Covert

Hi all,

Here are excerpts of several stories that have been carried in Japanese
national daily newspapers over the past few days, related to issues of
children and education in Japan.

Hope you find the articles of some interest or use.

Cheers,

Brian Covert
(KnoK NEWS)
Osaka, Japan

-------------------------

(1) Asahi Evening News - Tuesday, 17 October 2000

BRINGING UP BABIES AROUND THE WORLD IS AN EDUCATION

Child rearing is generally regarded as one of the toughest jobs in the
world. In Japan, limited child-care support makes the task even more
difficult. Some mothers, regardless of whether they work, even see it as
a burden.

Japanese women who have been abroad with their children, however, claim
their experiences were much more enjoyable. They say this country has
much to learn about the way to raise better children.

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.asahi.com/english/asahi/1017/asahi101706.html


(2) Asahi Evening News - Wednesday, 18 October 2000

UNIVERSITIES IN A DESPERATE BATTLE FOR LAND IN THE HEART OF TOKYO

Tough times are looming for private universities and junior colleges in
Japan as they enter an era which could see many engulfed by bankruptcy.

This past spring, nearly 30 percent of universities and 60 percent of
junior colleges inducted below-capacity numbers of freshmen, an
unsurprising fact given the national decline in the population of
18-year-olds.

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.asahi.com/english/asahi/1018/asahi101810.html


(3) Asahi Evening News - Thursday, 19 October 2000

UNIVERSITY CYBER CLASSES GET ALL CLEAR

Under new provisions by the Ministry of Education, college students
studying on-line at overseas universities will be able to transfer the
credits they earn into regular credits needed to graduate from domestic
colleges, according to ministry officials.

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.asahi.com/english/asahi/1019/asahi101909.html


(4) Mainichi Daily News - Friday, 20 October 2000

VILLAGE PRAISES PLAN FOR REWARDING KIDS

Kids respond to rewards. If you want them to behave themselves, start
praising them for being good sports. Or face the consequences.

That's the idea behind Maetsue's decision to adopt an ordinance to praise
and reward children　for their good behavior outside of school this month.

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.mainichi.co.jp/english/news/archive/200010/20/news05.html


(5) The Daily Yomiuri - Saturday, 21 October 2000

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO REVIEW MORAL EDUCATION CLASSES

The Education Ministry will review its textbook-oriented moral education
program at primary　and middle schools and examine the possibility of
employing new teaching methods, such as　field studies, lectures by
elderly people and those working in their communities, as well as　the
use of newspaper articles and related literature in classes, The Yomiuri
Shimbun has　learned.

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/1021cu11.htm


(6) The Daily Yomiuri - Saturday, 21 October 2000

SHIRAKAWA CALLS FOR EDUCATION REFORM

Hideki Shirakawa, professor emeritus of Tsukuba University and winner of
the 2000 Nobel Prize　in Chemistry, on Friday stressed the need to
establish an education system in Japan that　attaches importance to the
personality and unique abilities of each student.

Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of
Japan in Tokyo, he　said: "Is it necessary to turn out students to a
uniform standard? If those who are　enthusiastic about something special
can only receive the same level of education -- for the　sake of
standardization -- they will surely end up disliking science."

*for whole story, go to -->

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/1021sc06.htm


[END]