Over the years, American students consistently have ranked below those from Finland, Canada, Japan, and at least a dozen other industrialized nations on international tests of mathematics, science, and reading. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has done nothing to close this gap. And the authors suspect that the law may be making matters worse.…

This article describes the Japanese quota system for the employment of people with disabilities and assesses the potential of a quota law that includes financial incentives for compliance. It concludes that laws to compel the employment of people with disabilities are unlikely to be effective and may be counterproductive. (Author/DB)

Discussion of individual rights and privacy in Japan focuses on the Privacy Protection Act, which acknowledges the threat posed by government databases to the individual's right of privacy. Characteristics of the Japanese legal system are described, origins of privacy in Japanese law are examined, and privacy and government databases are…

Examines the advantages and disadvantages of partial retirement--the transitional period between full-time employment and complete retirement--including easing the transition, labor market effects, and financial implications for social security systems and employers. Reviews partial retirement policies in eight countries and concludes that there…

A 1990 Japanese law on lifelong learning continues a debate begun in the last century and continued during the post-World War II Occupation. Concerns about the law include increased economic pressures on education, elimination of liberal adult education, and further erosion of local control. (SK)

Discussion of the global flow of information focuses on the ownership of U.S. information companies by foreign interests. Reasons for this trend are examined, including lack of a national information policy, the debate over free information, short-term profits versus long-term growth, federal legislation, investment opportunities, and the demand…

The five commissioned papers in this anthology provided part of the research base for the national report, "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent." In the first paper, "The Performance of High Ability Students in the United States on National and International Tests," Carolyn Callahan describes…

Focuses on minority/majority relations in Japan in a discussion of the history of discrimination and liberation strategies of the Burakumin, the largest minority group in Japan. (CMG)

Describes the existing legislative environment shaping the U.S. federal government's approach to Japanese scientific and technical information, and compares this to the scientific and technical information infrastructure in Japan. Policy options for the United States are presented and evaluated, and recommendations for a federal information policy…

Three issues related to Japan's recent passage of an amendment designed to reform two teacher education regulations are discussed: (1) circumstances surrounding implementation of the amendment; (2) essential points of the amendment; and (3) some controversial issues that emerged from consideration of the amendment in the national legislature. (IAH)

This report is a primer on the multifaceted issues that state legislators are likely to confront under the rubric of human resource development. Chapter 1 proposes a philosophy: enabling every citizen to become a productive member of the 21st century economy is in a state's best interest both socially and fiscally. Chapter 2 focuses on the premium…

This document traces the history of Japanese education since World War II and explains how the Japanese educational system operates today. Included in the discussion is information about: (1) the 1947 Fundamental Law of Education (which called for equal educational opportunities and compulsory education for nine years); (2) the development of the…

The high level of college admission of women in Japan is analyzed relative to changes in social and educational values, continuing evidence of gender tracking, persistent doubts regarding "appropriateness" of higher education for women, employment opportunities and related national legislation, and values held by Japanese women…