs for the school through donations from companies and individuals.
At a September meeting to promote the school plan and discuss the rough outline of its development, the Chiba prefectural government sought the support of 18 major companies including Chiba Bank and Oriental Land Co.
A foundation set up to prepare for the school's founding is to manage the costs. Neither the Chiba municipal government nor the Chiba prefectural government plans to contribute funding.
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610240086.html
Nagoya to open school for returnee kids
NAGOYA (Kyodo) The Nagoya Municipal Government has decided to open a public school in fiscal 2010 for students who return from abroad before entering 10th grade, officials said Monday.
It will be Japan's first public school for returnees to offer elementary and middle school curricula, according to the education ministry. It will also accept regular students, the officials said.
The idea for the school arose from the need to handle increasing numbers of children whose parents were sent abroad by Toyota Motor Corp. and other local companies that have been expanding overseas operations.
As of January, there were 725 returnees enrolled at public elementary and middle schools in Nagoya, and the number is rising, they said.
The school will introduce proficiency-based teaching in Japanese and mathematics while allowing returnees to study Japanese history and geography together with regular students. It will also provide English conversation lessons with native speakers after school.
"One of our goals is to help children acquire an international way of thinking," said Fumio Kato, a senior official of the Nagoya board of education. "We are considering introducing English classes at an early stage and would like to make a unique school."
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061024a7.html
It will be Japan's first public school for returnees to offer elementary and middle school curricula, according to the education ministry. It will also accept regular students, the officials said.
The idea for the school arose from the need to handle increasing numbers of children whose parents were sent abroad by Toyota Motor Corp. and other local companies that have been expanding overseas operations.
As of January, there were 725 returnees enrolled at public elementary and middle schools in Nagoya, and the number is rising, they said.
The school will introduce proficiency-based teaching in Japanese and mathematics while allowing returnees to study Japanese history and geography together with regular students. It will also provide English conversation lessons with native speakers after school.
"One of our goals is to help children acquire an international way of thinking," said Fumio Kato, a senior official of the Nagoya board of education. "We are considering introducing English classes at an early stage and would like to make a unique school."
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061024a7.html
Nagoya to open school for returnee kids
NAGOYA (Kyodo) The Nagoya Municipal Government has decided to open a public school in fiscal 2010 for students who return from abroad before entering 10th grade, officials said Monday.
It will be Japan's first public school for returnees to offer elementary and middle school curricula, according to the education ministry. It will also accept regular students, the officials said.
The idea for the school arose from the need to handle increasing numbers of children whose parents were sent abroad by Toyota Motor Corp. and other local companies that have been expanding overseas operations.
As of January, there were 725 returnees enrolled at public elementary and middle schools in Nagoya, and the number is rising, they said.
The school will introduce proficiency-based teaching in Japanese and mathematics while allowing returnees to study Japanese history and geography together with regular students. It will also provide English conversation lessons with native speakers after school.
"One of our goals is to help children acquire an international way of thinking," said Fumio Kato, a senior official of the Nagoya board of education. "We are considering introducing English classes at an early stage and would like to make a unique school."
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061024a7.html
It will be Japan's first public school for returnees to offer elementary and middle school curricula, according to the education ministry. It will also accept regular students, the officials said.
The idea for the school arose from the need to handle increasing numbers of children whose parents were sent abroad by Toyota Motor Corp. and other local companies that have been expanding overseas operations.
As of January, there were 725 returnees enrolled at public elementary and middle schools in Nagoya, and the number is rising, they said.
The school will introduce proficiency-based teaching in Japanese and mathematics while allowing returnees to study Japanese history and geography together with regular students. It will also provide English conversation lessons with native speakers after school.
"One of our goals is to help children acquire an international way of thinking," said Fumio Kato, a senior official of the Nagoya board of education. "We are considering introducing English classes at an early stage and would like to make a unique school."
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061024a7.html
Monday, October 23, 2006
First Japanese cyberspace high school gets go-ahead
Students will be able to get a high school education in the first Japanese cyberspace classroom starting in April, according to a team of educators and business consultant Kenichi Ohmae, president of Business BreakThrough (BBT).
The Chiba Prefectural Government has authorized Toyo Senior High School, a private school in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, to offer the Air Campus distance-learning course and issue high school diplomas.
BBT and Ichikawa Senior High School, run by Ichikawa Gakuen School Corp. and known for having a good program for students who want to go on to college, will provide the curriculum, designed to help graduates get into first-rate universities.
The private high school run by the Funabashi Gakuen school corporation will offer the program through an interactive distance-learning system developed by BBT, the group told a news conference Thursday that was attended by Shinichi Sanukiya, chairman of Funabashi Gakuen; Shigehisa Matsui, principal of Toyo Senior High School; and Masaichi Koga, chairman of Ichikawa Gakuen.
Ohmae, who is dean of the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School at BBT University, a distance-learning school, told reporters the course can be taken anywhere, in Japan or abroad, as the students have basic IT skills, including knowing how to use e-mail. He said the tuition would be reasonable.
About 75,000 high school students drop out every year and many others refuse to go to school for a number of reasons, the school officials said. But most of them still want to graduate and go to a university.
The distance-learning course will give them the opportunity to reach that goal, they said, adding they want to bring a breath of fresh air to high school education at a time when student achievement and teaching quality is declining, and the dropout rate is increasing.
BBT will also provide video on the Internet for parents to help their kids study, as it believes parents play an important role in their children's education.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061021a8.html
The Chiba Prefectural Government has authorized Toyo Senior High School, a private school in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, to offer the Air Campus distance-learning course and issue high school diplomas.
BBT and Ichikawa Senior High School, run by Ichikawa Gakuen School Corp. and known for having a good program for students who want to go on to college, will provide the curriculum, designed to help graduates get into first-rate universities.
The private high school run by the Funabashi Gakuen school corporation will offer the program through an interactive distance-learning system developed by BBT, the group told a news conference Thursday that was attended by Shinichi Sanukiya, chairman of Funabashi Gakuen; Shigehisa Matsui, principal of Toyo Senior High School; and Masaichi Koga, chairman of Ichikawa Gakuen.
Ohmae, who is dean of the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School at BBT University, a distance-learning school, told reporters the course can be taken anywhere, in Japan or abroad, as the students have basic IT skills, including knowing how to use e-mail. He said the tuition would be reasonable.
About 75,000 high school students drop out every year and many others refuse to go to school for a number of reasons, the school officials said. But most of them still want to graduate and go to a university.
The distance-learning course will give them the opportunity to reach that goal, they said, adding they want to bring a breath of fresh air to high school education at a time when student achievement and teaching quality is declining, and the dropout rate is increasing.
BBT will also provide video on the Internet for parents to help their kids study, as it believes parents play an important role in their children's education.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061021a8.html
School evaluates its immersion experience
This is the 20th installment in a series on the government-designated Super English Language High School (SELHi) pilot project.
UJI, Kyoto--In a classroom in a red brick building at Ritsumeikan Uji High School in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, 19 students were deep in discussion in late September about Shusaku Endo's novel Deep River. What was a bit unusual was that the book was an English translation of Endo's novel, and the discussion was entirely in English.
"How does Endo show you that Isobe is important?" asked teacher Timothy Chanecka, walking around the classroom and looking at students' faces. "He appears first," one student replied.
Chanecka nodded and said, "That's right, he's the first character in the book. And why is he difficult?" "Regret," another student said. "Very good, he regrets. Then what does he regret?" To this question, various voices overlapped in the classroom, saying, "He didn't care for Keiko," and "He didn't show Keiko his love."
The discussion went on about the relationship of Isobe and Keiko, a married couple who are the central figures in the novel, and about Isobe's mental development after he loses his wife. In the meantime, the students did not hesitate to say, "Tim, I have a question," which enlivened the discussion.
