ABSTRACT
The period since the mid-1980s has been a time of ferment for Japanese education. There have been frequent expressions of dissatisfaction with the educational system, and repeated calls for reform, in response to what are seen as new demands resulting from changes in Japanese society and the world economy. Debates have taken place in government, universities, and the media about what kinds of change are needed, and why. Reform programmes have been published, and reform measures implemented. As the foundation of Japanese schooling, primary education has been significantly affected by these developments. This educational ferment reveals much about the challenges facing Japan’s contemporary society, and provides a window on the different visions of Japan’s future that are being debated. Particularly important have been arguments about the extent to which education should develop individuality, and what this should mean in practice. Debate has centred on the issue of how to develop children who are not only creative individuals, but also well-socialized members of society. These debates cannot be adequately grasped without understanding discourses of selfhood in Japan, and in turn, the focus on developing individuality shows the need for a reappraisal of those discourses.
