ABSTRACT
Recent reforms of Japan’s education system lead to a departure from compulsory education based on the principle of equality. Instead, they promote market principles, choices and competitions, and rankings of schools by market principles. The concept of “market principle” in this context means the idea to leave the provision of goods and service to the mechanism of free markets rather than to the control by the government. It is based on the idea that free economic activities will maximise the social efficiency through the balance of demand and supply. This concept has an affinity with free competition, laissez-faire, and small government. This kind of system reform lacks rationality and appropriateness and it controls the potential of school education and the surrounding communal society. Moreover, it is under criticism for the high risk of causing inequality of educational opportunities. The main purpose of this chapter is to analyse how the issue of “equal educational opportunities” has been discussed in Japan’s education policy and reform in recent years.