The third-year students who participated in Chanecka's literature class were those taking the high school's Super English Language (SEL) course, which is also called the Immersion Program, a program that literally immerses students in English. All classes except for Japanese are conducted in English and taught mainly by native English speakers.
The high school has 11 classes in a grade, with about 40 students in each class. One class for each grade takes the SEL course, while the other 10 classes take the normal course. SEL course classes for most subjects and normal-course English classes are divided in two for small-group instruction.
The high school was first designated as a SELHi in fiscal 2002, and after the completion of the three-year pilot project, it received its second designation in a row in fiscal 2005.
"What is highly regarded is the Immersion Program, although our English classes of the normal course are also credited," said teacher Kunihide Okamoto, director of SEL courses at the school.
The Immersion Program started in fiscal 2000, long before the SELHi project. Several years before the launch of the program, the high school staff began discussing a change in their education policies, eyeing the 2000 opening of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Oita Prefecture. That institution is run by the same school corporation, and has become known for its large number of foreign students and the international atmosphere of its education.
The discussion concluded that more emphasis should be put on language learning and information technology, with the high school setting itself the goal of fostering students who can hold their own while studying with international students at a university like APU, or even go to universities abroad if they wish to.
The Immersion Program has two major pillars: classes conducted in English and studying for a year in an English-speaking country. A year abroad is optional, but most students choose to do it.
The effect is visible. Students who score around 350 to 400 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) when starting high school can exceed 600 by the time they graduate, according to the school. "Of course, TOEFL is not the only way to evaluate their ability, but it's one assessment," said Okamoto. "And we can say for sure that there are almost no mental barriers to speaking English for SEL students--they can have discussions or give presentations at a satisfactory level."
However, one problem that teachers have noticed SEL students do have is that they can speak fluent English, but lack accuracy. They have no problem communicating in English, but their weakness is evident in their writing, as they often select the wrong words or use incorrect grammar.
"This is a dilemma for us," Okamoto said. "We basically follow the Japanese standard high school curriculum, so even though the classes are given in English, they are content-focused. We can't spend time on correcting students' grammatical mistakes every time, as we have to move on in content."
Immersion is a widely known way of learning a language. But it usually starts when learners are at a younger age, around the early primary school years. At such an age, content is not as important, and the method can be easily adopted.
However, there is a virtue in starting at an older age, according to Okamoto.
Despite being immersed in English every day, Okamoto said, there is little sign that the students' Japanese ability deteriorates. Children who go through immersion language learning often have problems in their mother language, but for high school students it does not become a threat, as they had already built up their native language skills.
"Actually, it could be a benefit for them to take another look at Japanese, because, after being immersed in a foreign language, their overall language ability is improved," he said.
One student who was in Chanecka's class was a good example. Eriko Hayashi, who entered the high school from a public middle school in Osaka Prefecture and has spent a year in New Zealand, wants to major in Japanese literature at university.
"I enjoy the class very much. Everyone takes part in it and we have frank discussions, which is unthinkable at the middle school I came from," she said. "Such discussions made me feel that I want to see Japan from various aspects. That's why I want to know about Japan more."
===
Coordination between teachers
Although the Immersion Program often gets most of the attention, the English classes of the high school's normal course are also well regarded. They are part of the SELHi project as well.
Among about 50 normal-course English teachers, half of them are native English speakers, and the other half are Japanese.
For first- and second-year students, classes are mostly done in English even when the teachers are Japanese. The purpose is to get students feeling comfortable communicating in English.
One class The Daily Yomiuri visited was of first-year students, and teacher Kazunori Takeuchi spoke English throughout the class period except for several occasions when he gave translations of certain words that might be a little difficult for the students, such as "counterfeit" or "greed."
For third-year students, grammar and translation are emphasized, and Japanese is frequently used in classes, according to the school.
Just like SEL students, normal-course students get very good TOEFL scores in listening and reading but do not do very well in grammar--an unusual state of affairs for Japanese students.
Teacher Yumino Nakahara, who is in charge of English education for both courses, said, "It's very difficult to coordinate classes between Japanese and native English-speaking teachers."
Currently, Japanese teachers are responsible for "inputs"--reading and grammar--while native English-speaking teachers take care of "outputs"--writing and speaking. "But it's tough. Writing classes by native English speakers are sometimes too difficult for students, while Japanese teachers don't get the feedback on what they taught," Nakahara said.
Although Nakahara feels communicative English has been overly emphasized, she believes native English speakers are very important in language teaching. "We Japanese teachers may be as fluent in English as native English speakers, but the impression we make on students is totally different from what native English speakers can give to them. When students find themselves communicating with foreigners, it makes a great impact," she said. "We only have to find a way to leverage them in a more effective way."
Prof. Kenji Yamaoka of Ritsumeikan University, who acts as a language education adviser to the high school, said: "Ritsumeikan Uji High School students are very privileged in terms of the language learning environment. The largest challenge the school has is how to take advantage of the great environment and motivate the students."
(Oct. 19, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/20061019TDY14001.htm
UJI, Kyoto--In a classroom in a red brick building at Ritsumeikan Uji High School in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, 19 students were deep in discussion in late September about Shusaku Endo's novel Deep River. What was a bit unusual was that the book was an English translation of Endo's novel, and the discussion was entirely in English.
"How does Endo show you that Isobe is important?" asked teacher Timothy Chanecka, walking around the classroom and looking at students' faces. "He appears first," one student replied.
Chanecka nodded and said, "That's right, he's the first character in the book. And why is he difficult?" "Regret," another student said. "Very good, he regrets. Then what does he regret?" To this question, various voices overlapped in the classroom, saying, "He didn't care for Keiko," and "He didn't show Keiko his love."
The discussion went on about the relationship of Isobe and Keiko, a married couple who are the central figures in the novel, and about Isobe's mental development after he loses his wife. In the meantime, the students did not hesitate to say, "Tim, I have a question," which enlivened the discussion.
The third-year students who participated in Chanecka's literature class were those taking the high school's Super English Language (SEL) course, which is also called the Immersion Program, a program that literally immerses students in English. All classes except for Japanese are conducted in English and taught mainly by native English speakers.
The high school has 11 classes in a grade, with about 40 students in each class. One class for each grade takes the SEL course, while the other 10 classes take the normal course. SEL course classes for most subjects and normal-course English classes are divided in two for small-group instruction.
The high school was first designated as a SELHi in fiscal 2002, and after the completion of the three-year pilot project, it received its second designation in a row in fiscal 2005.
"What is highly regarded is the Immersion Program, although our English classes of the normal course are also credited," said teacher Kunihide Okamoto, director of SEL courses at the school.
The Immersion Program started in fiscal 2000, long before the SELHi project. Several years before the launch of the program, the high school staff began discussing a change in their education policies, eyeing the 2000 opening of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Oita Prefecture. That institution is run by the same school corporation, and has become known for its large number of foreign students and the international atmosphere of its education.
The discussion concluded that more emphasis should be put on language learning and information technology, with the high school setting itself the goal of fostering students who can hold their own while studying with international students at a university like APU, or even go to universities abroad if they wish to.
The Immersion Program has two major pillars: classes conducted in English and studying for a year in an English-speaking country. A year abroad is optional, but most students choose to do it.
The effect is visible. Students who score around 350 to 400 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) when starting high school can exceed 600 by the time they graduate, according to the school. "Of course, TOEFL is not the only way to evaluate their ability, but it's one assessment," said Okamoto. "And we can say for sure that there are almost no mental barriers to speaking English for SEL students--they can have discussions or give presentations at a satisfactory level."
