Describes the history and cultural roots of the Japanese system of education. Explores salient aspects of the system, its values and objectives and draws comparisons to the United States education system. Identifies those aspects of the Japanese system which are adaptable and worthy of emulation in the U. S. schools. (JDH)

This ERIC Digest discusses how, by studying Japan, the larger context of the Asia-Pacific region can be explored and students can be introduced to current realities. The top 5 competitive countries for 1994 were the United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Germany. Because of the increasing interdependence between the United States and…