In this article I will first address what decolonisation is with specific reference to the colonisation and enslavement (Nelson, 2006) of Indigenous peoples, specifically my own people, the Indigenous Amami of the former Ryukyu Kingdom. According to Laenui (2006), there were five steps of colonisation, many of which I suggest are not yet complete.…

Preparedness for disaster scenarios is progressively becoming an educational agenda for governments because of diversifying risks and threats worldwide. In disaster-prone Japan, disaster preparedness has been a prioritised national agenda, and preparedness education has been undertaken in both formal schooling and lifelong learning settings. This…

This study examined and compared the legal inputs, structural settings and implementation process of lifelong learning policy in Thailand and Japan focusing on street-level agents. The findings demonstrated that while both countries had legal frameworks that provided a legislative platform to promote lifelong learning among the elderly based on a…

The recent restructuring of higher education in Japan has been carried out in the context of neo-liberalism with an emphasis on the unbridled workings of market forces. However, civic discourse on issues such as active citizenship and social inclusion/exclusion, which is significant to higher education as a democratic public sphere, has been left…

The concept of "lifelong learning" or "shogai gakushu" has rapidly become one of the topmost priorities in Japan's education policy agenda. This was considerably evident in December 2006 when the term 'lifelong learning' was added to Japan's educational charter, the Fundamental Law of Education. This paper explores, as a means…

This report describes the current state of affairs and reform in Japan in 2007 of the theory, policy, and practice of lifelong education. As in most countries, Japan has been talking of decentralisation in government, of giving more local autonomy to communities and of promoting individuality in education. In line with these aims, the government…

Lifelong learning in Japan involves various cultural and/or sporting activities for personal enjoyment rather than for individual or national economic benefit. Currently the study of karaoke at a variety of public and private organizations is very popular among older Japanese and housewives. This article explores the emergence of karaoke as a…

This paper explores the social dimension of lifelong learning from the perspective of demographics, with particular focus on the issue of the birth of fewer children, which has become one of the most important current social issues in Japanese society. When considering the relationship between lifelong learning and demographics, the issues arising…

Outlines various perspectives of lifelong learning as the foundation of case studies in a rural Japanese prefecture and a city. Case study analysis identifies four characteristics for lifelong learning program development and research: clearly stated societal objective, knowledge and skills curriculum, participant accountability, and social…

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)

A survey of Japanese community education committees received 2,818 responses (87%) providing data about the promotion of lifelong learning, cooperation with schools and department chiefs, methods of establishing courses, and the desired scope of community education courses in the future. (SK)

Lifelong learning in Japan is a means of addressing three issues: aging, community, and economic change. Government policies promote learning throughout life, and initial education plays a key role in developing aptitudes and attitudes for lifelong learning. (Contains 33 references.) (SK)

The tradition of Japanese education places a high priority on school credentials and limited access to higher education, inhibiting wider participation of adults in lifelong learning. The necessity for continuous updating of knowledge and skills requires that the school-centered system be changed. (SK)