However, one problem that teachers have noticed SEL students do have is that they can speak fluent English, but lack accuracy. They have no problem communicating in English, but their weakness is evident in their writing, as they often select the wrong words or use incorrect grammar.
"This is a dilemma for us," Okamoto said. "We basically follow the Japanese standard high school curriculum, so even though the classes are given in English, they are content-focused. We can't spend time on correcting students' grammatical mistakes every time, as we have to move on in content."
Immersion is a widely known way of learning a language. But it usually starts when learners are at a younger age, around the early primary school years. At such an age, content is not as important, and the method can be easily adopted.
However, there is a virtue in starting at an older age, according to Okamoto.
Despite being immersed in English every day, Okamoto said, there is little sign that the students' Japanese ability deteriorates. Children who go through immersion language learning often have problems in their mother language, but for high school students it does not become a threat, as they had already built up their native language skills.
"Actually, it could be a benefit for them to take another look at Japanese, because, after being immersed in a foreign language, their overall language ability is improved," he said.
One student who was in Chanecka's class was a good example. Eriko Hayashi, who entered the high school from a public middle school in Osaka Prefecture and has spent a year in New Zealand, wants to major in Japanese literature at university.
"I enjoy the class very much. Everyone takes part in it and we have frank discussions, which is unthinkable at the middle school I came from," she said. "Such discussions made me feel that I want to see Japan from various aspects. That's why I want to know about Japan more."
===
Coordination between teachers
Although the Immersion Program often gets most of the attention, the English classes of the high school's normal course are also well regarded. They are part of the SELHi project as well.
Among about 50 normal-course English teachers, half of them are native English speakers, and the other half are Japanese.
For first- and second-year students, classes are mostly done in English even when the teachers are Japanese. The purpose is to get students feeling comfortable communicating in English.
One class The Daily Yomiuri visited was of first-year students, and teacher Kazunori Takeuchi spoke English throughout the class period except for several occasions when he gave translations of certain words that might be a little difficult for the students, such as "counterfeit" or "greed."
For third-year students, grammar and translation are emphasized, and Japanese is frequently used in classes, according to the school.
Just like SEL students, normal-course students get very good TOEFL scores in listening and reading but do not do very well in grammar--an unusual state of affairs for Japanese students.
Teacher Yumino Nakahara, who is in charge of English education for both courses, said, "It's very difficult to coordinate classes between Japanese and native English-speaking teachers."
Currently, Japanese teachers are responsible for "inputs"--reading and grammar--while native English-speaking teachers take care of "outputs"--writing and speaking. "But it's tough. Writing classes by native English speakers are sometimes too difficult for students, while Japanese teachers don't get the feedback on what they taught," Nakahara said.
Although Nakahara feels communicative English has been overly emphasized, she believes native English speakers are very important in language teaching. "We Japanese teachers may be as fluent in English as native English speakers, but the impression we make on students is totally different from what native English speakers can give to them. When students find themselves communicating with foreigners, it makes a great impact," she said. "We only have to find a way to leverage them in a more effective way."
Prof. Kenji Yamaoka of Ritsumeikan University, who acts as a language education adviser to the high school, said: "Ritsumeikan Uji High School students are very privileged in terms of the language learning environment. The largest challenge the school has is how to take advantage of the great environment and motivate the students."
(Oct. 19, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/20061019TDY14001.htm
Monday, October 16, 2006
Megabank's recruits get homework
With their schedules already filled with exams, theses and other academic activities, about 1,400 college seniors will receive yet another assignment--from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.
The students, who will join the megabank in spring after graduation, will be asked to start studying for a qualifying exam to become a certified securities sales representative, bank sources said.
Sumitomo Mitsui plans to put more emphasis on sales of investment trusts, and qualifications as securities sales representatives are necessary for its new business strategy.
It will be the first time a major bank has asked prospective employees to begin studying for the certification exam six months before they even join the bank.
Many major banks face a serious manpower shortage caused by past downsizing efforts to deal with disposal of non-performing loans.
The work-force deficiency means there are not enough employees to train the new recruits during their first several months on the job.
Regardless of what career track the prospective employees will pursue, they will all receive training materials from Sumitomo Mitsui, beginning this month.
The materials are designed to prepare them for the Type 2 securities sales representative exam.
The bank's goal is to have all the rookie employees pass the test to be held in May, about a month after they officially join the bank.
The securities sales representative exam is not easy. Only between 60 and 70 percent of exam-takers pass the test.
Until now, the bank has encouraged only career-track employees to pass the exam in November of their first year with the bank.
Sumitomo Mitsui officials said the new education program was partly in response to requests from the college seniors.
"In the past, we passed out lists of books only to prospective employees and hoped they would read them before entering the bank," said an official in the personnel department. "But today's college students are more ambitious, and many ask us what they should study before entering the bank.
"While we believe they will be very busy working on both their senior theses and the qualification exams, we decided that it would be beneficial for us to take advantage of their eagerness."
Sumitomo Mitsui has also prepared other materials for ambitious college seniors to teach them bookkeeping and foreign languages over the Internet before they enter the bank.
The bank's 500 or so rookie employees on the career track will undergo a six-month off-the-job training program to learn the basics of banking, such as loans and foreign exchange, after joining the bank.(IHT/Asahi: October 13,2006)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610130144.html
The students, who will join the megabank in spring after graduation, will be asked to start studying for a qualifying exam to become a certified securities sales representative, bank sources said.
Sumitomo Mitsui plans to put more emphasis on sales of investment trusts, and qualifications as securities sales representatives are necessary for its new business strategy.
It will be the first time a major bank has asked prospective employees to begin studying for the certification exam six months before they even join the bank.
Many major banks face a serious manpower shortage caused by past downsizing efforts to deal with disposal of non-performing loans.
The work-force deficiency means there are not enough employees to train the new recruits during their first several months on the job.
Regardless of what career track the prospective employees will pursue, they will all receive training materials from Sumitomo Mitsui, beginning this month.
The materials are designed to prepare them for the Type 2 securities sales representative exam.
The bank's goal is to have all the rookie employees pass the test to be held in May, about a month after they officially join the bank.
The securities sales representative exam is not easy. Only between 60 and 70 percent of exam-takers pass the test.
Until now, the bank has encouraged only career-track employees to pass the exam in November of their first year with the bank.
Sumitomo Mitsui officials said the new education program was partly in response to requests from the college seniors.
"In the past, we passed out lists of books only to prospective employees and hoped they would read them before entering the bank," said an official in the personnel department. "But today's college students are more ambitious, and many ask us what they should study before entering the bank.
"While we believe they will be very busy working on both their senior theses and the qualification exams, we decided that it would be beneficial for us to take advantage of their eagerness."
Sumitomo Mitsui has also prepared other materials for ambitious college seniors to teach them bookkeeping and foreign languages over the Internet before they enter the bank.
The bank's 500 or so rookie employees on the career track will undergo a six-month off-the-job training program to learn the basics of banking, such as loans and foreign exchange, after joining the bank.(IHT/Asahi: October 13,2006)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610130144.html
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Bold proposals needed on education reform
The Education Rebuilding Council--a key organ established by the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to promote education reform--has begun discussions.
The 17-member council is tasked with deliberating specific ways to accomplish Abe's oft-stated goal of revitalizing the state-run education system to provide all children with the opportunities to develop higher scholastic ability and proper respect for social norms. The blue-ribbon panel has said it will submit proposals reached through consensus one by one.
The new council is the first of its kind to be created under the direct control of the prime minister since the establishment of the National Commission on Educational Reform in 2000.
The latter panel was launched by then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and operated until his successor, Yoshiro Mori, quit in April 2001. The commission on education reform was preceded by the Provisional Council on Education, which came into being in 1984, when Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone was in office.
