The system of higher education in Japan: general characteristics, features, scheme. Features of school education in Japan

It's time to talk about the Japanese school and its features. We have long been accustomed to the fact that Japan is a somewhat different planet with its own special traditions and rules. But what about the Japanese school? It is the majority of anime and dramas dedicated to the Japanese school, and the girl's school uniform has become a model of Japanese fashion. How is the Japanese school different from the Russian? Today we will talk a little about this topic.

Fact number 1. Japanese school steps

The Japanese school consists of three stages:

• Junior School (小学校 sho: gakko :) in which children study for 6 years (from 6 to 12 years old);
• secondary school (中学校 chu: gakko :), in which they study for 3 years (from 12 to 15 years old);
• high school (高等学校ko:to:gakko :), which also lasts 3 years (from 15 to 18 years old)

Junior, middle and high schools are separate institutions and separate buildings with their own charters and procedures. Primary and secondary schools are compulsory levels of education and most often they are free. Senior schools usually charge fees. It is not necessary to graduate from high school if a person is not going to enter a university. However, according to statistics, 94% of all Japanese students graduate from high school.

Fact number 2. Academic year in a Japanese school

The school year in Japanese schools does not begin in September, but in April. Schoolchildren study in trimesters: the first - from April to the end of July, the second - from early September to mid-December and the third - from January to mid-March. The so-called summer holidays in Japan last only a month and a half (depending on the school) and fall on the hottest month - August.

Fact number 3. Distribution by class in a Japanese school

We are used to studying with the same people throughout our school life. But in Japan, things are completely different. We have already talked about the fact that junior, middle and high schools are separate institutions, but that's not all. Every year classes are formed in a new way. All students of the same parallel are randomly assigned to classes. Those. every year the student gets into a new team, which half consists of new people. By the way, before the distribution, Japanese students can write their wishes on special sheets: their name and two people with whom they would like to be in the same class. Perhaps the leadership will listen to these wishes.

Why is this needed? Such a strange "shuffling" is necessary for the development of a sense of collectivism. The student should not get hung up on the same people, but should be able to find a language with different peers.

Fact number 4. Clubs and circles

After completing school, students usually do not go home, but immediately go to the clubs in which they are enrolled. Clubs are something like Russian circles. And, as a rule, each student is a member of at least one club (by the way, participation in them is optional). Diversity and a large selection of sections is a sign of the prestige and wealth of the school. Clubs are of all kinds: sports, artistic, scientific, linguistic - for every taste and color.

Fact number 5. Japanese uniform and change of shoes

Almost all middle and high schools in Japan have a uniform. And each school has its own. Each student is sewn a school uniform individually, and a winter (warm) version of the uniform and a summer version must be included in the school uniform. Moreover, each school charter contains rules regarding the wearing of golf, school bags (often bags are issued along with the uniform), sports uniforms and even hairstyles.

In Japan, all schoolchildren wear the same change of shoes. Usually her role is played by either slippers or uvabaks - school shoes that look like sports slippers or ballet flats with a jumper. There are very strict requirements for interchangeable shoes in Japan, especially with regard to the color of the sole: the sole must not leave black marks on the floor. That's why uwabaki is most often white in color (interspersed with other colors). The color of slippers or uvabaki depends on the class you are in. Each class has its own color.

By the way, in elementary school there is usually no uniform. Unless panama hats of a certain color and stickers on briefcases - so that an elementary school student on the street can be seen from afar.

Fact number 6. Individual numbers in Japanese schools

Each student in a Japanese school is assigned an individual number, which consists of 4 digits. The first two digits are the class number, and the last two are your personal number, which is assigned to you in your class. These numbers are used on cards in the library, stickers on bikes. With these numbers, students sign all their control papers (student number, then student's name).

Fact number 7. schedule of lessons

The Japanese school schedule changes every week. Usually, students learn about the new schedule only on Friday. Therefore, it can be difficult to predict in advance, for example, which lesson will be the first on Monday in two weeks. In Russian schools, you will agree, everything is quite predictable in this regard.

