Two theories about the effects of industrialization on an individual's attainment of social, educational, and occupational status are examined in this study of 12 Japanese regions in varying stages of development. The first, the theory of industrialism, suggests that as development occurs, the attainment of educational and occupational status through kinship ties (ascription) decreases and status is gained on the basis of individual achievement. The second theory, status maintenance, argues that when educational expansion surpasses occupational demand the advanced industrial state will resort to ascription (kinship ties, social background) to fill prestigious jobs. Although both theories agree that education becomes more universal with industrialization, they disagree on occupational and social status attainment. Research in the 12 Japanese regions used both the individual and the region itself as units of measurement and involved several stages of analysis. Final results disprove the industrialism theory; ascriptive processes do not diminish with industrialization. Inadequate occupational demand does, however, restrict the degree to which educational attainment becomes prestigious. (KC)