Abe should take the initiative in making tangible progress in revitalizing the education system.
There are concerns that proposals to be advanced by the new panel may contradict the measures implemented for similar purposes by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry and submitted by the Central Council for Education, a key advisory body to the ministry.
===
Fresh ideas needed
After receiving proposals from the Central Council for Education, the ministry has already started devising measures to require teachers to periodically renew their licenses. This is also true with another proposal issued by the council to adopt a system in which primary, middle and high schools are assessed by independent organs--not by themselves, as in the past--concerning their teaching programs and school administration. In September, the ministry started the system at 124 public schools on a trial basis.
The education ministry and the two separate panels on education reform reportedly have agreed on which roles should be fulfilled by which organ. The Education Rebuilding Council is charged with laying down an overall framework for education reform and setting basic goals.
Meanwhile, the ministry and its Central Council for Education are responsible for discussing specific ways to attain such targets. It is necessary to coordinate the opinions and proposals advanced by each organ in preventing any confusion from arising among their respective tasks.
It should be noted, however, that many members of the public hope to see the new panel come up with proposals distinct in nature from those usually submitted by government organs. We feel it may be impossible for the council to achieve its goal if it stands by the framework laid down for a similar purpose in the past. In that event, the panel would be criticized as having failed to live up to the expectations of the public.
The list of possible topics to be addressed by the council includes the adoption of a system designed to issue all families coupons called education vouchers for their children to attend schools of their choice, as well as a system in which a new semester at colleges and universities would start in September. Another topic would concern whether to require students to engage in volunteer activities.
===
Implement proposals quickly
The education voucher system could help invigorate the public education system through competition among schools in attracting children. However, critics say the system could widen the disparity in popularity among schools, even forcing some schools to shut down.
The industrial and educational circles remain cautious about starting a new semester in September. The pros and cons of introducing the system were discussed by the Provisional Council on Education and the National Commission on Educational Reform. However, the proposal has not been widely accepted by the public. This is also true with a proposal to obligate students to engage in volunteer work. During its discussion, the commission decided the proposal should not be carried out.
How to halt the decline in the scholastic ability of children will be an issue that the new panel must not fail to address. Topics related to that problem include how to increase the number of class hours to make up for a large cut in such hours made following calls for the introduction of "stress-free" education. The panel should also assess the current five-day school week at public schools.
We hope the new council's 17 members will conduct constructive discussions by closely looking at how the education system works and what teachers and students need. The government should waste no time implementing proposals to be submitted by the panel.
We also hope many people will discuss education reform, spurred by debates at the council.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 12, 2006)
(Oct. 12, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20061012TDY04005.htm
The 17-member council is tasked with deliberating specific ways to accomplish Abe's oft-stated goal of revitalizing the state-run education system to provide all children with the opportunities to develop higher scholastic ability and proper respect for social norms. The blue-ribbon panel has said it will submit proposals reached through consensus one by one.
The new council is the first of its kind to be created under the direct control of the prime minister since the establishment of the National Commission on Educational Reform in 2000.
The latter panel was launched by then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and operated until his successor, Yoshiro Mori, quit in April 2001. The commission on education reform was preceded by the Provisional Council on Education, which came into being in 1984, when Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone was in office.
Abe should take the initiative in making tangible progress in revitalizing the education system.
There are concerns that proposals to be advanced by the new panel may contradict the measures implemented for similar purposes by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry and submitted by the Central Council for Education, a key advisory body to the ministry.
===
Fresh ideas needed
After receiving proposals from the Central Council for Education, the ministry has already started devising measures to require teachers to periodically renew their licenses. This is also true with another proposal issued by the council to adopt a system in which primary, middle and high schools are assessed by independent organs--not by themselves, as in the past--concerning their teaching programs and school administration. In September, the ministry started the system at 124 public schools on a trial basis.
The education ministry and the two separate panels on education reform reportedly have agreed on which roles should be fulfilled by which organ. The Education Rebuilding Council is charged with laying down an overall framework for education reform and setting basic goals.
Meanwhile, the ministry and its Central Council for Education are responsible for discussing specific ways to attain such targets. It is necessary to coordinate the opinions and proposals advanced by each organ in preventing any confusion from arising among their respective tasks.
It should be noted, however, that many members of the public hope to see the new panel come up with proposals distinct in nature from those usually submitted by government organs. We feel it may be impossible for the council to achieve its goal if it stands by the framework laid down for a similar purpose in the past. In that event, the panel would be criticized as having failed to live up to the expectations of the public.
The list of possible topics to be addressed by the council includes the adoption of a system designed to issue all families coupons called education vouchers for their children to attend schools of their choice, as well as a system in which a new semester at colleges and universities would start in September. Another topic would concern whether to require students to engage in volunteer activities.
===
Implement proposals quickly
The education voucher system could help invigorate the public education system through competition among schools in attracting children. However, critics say the system could widen the disparity in popularity among schools, even forcing some schools to shut down.
The industrial and educational circles remain cautious about starting a new semester in September. The pros and cons of introducing the system were discussed by the Provisional Council on Education and the National Commission on Educational Reform. However, the proposal has not been widely accepted by the public. This is also true with a proposal to obligate students to engage in volunteer work. During its discussion, the commission decided the proposal should not be carried out.
How to halt the decline in the scholastic ability of children will be an issue that the new panel must not fail to address. Topics related to that problem include how to increase the number of class hours to make up for a large cut in such hours made following calls for the introduction of "stress-free" education. The panel should also assess the current five-day school week at public schools.
We hope the new council's 17 members will conduct constructive discussions by closely looking at how the education system works and what teachers and students need. The government should waste no time implementing proposals to be submitted by the panel.
We also hope many people will discuss education reform, spurred by debates at the council.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 12, 2006)
(Oct. 12, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20061012TDY04005.htm
Fewer students = demographic spiral for Japan's private colleges
Yonosuke Fukuda succeeded his father as chancellor of Tohwa University, a private engineering college on Japan's Kyushu island, five years ago. He plans to close it down when the current crop of students graduates in 2009.
"There is no bright future" for Japanese universities, said Fukuda, 38, who had 140 student applications for 160 slots this year. "It's time to quit before things get even worse."
Japan's 550 private universities are running out of students as the country's birthrate declines. About 40 percent of colleges failed to meet their enrollment targets this year, and a quarter are in the red, according to the Education Ministry.
The shortage is forcing some colleges to recruit students from overseas, especially China, with its large population, proximity and linguistic similarities. Others are creating programs that appeal to the swelling ranks of retirees.
"It's a life or death situation," said Makiko Yoshimura, a credit analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, who studies college finances. "Fewer students means a cash-flow problem."
While 52 percent of Japanese 18-year-olds are attending college this year, up from 46 percent a decade ago, their numbers dropped to 1.4 million in 2005 from 2.1 million in 1992, according to the Education Ministry.
Japan's population shrank last year for the first time, with 21,266 more deaths than births.
Ten years ago, only 3.8 percent of private universities failed to enroll enough students, according to the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools.
"Japanese universities never had to compete like this," said Yasuhiko Nishii, a division manager at the corporation.
Private colleges expanded faster than their public counterparts as the population grew after World War II. Some 478 private universities served 74 percent of Japan's students in 2000, up from 105 with 52 percent of enrollment in 1950, ministry figures show.
Japan's 87 state-run universities aren't immune from student shortages, said Norihito Hisada, who tracks college finances for the ministry. Mergers have pruned their ranks from 94 two years ago, he said.
Some students may benefit from the crunch.
Many colleges are relaxing acceptance requirements, making career-defining entrance exams less stressful, said Keigo Nakano, a spokesman at the ministry's college-entrance section.
