Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/266

Education in Japan originated in the first foundation of the country. The spirit of loyalty, filial piety, and bravery which constitutes the fundamental character of the nation has been fostered and cultivated from time immemorial. But education, prior to the Restoration in 1867, had been restricted to a narrow scope, a certain class only enjoying its benefits. The subjects of study were also limited to Chinese and Japanese literature, much stress being laid upon morals. Soon after the Restoration the new Government directed serious attention to the subject of education, and consequently the old system was discarded and a new one, entirely different, and such as prevails in the civilized West, was introduced throughout the Empire. Though the educational idea of the nation has gradually developed during the period of more than 2,000 years, yet the present system of education is really the outcome of the great changes effected in the very short period of less than forty years since the Restoration, to which there is scarcely a parallel in the history of Europe or America.

It was in the year 1871, just one year after the adoption of the educational system in England, that saw the establishment of an independent Ministry called the Department of Education, whose head, the Minister of State for Education, became a member of the Cabinet. Two years later an Educational Code, comprising the whole system of Universities, secondary schools, primary schools, etc., was issued. Since then various improvements in the system have been carried out, until we have the organization existing to-day. There has been this steady progress in the educational system for many years, but especially is it true that, during the last five or six years, the advance made in every direction is very remarkable.

The central administrative organ is the Department of Education, with a Minister of State at its head and a Vice-Minister under him. In addition, there are three directors, corresponding to the three bureaus of special school affairs, general school affairs, and technical school affairs; councillors, secretaries, school inspectors, and examiners of school books and charts, who transact the various duties respectively assigned to them. The local administrative body for education comprises three classes: the administrator of the body of the lowest class is the head of a city, town, or village, who has