Summary:

Japans educational system is often referred to as one of the premier systems in the world. From the outside view, Japan has created an excellent pool of individuals who have influenced the world of business, technology, and science. In the early development of Japans educational system, the core goal was to create an equal and standardized program for all of its students. Japan succeeded to meet this goal and gained a reputation for high academic standards and accomplishments. With this as a core goal, emphasis on creating innovative programs, advocating diversity, and meeting the individual needs of a student went by the wayside. In an effort to retain a high level of educational programming, The National Commission on Educational Reform recently emphasized core changes in education to meet the needs of todays Japanese students. Strategies are focused on maintaining a high level of standards and uniformity, while promoting innovative programming and teaching. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) has encouraged integrated education, a method of providing considerations to special needs students within the regular education setting. This paper consists of three parts that provides a general summary of trends in Japanese education. Focus on special education is included, which encompasses samples of educational opportunities available within the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan.

Keywords:
Japan, special education, innovative program, disabled, handicapped, Shizuoka education, Shizuoka schools, education reform, the Rainbow Plan