At 55, Yasuju Sato may be a poster man for change. The president of Ginseido Ltd., which rents office buildings in Tokyo, is taking a master's course tailored to seniors at Tokyo Keizai University.
Sato wasn't required to take an entrance exam and has four years to complete his degree in economics instead of two.
"It's very important to keep exercising your brain," he said.
So far, Sato is the only student in the senior program, said Katsuya Sasagawa, a university spokesman.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/news/150514.php
"There is no bright future" for Japanese universities, said Fukuda, 38, who had 140 student applications for 160 slots this year. "It's time to quit before things get even worse."
Japan's 550 private universities are running out of students as the country's birthrate declines. About 40 percent of colleges failed to meet their enrollment targets this year, and a quarter are in the red, according to the Education Ministry.
The shortage is forcing some colleges to recruit students from overseas, especially China, with its large population, proximity and linguistic similarities. Others are creating programs that appeal to the swelling ranks of retirees.
"It's a life or death situation," said Makiko Yoshimura, a credit analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, who studies college finances. "Fewer students means a cash-flow problem."
While 52 percent of Japanese 18-year-olds are attending college this year, up from 46 percent a decade ago, their numbers dropped to 1.4 million in 2005 from 2.1 million in 1992, according to the Education Ministry.
Japan's population shrank last year for the first time, with 21,266 more deaths than births.
Ten years ago, only 3.8 percent of private universities failed to enroll enough students, according to the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools.
"Japanese universities never had to compete like this," said Yasuhiko Nishii, a division manager at the corporation.
Private colleges expanded faster than their public counterparts as the population grew after World War II. Some 478 private universities served 74 percent of Japan's students in 2000, up from 105 with 52 percent of enrollment in 1950, ministry figures show.
Japan's 87 state-run universities aren't immune from student shortages, said Norihito Hisada, who tracks college finances for the ministry. Mergers have pruned their ranks from 94 two years ago, he said.
Some students may benefit from the crunch.
Many colleges are relaxing acceptance requirements, making career-defining entrance exams less stressful, said Keigo Nakano, a spokesman at the ministry's college-entrance section.
At 55, Yasuju Sato may be a poster man for change. The president of Ginseido Ltd., which rents office buildings in Tokyo, is taking a master's course tailored to seniors at Tokyo Keizai University.
Sato wasn't required to take an entrance exam and has four years to complete his degree in economics instead of two.
"It's very important to keep exercising your brain," he said.
So far, Sato is the only student in the senior program, said Katsuya Sasagawa, a university spokesman.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/news/150514.php
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Japan's Student Shortage Forces Colleges to Recruit in China
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Yonosuke Fukuda succeeded his father as chancellor of Tohwa University, a private engineering college on Japan's Kyushu island, five years ago. He plans to close it down when the current crop of students graduates in 2009.
``There is no bright future'' for Japanese universities, said Fukuda, 38, who had 140 student applications for 160 slots this year. ``It's time to quit before things get even worse.''
Japan's 550 private universities are running out of students as the country's birthrate declines. About 40 percent of colleges failed to meet their enrollment targets this year and a quarter are in the red, according to the Education Ministry.
The shortage is forcing some colleges to recruit students from overseas, especially China, with its large population, proximity and linguistic similarities. Others are creating programs that appeal to the swelling ranks of retirees.
``It's a life or death situation,'' said Makiko Yoshimura, a credit analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, who studies college finances. ``Fewer students means a cash-flow problem.''
While 52 percent of Japanese 18-year-olds are attending college this year, up from 46 percent a decade ago, their numbers dropped to 1.4 million in 2005 from 2.1 million in 1992, according to the Education Ministry.
Japan's population shrank last year for the first time, with 21,266 more deaths than births.
Ten years ago, only 3.8 percent of private universities failed to enroll enough students, according to the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools.
New Competition
``Japanese universities never had to compete like this,'' said Yasuhiko Nishii, a division manager at the corporation.
Private colleges expanded faster than their public counterparts as the population grew after World War II. Some 478 private universities served 74 percent of Japan's students in 2000, up from 105 with 52 percent of enrollment in 1950, ministry figures show.
Japan's 87 state-run universities aren't immune from student shortages, said Norihito Hisada, who tracks college finances for the ministry. Mergers have pruned their ranks from 94 two years ago, he said.
Some students may benefit from the crunch. Many colleges are relaxing acceptance requirements, making career-defining entrance exams less stressful, said Keigo Nakano, a spokesman at the ministry's college-entrance section.
Many private universities will have to merge to survive, said Kazuhito Miyamoto, an administrator at Johnan Academic Preparatory Institute Inc. in Tokyo, which helps students prepare for college entrance exams.
``Old students and the foreign students may influence their revenue to a certain extent,'' Miyamoto said. ``But I doubt it will significantly contribute to their bottom line.''
Tailored to Seniors
At 55, Yasuju Sato may be a poster man for change. The president of Ginseido Ltd., which rents office buildings in Tokyo, is taking a master's course tailored to seniors at Tokyo Keizai University.
Sato wasn't required to take an entrance exam and has four years to complete his degree in economics instead of two. ``It's very important to keep exercising your brain,'' he said.
So far, Sato is the only student in the senior program, said Katsuya Sasagawa, a university spokesman.
Efforts to lure overseas students also are meeting with mixed success. Japan hosted 121,812 such students as of May 1, 2005, more than double the number in 1995, Education Ministry figures show. China accounted for 80,592 students, followed by South Korea with 15,606, Taiwan with 4,134 and Malaysia with 2,114. There were 1,646 U.S. students.
China's Growing Wealth
By comparison, 44 percent of the 572,509 overseas students in the U.S. came from China in 2003-2004, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
While growing wealth in China is allowing some parents to pay for their children's overseas education, Xu Liang and Cheng Shuai said they needed financial help to attend Waseda University in Tokyo, one of Japan's two leading private colleges.
Getting a scholarship to Waseda was easier than winning one in the U.S., said Xu, 23. The son of a police officer and a school teacher from Jiangsu province, he is pursuing a doctorate in international politics.
Cheng, whose father is a coal miner in Shanxi province, is completing undergraduate degrees in international politics at Beijing University and international relations at Waseda.
``In Japan, the prices are very, very high,'' said Cheng, 20. ``But Japanese is easier than English because of Kanji.'' Kanji script, one of three used to write Japanese characters, is derived from Chinese.
Losing the Fight
State-run University of Tokyo charges 535,800 yen ($4,545) a year for tuition, plus a one-time admission fee of 282,000 yen. Waseda's tuition is 732,000 yen and admission is 290,000 yen.
In southwestern Japan, Hagi International University is losing the fight. The private college opened in 1999 with local government backing, advertised in China for students and added an 18-hole golf course, said spokesman Ryosuke Okano.
The moves didn't work. Hagi filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2005 with 3.7 billion yen of debt, the first university to do so.
Chancellor Fukuda of Tohwa University said he doesn't regret deciding to close. The financial drain was starting to imperil his high school and junior college, both of which are profitable.
``It's a positive step,'' Fukuda said.
To contact the reporter for this story: Tak Kumakura in Tokyo at tkumakura@bloomberg.net . Last Updated: October 9, 2006 11:30 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aWcGGhNyH190
``There is no bright future'' for Japanese universities, said Fukuda, 38, who had 140 student applications for 160 slots this year. ``It's time to quit before things get even worse.''
Japan's 550 private universities are running out of students as the country's birthrate declines. About 40 percent of colleges failed to meet their enrollment targets this year and a quarter are in the red, according to the Education Ministry.
