With our recent venture into establishing a mission in Japan it would be a good time to talk about education in Japan. After having lived in Japan for awhile we have found that the main reason that Japanese people want to interact with us is so that they may learn English. There is not much interest in spiritual things. Only fear prevails. It is understood at this time in history that English is the “lingua franca” of the business world. It is said that to understand English is to gain greater access the world at large. At one time in history Japan even considered making English the official language! How does education play into this? Japanese society places high emphasis on education. Some of the highest literacy rates in the world are frequently flouted as proof of the Japanese dedication to education. It is not uncommon for Japanese parents to fiercely compete for placement into the best pre-school so that they may in turn get into the best schools further down the line. The whole of Japanese life is really built around education which is said to be the core of their civilization. Think to your perception of Japan in media. The whole stereotypical image of the “Sensei” and the student was projected onto the Western mind through movies such as “Karate Kid” as well as children's TV shows such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. The teacher is highly valued as the wise master with all of the answers. In Japan there is great reverence even for the term “Sensei” which is not to be instilled lightly upon anyone. So much so, that we are careful not to call ourselves Sensei when instructing others. How is it that Japan has placed so much emphasis on education? In what way do they view education?
When Japan opened up in 1868 during the Meiji Era a strong desire was instilled by the leadership to catch up to western advancements. At the time Japan lagged behind as a backward country compared with the West in almost every way. Compulsory education combined with Japanese distinctives was seen as the way to rapidly advance. Within a few decades Japan was transformed into an industrialized advanced nation upon all outward appearances. To this day it is ranked number four worldwide for economic prowess which is said to have come from a strong educational emphasis. In their mind education has made them great and it is what makes them truly Japanese. What exactly is distinct about Japanese education?
Believe it or not, the main purpose of Japanese education is essentially to teach children how to be Japanese, not necessarily education. In Japan it is essential to be obedient to the dictates of the group. This is continually reinforced as a learned behavior from a very young age. Obedience to authority without question, working together in unison, rote memory of select information, and no allowance for critical thinking or questions all are used to create a uniquely ideal Japanese society. A uniquely man-made utopia on earth. How is this achieved? Through conformity. It must be learned that to be different from the group is bad. From a young age children are taught to dress alike, act alike, think alike, and are paired together in similar groups. This is said to create harmony. There is a strong emphasis on “inside the group” versus “outside the group”. There is also strong emphasis on giving good outward appearances, while concealing your true self. Though not intentional, this system creates a strong idolization of what is considered “inside the group” or what is uniquely Japanese above everything else. Coupled with Darwinian evolutionary thought this makes for a survival-of-the fittest scenario to play out. Foreigners, Half-Japanese, the “weak” or even Japanese who lived overseas will never completely be part of this ideal in-group. This also leads to an epic level of bullying that is prevalent throughout Japanese society at all levels. This then leads to the concept of enduring pain and suffering. Children are taught to endure all personal hardships for the sake of the group. For instance, to be exhausted all the time is to be Japanese. It is common for Japanese children to be placed in cram-schools for two to four hours after school each day. This is done not necessarily for learning, but to instill the concept of enduring hardship for the group to succeed. The main goal is to create good Japanese citizens who will unquestionably obey. Lack of analytical thinking, group-oriented conformity, and abdicating personal responsibility over to the group collective are the hallmarks of Japanese education. This is the reality of Japan. However, can this system be maintained?
The truth is, is that this system has been in decline for awhile. Japan's economy, birthrate, and conformity have been on the decline for years. Many are quietly rebelling by not get married, dropping out of the system, moving overseas, or sadly committing suicide. Their hope needs to be found elsewhere: not in this Utopian world system or any world system for that matter. Only the gospel can give them as well as mankind hope for the future. That is why we are here to spread the good news. No man-made system can free mankind from the shackles of sin. So, we are here to slowly and patiently teach the Bible to the few who will have the courage to look beyond the education that this world has to offer.
