Education for Foreign-Born Students at Japanese schools—Inclusive or Collective?

• In Event: Promoting inclusive social development in Japanese public schools 

Proposal

The objective of this study is to explore the dynamics of education for foreign-born students in Japanese public schools to examine whether the special education course (tokubetsuna kyoiku-no-katei) given to foreign-born students provides a scaffold for cultural diversity and enshrines inclusive social development for all children at the school.

For the last 10 years, the number of foreign-born students registered in Japanese public schools has exceeded 70,000, of which about 30,000 were recorded as requiring Japanese language learning. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), a pivotal agency for foreign-born students, has issued an amendment to school education implementation rules outlining a special education course that provides student-centered teaching. In 2016, MEXT shifted the perspective of foreign-born students from “passive” to “active,” proclaiming that eventually foreign-born students will take a leading role in connecting Japan with their native countries, benefiting both societies.

Paradoxically, though, much of the literature holds the view that for these foreign minority students, the majority culture remains unreachable, regardless of language acquisition or duration of stay (Qi and Zhang, 2008). Tuneyoshi, Okano and Boocock (2011) also denote that ensuring inclusiveness for newly arriving minority foreign students is challenging and is further challenging for long-term resident Chinese and Korean students. Even as society pushes forward, they remain excluded (Qi and Zhang, 2008). Yet, Futaba (2016) describes a successful school where inclusiveness was achieved even in a collective culture like Japan. She argues that a challenging school environment— e.g. with many students with special needs and foreign nationals—can alter school culture through collaboration among parents, teachers, and the community. This change can also come through “adhocracy” or continuous trial and error ensuring rights for all school children. 

While there may be a gap between policy and practice on the ground, this paper explores how education for foreign-born students has been perceived at local public schools. Primary and lower secondary public schools, as well as affiliated language classes in the community in city X, a politically designated city, will be examined. This city has historically had various types of students enrolled in such special education courses. The data collected for the study include semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and archival research.

The issue of “inclusion” is a commonly shared theme and is essential for sustainable development. By conducting local interviews, attending conventions, and observing practices for foreign-born students at Japanese schools, this study delineates the dynamics and challenges of social inclusiveness. On October 11, 2018, the Japanese government announced a new immigration policy in which Japan will accept foreign nationals in key occupations as permanent residents who are allowed to live with their families. It is clear that the proportion of foreign students will increase over time. While Japan hitherto remains a collective society, and an increasingly attractive destination for foreign workers, soliciting a new channel where mutual collaboration of foreign individuals and Japanese people at school and community will lay the foundation for a new society in Japan.

Author

• Riho Sakurai, Hiroshima University