The shortage is forcing some colleges to recruit students from overseas, especially China, with its large population, proximity and linguistic similarities. Others are creating programs that appeal to the swelling ranks of retirees.
``It's a life or death situation,'' said Makiko Yoshimura, a credit analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, who studies college finances. ``Fewer students means a cash-flow problem.''
While 52 percent of Japanese 18-year-olds are attending college this year, up from 46 percent a decade ago, their numbers dropped to 1.4 million in 2005 from 2.1 million in 1992, according to the Education Ministry.
Japan's population shrank last year for the first time, with 21,266 more deaths than births.
Ten years ago, only 3.8 percent of private universities failed to enroll enough students, according to the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools.
New Competition
``Japanese universities never had to compete like this,'' said Yasuhiko Nishii, a division manager at the corporation.
Private colleges expanded faster than their public counterparts as the population grew after World War II. Some 478 private universities served 74 percent of Japan's students in 2000, up from 105 with 52 percent of enrollment in 1950, ministry figures show.
Japan's 87 state-run universities aren't immune from student shortages, said Norihito Hisada, who tracks college finances for the ministry. Mergers have pruned their ranks from 94 two years ago, he said.
Some students may benefit from the crunch. Many colleges are relaxing acceptance requirements, making career-defining entrance exams less stressful, said Keigo Nakano, a spokesman at the ministry's college-entrance section.
Many private universities will have to merge to survive, said Kazuhito Miyamoto, an administrator at Johnan Academic Preparatory Institute Inc. in Tokyo, which helps students prepare for college entrance exams.
``Old students and the foreign students may influence their revenue to a certain extent,'' Miyamoto said. ``But I doubt it will significantly contribute to their bottom line.''
Tailored to Seniors
At 55, Yasuju Sato may be a poster man for change. The president of Ginseido Ltd., which rents office buildings in Tokyo, is taking a master's course tailored to seniors at Tokyo Keizai University.
Sato wasn't required to take an entrance exam and has four years to complete his degree in economics instead of two. ``It's very important to keep exercising your brain,'' he said.
So far, Sato is the only student in the senior program, said Katsuya Sasagawa, a university spokesman.
Efforts to lure overseas students also are meeting with mixed success. Japan hosted 121,812 such students as of May 1, 2005, more than double the number in 1995, Education Ministry figures show. China accounted for 80,592 students, followed by South Korea with 15,606, Taiwan with 4,134 and Malaysia with 2,114. There were 1,646 U.S. students.
China's Growing Wealth
By comparison, 44 percent of the 572,509 overseas students in the U.S. came from China in 2003-2004, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
While growing wealth in China is allowing some parents to pay for their children's overseas education, Xu Liang and Cheng Shuai said they needed financial help to attend Waseda University in Tokyo, one of Japan's two leading private colleges.
Getting a scholarship to Waseda was easier than winning one in the U.S., said Xu, 23. The son of a police officer and a school teacher from Jiangsu province, he is pursuing a doctorate in international politics.
Cheng, whose father is a coal miner in Shanxi province, is completing undergraduate degrees in international politics at Beijing University and international relations at Waseda.
``In Japan, the prices are very, very high,'' said Cheng, 20. ``But Japanese is easier than English because of Kanji.'' Kanji script, one of three used to write Japanese characters, is derived from Chinese.
Losing the Fight
State-run University of Tokyo charges 535,800 yen ($4,545) a year for tuition, plus a one-time admission fee of 282,000 yen. Waseda's tuition is 732,000 yen and admission is 290,000 yen.
In southwestern Japan, Hagi International University is losing the fight. The private college opened in 1999 with local government backing, advertised in China for students and added an 18-hole golf course, said spokesman Ryosuke Okano.
The moves didn't work. Hagi filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2005 with 3.7 billion yen of debt, the first university to do so.
Chancellor Fukuda of Tohwa University said he doesn't regret deciding to close. The financial drain was starting to imperil his high school and junior college, both of which are profitable.
``It's a positive step,'' Fukuda said.
To contact the reporter for this story: Tak Kumakura in Tokyo at tkumakura@bloomberg.net . Last Updated: October 9, 2006 11:30 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aWcGGhNyH190
Univ.-led ventures top target / But many lack business acumen and capital reserves
In the five years since the government proposed a plan to establish 1,000 venture firms under the initiative of universities, the actual number of such companies stands at more than 1,500.
But the business footholds these venture firms have secured is not necessarily strong, as many of them are lacking in management skills and funds.
The government's efforts to foster venture firms faces the hurdle of moving from the quantity stage to the quality stage.
Shinya Kuno, an assistant professor at Tsukuba University, is also president of Tsukuba Wellness Research, a venture firm established under the initiative of the university.
"I used my expertise to set up this firm in an effort to popularize correct health enhancement methods, not for profit," Kuno said.
The company was established in 2002 to commercialize the results of studies into muscular training, walking and other sports science matters in which Kuno is knowledgeable. He established the company to help elderly people remain healthy.
The company has contracts with 23 local governments and organizations, including the Chiba prefectural government.
It provides exercise programs that are specially tailored to accommodate the physical condition of the end users. The company has been in the black from the first year and Kuno has an initial public offering of its shares in sight.
Kuno set up a firm under the university's initiative because he wanted to avoid the trap under which the pursuit of profits would distort his health-enhancement programs.
Under the initiative of Hokkaido University, GEL-Design Inc. was established two years ago to utilize the fruits of its studies of gel, an area in which the university is on par with the best in the world.
The venture firm is enjoying a good business performance as one of its products, lunch boxes featuring an insulator made from gel, has proven popular.
President Hiroyuki Tsukeshiba, 32, studied gel when he was a student at the university and later established the company.
"Raising money is a tough job, but I am fortunate to have an excellent staff. My goal is to develop highly functional products, such as medical materials," he said.
These venture firms develop and sell products and services based on studies by universities.
In 2001, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry launched the project to foster venture firms in expectations that start-up companies would lead to the creation of new businesses and an improvement in Japan's international competitiveness.
The ministry has offered management consultation and helped the start-up firms procure funds. The Education, Science and Technology Ministry cooperated by allowing researchers at state-run universities to work also at the venture firms.
As a result, 1,503 venture firms had been set up as of the end of March, far exceeding the initial target of 1,000 in the first three years.
The management styles of the firms are varied. In some, the managers are also the researchers, and in others the managers were invited from the private sector.
Many of the firms are in highly competitive markets. Thirty-eight percent of the firms are in the biotechnology field, such as the development of new medicines and foodstuffs, and 30 percent are in the information technology field, such as the development of computer software.
Some of the firms are engaged in unique areas to which ordinary commercial companies probably pay no attention.
For example, one venture firm set up under the auspices of Hiroshima University manufactures equipment to measure the ripeness of fruit, and another under the initiative of Takarazuka University of Arts and Design is developing electronic eyeglasses for people with visual impairments.
According to the ministries, the average annual sales of 1,141 of firms that have begun commercial business operations is estimated at 148 million yen, and the average number of employees is 12.3.
The ministries estimate that the venture firms have created an economic effect worth 364.2 billion yen, including spillover to related industries, and employ 25,858 people.
Although Tsukuba Wellness Research is a successful example, not all of the venture firms have enjoyed smooth sailing.
In August, the Creative Research Initiative "Sousei"--Hokkaido University's institute--and The Yomiuri Shimbun jointly surveyed 1,172 major venture firms created under the initiative of universities.
Of the 82 firms that responded to questions on business performance, 52 percent said they were in the red, with only 46 percent saying they had shown a profit.
The major reason for the losses was heavy investment in research and development. Many of the firms relied on public financial assistance, and 78 percent said they had used funds from public assistance schemes.
