Ryoko Wada

Western Multicultural Education and Japanese Educational System: the Concept of Multicultural Education in Western Societies and Its Relevance to Japanese Education Ryoko Wada

Modern Japanese society is affected by various outside influences, particularly from Western countries, which come to bear most on young people. Historically, outside influences were found to be non significant in Japan until modern times; after the opening of Japan, the society as whole maintained a balance between influences and its cultural identity. However, the current Japan is different; a majority of young people are renouncing their traditional identity and are turning to Western popular culture. A number of studies addressing the relationship between the American and Japanese educational systems have concluded that Japan is following North American trends in various fields. The goal of this conceptual analysis is to examine the nature and extent of cultural diversity in Japan, define the meaning of multicultural education in the North American and Japanese contexts, and consider the relevance of multicultural education to Japanese education. This book will be of interest to professionals studying multicultural education, particularly its application to the Japanese educational system, and will also appeal to a wider audience drawn to Japan's history, culture and society.