This collection, written by Japanese and foreign scholars, represents an inclusive cross-section of the most important work in key areas of this field. Topics include: * the impact of Japanese education and training on Japan's economy and culture * the Japanese influence on the "East Asian approach" to education, in comparison with the educational systems of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong * Japan's promotion of "learning organizations" and "Knowledge workers" for the Information Age.

This collection, written by Japanese and foreign scholars, represents an inclusive cross-section of the most important work in key areas of this field. Topics include: * the impact of Japanese education and training on Japan's economy and culture * the Japanese influence on the "East Asian approach" to education, in comparison with the educational systems of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong * Japan's promotion of "learning organizations" and "Knowledge workers" for the Information Age.

Japan is regarded as a world leader in the field of education and training for improved economic performance. Yet success in Japan is often achieved by going against what is regarded as ideal practice elsewhere. This book offers the most comprehensive review available in English of the many facets of Japanese vocational education and training. Covering the system from primary education through to in job-training offered by companies, this book provides a detailed study of current practice giving equal emphasis to formal training in explicitly vocational courses, and informal training in factories, shops and offices. The authors analyse the difference between substantive 'person-changing' training and mere 'ability-labelling.' They raise important questions, such as: To what extent does the need to package skills to provide convenient qualifications distort the actual training given? How efficient is it to rely on professional trainers to certify the acquisition of skills, rather than run separate testing systems? The authors reveal how, in Japanese companies, employees are strongly motivated by pride in the successful execution of their jobs, and that much company training is carried out by colleagues.

In the Japanese company the quality of education and training resource available for management is regarded as crucial. This book presents perhaps the most detailed and comprehensive explanation in English to date of how the Japanese train and develop their managers. What influence do government and leading economic organizations have on the system of management education? Will changing attitudes to "lifetime" employment affect the principle of life-long adult education? What are the dynamics of Japanese management structures, how do the hierarchies operate and what is the decision-making process? How do management recruitment job rotation, evaluation, and promotion operate in the typical Japanese company? What are the forms and methods of in-company education and training, and how important are external training organizations and why? How will Japanese management education and training practices evolve in the 1990s? The author, Lola Okazaki-Ward, answers these and many related questions in this impressive book, for the first time providing the reader access to numerous original Japanese publications and invaluable information supplied by major Japanese companies.

A study of postwar education in Japan which is intended to shed light on the development of Japanese educational policy. Major educational documents are included, some taken from records of the American occupation forces and others being original translations from Japanese sources.