Business analysts point out it is difficult for the venture firms to secure and foster talented workers, and develop sales channels. In searching for potential clients, it is essential for the venture firms to receive assistance from other local companies and organizations for bridging industrial and academic sectors.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry's Academic-Industry Cooperation Promotion Division plans to bolster such assistance saying it is important to shift priority from growing the number of venture firms to improving their performance.
Some critics say it should be examined whether the use of public assistance for this shift is proper, as relying on aid money could lead to a lack of business efforts.
Koichi Sato, Hokkaido University's designated assistant professor for the venture firm project, said, "Universities must strengthen checks over whether subsidies and financial aid could work as good booster shots."
Managers of the venture firms are also required to change their way of thinking.
In the joint survey, only 46 percent of the firms are looking to a public offering of shares, suggesting that managers want to keep their firms under their own control.
Hokkaido University Prof. Yasuyuki Hamada, an economic researcher specializing in venture investment studies, said: "Venture firms created under the initiative of universities are seen quasi-public entities because they have received public financial aid from the very early stage of research and development. The firms can not grow if managers have a sense that 'This is my company.'"
(Oct. 9, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20061009TDY03003.htm
But the business footholds these venture firms have secured is not necessarily strong, as many of them are lacking in management skills and funds.
The government's efforts to foster venture firms faces the hurdle of moving from the quantity stage to the quality stage.
Shinya Kuno, an assistant professor at Tsukuba University, is also president of Tsukuba Wellness Research, a venture firm established under the initiative of the university.
"I used my expertise to set up this firm in an effort to popularize correct health enhancement methods, not for profit," Kuno said.
The company was established in 2002 to commercialize the results of studies into muscular training, walking and other sports science matters in which Kuno is knowledgeable. He established the company to help elderly people remain healthy.
The company has contracts with 23 local governments and organizations, including the Chiba prefectural government.
It provides exercise programs that are specially tailored to accommodate the physical condition of the end users. The company has been in the black from the first year and Kuno has an initial public offering of its shares in sight.
Kuno set up a firm under the university's initiative because he wanted to avoid the trap under which the pursuit of profits would distort his health-enhancement programs.
Under the initiative of Hokkaido University, GEL-Design Inc. was established two years ago to utilize the fruits of its studies of gel, an area in which the university is on par with the best in the world.
The venture firm is enjoying a good business performance as one of its products, lunch boxes featuring an insulator made from gel, has proven popular.
President Hiroyuki Tsukeshiba, 32, studied gel when he was a student at the university and later established the company.
"Raising money is a tough job, but I am fortunate to have an excellent staff. My goal is to develop highly functional products, such as medical materials," he said.
These venture firms develop and sell products and services based on studies by universities.
In 2001, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry launched the project to foster venture firms in expectations that start-up companies would lead to the creation of new businesses and an improvement in Japan's international competitiveness.
The ministry has offered management consultation and helped the start-up firms procure funds. The Education, Science and Technology Ministry cooperated by allowing researchers at state-run universities to work also at the venture firms.
As a result, 1,503 venture firms had been set up as of the end of March, far exceeding the initial target of 1,000 in the first three years.
The management styles of the firms are varied. In some, the managers are also the researchers, and in others the managers were invited from the private sector.
Many of the firms are in highly competitive markets. Thirty-eight percent of the firms are in the biotechnology field, such as the development of new medicines and foodstuffs, and 30 percent are in the information technology field, such as the development of computer software.
Some of the firms are engaged in unique areas to which ordinary commercial companies probably pay no attention.
For example, one venture firm set up under the auspices of Hiroshima University manufactures equipment to measure the ripeness of fruit, and another under the initiative of Takarazuka University of Arts and Design is developing electronic eyeglasses for people with visual impairments.
According to the ministries, the average annual sales of 1,141 of firms that have begun commercial business operations is estimated at 148 million yen, and the average number of employees is 12.3.
The ministries estimate that the venture firms have created an economic effect worth 364.2 billion yen, including spillover to related industries, and employ 25,858 people.
Although Tsukuba Wellness Research is a successful example, not all of the venture firms have enjoyed smooth sailing.
In August, the Creative Research Initiative "Sousei"--Hokkaido University's institute--and The Yomiuri Shimbun jointly surveyed 1,172 major venture firms created under the initiative of universities.
Of the 82 firms that responded to questions on business performance, 52 percent said they were in the red, with only 46 percent saying they had shown a profit.
The major reason for the losses was heavy investment in research and development. Many of the firms relied on public financial assistance, and 78 percent said they had used funds from public assistance schemes.
Business analysts point out it is difficult for the venture firms to secure and foster talented workers, and develop sales channels. In searching for potential clients, it is essential for the venture firms to receive assistance from other local companies and organizations for bridging industrial and academic sectors.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry's Academic-Industry Cooperation Promotion Division plans to bolster such assistance saying it is important to shift priority from growing the number of venture firms to improving their performance.
Some critics say it should be examined whether the use of public assistance for this shift is proper, as relying on aid money could lead to a lack of business efforts.
Koichi Sato, Hokkaido University's designated assistant professor for the venture firm project, said, "Universities must strengthen checks over whether subsidies and financial aid could work as good booster shots."
Managers of the venture firms are also required to change their way of thinking.
In the joint survey, only 46 percent of the firms are looking to a public offering of shares, suggesting that managers want to keep their firms under their own control.
Hokkaido University Prof. Yasuyuki Hamada, an economic researcher specializing in venture investment studies, said: "Venture firms created under the initiative of universities are seen quasi-public entities because they have received public financial aid from the very early stage of research and development. The firms can not grow if managers have a sense that 'This is my company.'"
(Oct. 9, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20061009TDY03003.htm
Tokyo schools facing surge in student numbers
With an increasing number of people choosing to live in central Tokyo, primary schools in the capital are expected to be filled to capacity and suffer from a shortage of classrooms, prompting many Tokyo ward governments to look for extra classrooms in preparation for the surge of students.
The number of primary school children in Tokyo's 23 wards had been declining until 2001 for 22 years and many primary schools were closed or merged. However, more and more young families have moved to central Tokyo.
Minato Ward is planning to build a prefabricated school building and will borrow classrooms from a middle school, while Arakawa Ward will build a new primary school for the first time in half a century.
The number of primary school children in the 23 wards peaked in 1958 at 855,869--the baby boomer generation born between 1947 and 1949--and the number fell steadily from that point. Many primary schools have merged or closed since the 1990s, including some that were established during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
However, the number of primary school-age children started to rise in 2002, with the increase in housing development. According to a Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education estimate, the number of children in public primary schools in the 23 wards will hit 356,683 by 2011, an increase of almost 10,500 from the current figure. The increase will be most noticeable in the center of Tokyo, as the number in the Tama district, a suburban area outside the 23 wards, will only increase by a projected 642.
The ward that expects the largest increase is Minato Ward, with the number of children estimated to rise by 2,688 in five years, the equivalent of 67 classes. Konan Primary School is planning to build a prefabricated building with the principal's room and teachers room in the playground at its waterfront location and is planning to borrow classrooms from nearby Konan Middle School.
In Koto Ward, which also covers the waterfront area, Toyosu-Kita Primary School will open in the Toyosu redevelopment district in April. Toyosu Primary School, about 500 meters south of the new school, is full to its capacity of 17 classes, and 80 children living a few minutes' walk away from the school have to take a 10-minute bus ride to a different primary school.
Close to Toyosu-Kita Primary School, an apartment complex containing more than 6,000 units is scheduled to be built in five years.
Koto Ward restricts the construction of apartment buildings in six school districts, including that of Toyosu Primary School. However, according to the metropolitan board of education, the number of children in the ward will jump by 25.4 percent in the next five years.
