EDUCATION IN JAPAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 205, 2 September 1935, Page 6

EDUCATION IN JAPAN

ENGLISH COMPULSORY “NOT ONE IGNORANT PERSON It appears that the teaching of English in Japan is a matter fur more concern than in many English-speaking countries, from an account of educaiion in Japan given in an interview by Professor Russo, who is accompanying the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Katsuji Debuchi, as a personal adviser during his mission of goodwill to New Zealand and Australia, states the Christchurch Press. Professor Russo said that in Tokio there was an institute which was unique in the world—an institute fur research into the teaching of English, directed by Dr. Harold E. Palmer, who had been specially imported from the University of London. Professor Russo is at present holding a lectureship at Melbourne University, of which he is a graduate, under the auspices of the International Cultural Relations Society. He went abroad from Melbourne in 1930 on a scholarship on modern languages, studying in Paris. Berlin and Rome. He is now professor of modern languages in the Imperial University of Commerce, Tokio. and is maxing his present tour at the special invitation of the Ambassador, who is a graduate of that university. The Teaching of English t The study of English was cmrjuisory after the primary school stage, said Professor Russo, every pupil taking a five years’ course in the language. Because of lack of co?tact with English-speaking people many’ of the Japanese were not very fluent speakers, but the ordinary Japanese could read and write English perfectly.

In Japan there were no second try schools as they were known in New Zealand, he said. The grades were primary, middle, high, and university. Primary education was compulsory throughout the country, and illiteracy was practical! v.iknown. In every school was prominently placed the Imperial rescript on education, by which the Emperor ordered all his subjects to study so that there should be not one ignorant person in Japan. This rescript hud a remarkable effect, being regarded with an religious reverence. There were two kinds of university, the Imperial and the private universities. Entrance to the Imperial universities was extraordinarily difficult, only the best students being admitted. Those who failed to matriculate would try to enter a private uni versity. Although the degrees were standardised, the standards varied, and the Tokio University of Commerce was considered to demand the highest scholarship of its graduate. There was a six years’ course for the Bachelor of Commerce degree, for which students required an almost pefect knowledge of English, and of at least one other modern language. Freeaom of Education. ‘■Complete freedom of education as ve know it probably does not exist in Japan,” said Professor Russo, •‘but the social structure of the nation must be understood before it is possible to see that this sort of freedom would be incongruous in Japan. We cannot attempt to interpret Japanese sociology in terms of our own—that is why Westerners nearly always fail in interpreting the ways of the Eivst. “A certain section of the people is afflicted with mental indigestion, tryin«' to absorb doctrines which are considered radical in Japan.' ’ he said, “but this is definitely a negligible minority. Indicative of this is the fact that many who as students adopted a radical view have changed since their graduation. 1 think that this is caused by the extremely strong Imperial tradition and the sense of the loyalty to the Emperor extending back over thousands of years. 4 * When we speak of Japan we always generalise, ami we forget that parties exist there, as elsewhere. The majority, however, are very moderate and not vociferous, though it is the vociferous statements which excite most interest when they are published abroad. ” Professor Russo said that though there was no co-education in Japan, women were gradually becoming emancipated and were provided fur by women’s universities. Women were now being admitted t«» practice medicine.