The ward office has started looking at land on which to build schools, but one official pointed out that "building a school costs about 2 billion yen to 3 billion yen."
Arakawa Ward plans to open a new school in a few years, as space is scarce at Shioiri Primary School due to developments close to Minami Senju Station. It will be the first new public school in a Tokyo ward since 1959.
(Oct. 7, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061007TDY02006.htm
The number of primary school children in Tokyo's 23 wards had been declining until 2001 for 22 years and many primary schools were closed or merged. However, more and more young families have moved to central Tokyo.
Minato Ward is planning to build a prefabricated school building and will borrow classrooms from a middle school, while Arakawa Ward will build a new primary school for the first time in half a century.
The number of primary school children in the 23 wards peaked in 1958 at 855,869--the baby boomer generation born between 1947 and 1949--and the number fell steadily from that point. Many primary schools have merged or closed since the 1990s, including some that were established during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
However, the number of primary school-age children started to rise in 2002, with the increase in housing development. According to a Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education estimate, the number of children in public primary schools in the 23 wards will hit 356,683 by 2011, an increase of almost 10,500 from the current figure. The increase will be most noticeable in the center of Tokyo, as the number in the Tama district, a suburban area outside the 23 wards, will only increase by a projected 642.
The ward that expects the largest increase is Minato Ward, with the number of children estimated to rise by 2,688 in five years, the equivalent of 67 classes. Konan Primary School is planning to build a prefabricated building with the principal's room and teachers room in the playground at its waterfront location and is planning to borrow classrooms from nearby Konan Middle School.
In Koto Ward, which also covers the waterfront area, Toyosu-Kita Primary School will open in the Toyosu redevelopment district in April. Toyosu Primary School, about 500 meters south of the new school, is full to its capacity of 17 classes, and 80 children living a few minutes' walk away from the school have to take a 10-minute bus ride to a different primary school.
Close to Toyosu-Kita Primary School, an apartment complex containing more than 6,000 units is scheduled to be built in five years.
Koto Ward restricts the construction of apartment buildings in six school districts, including that of Toyosu Primary School. However, according to the metropolitan board of education, the number of children in the ward will jump by 25.4 percent in the next five years.
The ward office has started looking at land on which to build schools, but one official pointed out that "building a school costs about 2 billion yen to 3 billion yen."
Arakawa Ward plans to open a new school in a few years, as space is scarce at Shioiri Primary School due to developments close to Minami Senju Station. It will be the first new public school in a Tokyo ward since 1959.
(Oct. 7, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061007TDY02006.htm
Monday, October 02, 2006
Career design should be taught at universities
The ratio of new university graduates who quit their first jobs within three years was 34.7 percent in 2002.
Observers say the greatest factor behind this trend is the gap between the image students have of work and the reality they face when they actually land jobs.
How can universities reconcile this disparity?
It is common for university students to start looking for prospective employment in their third year, more than a year before graduation.
Yet, I am often surprised at how little they know about different industries, individual companies and the many types of jobs that are available in the real world.
It is common, moreover, to come across students who are unsure of where they stand, and have no idea for what kind of a job they are cut out.
Meanwhile, universities basically offer two types of educational streams: general and specialized. I do not mean to say this way of teaching is meaningless or rigid. However, as someone who landed a job with a university after many years working for an airline and its affiliated hotel, I think universities should also focus more on real society. Students need to be taught what is actually going on out there.
During the hiring "ice age" of the late 1990s after the collapse of the asset-inflated economy, universities embarked on a series of programs to help students land jobs.
For example, they sought the service of outside counselors or introduced internship programs to improve their students' subsequent employment rate.
In many ways, these efforts were as much to help students as to ensure their own survival. Universities badly need a way to stay in business, as the falling birthrate makes it increasingly difficult to attract students.
But one thing they have failed to do is not to teach, as academic subjects, employment matters of crucial importance--why working is important, and how students should go about developing a proper career.
In addition to general education and specialized studies, I believe all universities should introduce "career design"--the study of how to build a career--as the third pillar of their curriculums.
Hosei University has already established the Faculty of Lifelong Learning and Career Studies in 2003. Others should follow suit.
But what exactly should be taught in career design? I propose the following:
・The systems of real society.
Universities should give students a general overview of industrial structures and individual fields. They should offer courses studying medium and small business, general corporate structures, organizations and job flows. Active businesspeople from various fields can be brought in to keep the lectures lively and dynamic.
・Identity-building.
Universities should provide guidance to help students "discover themselves": namely, objectively identify their character, strengths and weaknesses. Students should also be taught how to draw up blueprints for their prospective careers.
・Practical training.
Currently, universities across the nation offer internship programs that last only about two weeks. The duration of these programs should be extended, and students should be required to take part in more than one program so as to acquire experience in a number of different fields.
That will give them the opportunity to see how society really operates, as well as exposing them to the harsh realities to which they will eventually have to grow accustomed.
・Support in making occupational choices.
The work of individual schools' job placement offices should be expanded in order to resolve mismatches between students and jobs.
The 21st century is shaping up to be a time of confusing, violent change. As students prepare to enter this real-world turbulence, what is needed more than anything is career design: nothing short of total human studies.
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610020085.html
Observers say the greatest factor behind this trend is the gap between the image students have of work and the reality they face when they actually land jobs.
How can universities reconcile this disparity?
It is common for university students to start looking for prospective employment in their third year, more than a year before graduation.
Yet, I am often surprised at how little they know about different industries, individual companies and the many types of jobs that are available in the real world.
It is common, moreover, to come across students who are unsure of where they stand, and have no idea for what kind of a job they are cut out.
Meanwhile, universities basically offer two types of educational streams: general and specialized. I do not mean to say this way of teaching is meaningless or rigid. However, as someone who landed a job with a university after many years working for an airline and its affiliated hotel, I think universities should also focus more on real society. Students need to be taught what is actually going on out there.
During the hiring "ice age" of the late 1990s after the collapse of the asset-inflated economy, universities embarked on a series of programs to help students land jobs.
For example, they sought the service of outside counselors or introduced internship programs to improve their students' subsequent employment rate.
In many ways, these efforts were as much to help students as to ensure their own survival. Universities badly need a way to stay in business, as the falling birthrate makes it increasingly difficult to attract students.
But one thing they have failed to do is not to teach, as academic subjects, employment matters of crucial importance--why working is important, and how students should go about developing a proper career.
In addition to general education and specialized studies, I believe all universities should introduce "career design"--the study of how to build a career--as the third pillar of their curriculums.
Hosei University has already established the Faculty of Lifelong Learning and Career Studies in 2003. Others should follow suit.
But what exactly should be taught in career design? I propose the following:
・The systems of real society.
Universities should give students a general overview of industrial structures and individual fields. They should offer courses studying medium and small business, general corporate structures, organizations and job flows. Active businesspeople from various fields can be brought in to keep the lectures lively and dynamic.
・Identity-building.
Universities should provide guidance to help students "discover themselves": namely, objectively identify their character, strengths and weaknesses. Students should also be taught how to draw up blueprints for their prospective careers.
・Practical training.
Currently, universities across the nation offer internship programs that last only about two weeks. The duration of these programs should be extended, and students should be required to take part in more than one program so as to acquire experience in a number of different fields.
That will give them the opportunity to see how society really operates, as well as exposing them to the harsh realities to which they will eventually have to grow accustomed.
・Support in making occupational choices.
The work of individual schools' job placement offices should be expanded in order to resolve mismatches between students and jobs.
The 21st century is shaping up to be a time of confusing, violent change. As students prepare to enter this real-world turbulence, what is needed more than anything is career design: nothing short of total human studies.
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610020085.html
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