Fact number 8. Japanese schools and cleaning

There are no cleaners in Japanese schools: the students themselves do the cleaning every day in the afternoon. Schoolchildren sweep and mop floors, wash windows, take out the trash and do many other things. And not only in their class, but also in the toilets and in the assembly hall, for example.

Fact number 9. Desks in Japanese schools

Each student in a Japanese school has his own desk. In other words, one person sits at one table. Not two (as, for example, in most Russian schools).

Fact number 10. Grades in Japanese schools

In Japanese schools, teachers do not grade for the presence or absence of homework and the degree of readiness for the lesson. If you have done something, the teacher circles the task with a red circle, and if not, you are left with your debt for the future.

However, grades cannot be completely avoided even in a Japanese school. Periodically, tests are conducted in all subjects (especially towards the end of the trimester), and these tests are evaluated on a 100-point scale. Do not forget about the exams that torment middle and high school students.

Fact number 11. Pens or pencils?

Japanese schoolchildren practically do not write with pens, but use pencils for this purpose. Pens are mainly needed to fill in the diary. Everything else - work in the lesson (or lectures), homework, tests need to be written down with pencils.

Fact number 12. A little about the use of cell phones in the classroom

In a Japanese school, cell phones are not allowed in front of teachers. If the teacher sees your gadget in class or hears an alert, then your smartphone will most likely be taken away, and you can return it only with your parents.

In fact, all of the above facts are far from exhaustive information that can be told about the features of the Japanese school. We will be glad if you give your examples in the comments to this post.

And in order to be able to communicate with the Japanese on everyday topics in a year, sign up for ours right now!

Japan is considered one of the most developed countries in the world. Indeed, it ranks third in terms of industrial production and GDP; it has the highest life expectancy. Factories, clinics, resorts, as well as schools and universities in Japan are annually included in world rankings. Therefore, many immigrants from the CIS would like to get an education in Japan. About how the learning process goes in this country, whether it is difficult to enter a Japanese university and whether a foreigner can count on career growth after receiving education in this country, and will be discussed further.

Japanese education system

As in most countries, education in Japan is divided into preschool, school and higher education. After graduation, you can continue your studies - to enroll in graduate school, and then in doctoral studies. However, it is worth considering that in Japan, with a population of 127 million, there are only 2.8 million students, which is almost three times less than, for example, in Russia, where the population is 20 million more. Therefore, admission to a Japanese university requires great effort and, of course, financial costs.

In order to "settle" in life in the future, children are accustomed to constant mental and physical labor already from elementary school. Starting from the 4th grade (on reaching the age of 10), students in Japan take exams, since students are not automatically transferred from class to class. Therefore, in order to successfully move up the school "career" ladder, children try to regularly visit centers for additional education - the so-called juku. Many schoolchildren and students also undergo distance learning.

Pre-school education: nursery and kindergarten

Pre-school education in Japan until the age of three is not compulsory. Kindergartens, mostly private, are divided into so-called sanctioned, which meet the highest educational standards, and unauthorized. In the first, oddly enough, the tuition fee is less, since they are actively supported by the state and local authorities, so the queues for them are huge.

Depending on the age of the child, preschools are divided into two types: hoikuen (nursery) - for children from 10 months to three years old and yochien (kindergarten) - for children from three to six years old. In order to send the baby to hoikuen, parents need to provide documents proving that they cannot work with the baby at home. This may be a certificate from the place of work or confirmation of a serious illness of the father or mother.

Japan until the end of the late Middle Ages was hidden from the whole world: neither enter nor leave. But as soon as the high walls fell, the world began to actively study this mysterious country, in particular, education in Japan.

Briefly about the main

In the Land of the Rising Sun, education is one of the first and main goals in life. It is this that determines the future of man. The education system in Japan has hardly changed since the 6th century. Although after the Second World War it was strongly influenced by British, French and, in particular, American systems. Residents of Japan begin to learn almost from the cradle. First, their parents instill in them manners, rules of conduct, teach the basics of counting and reading. Further nursery, kindergarten, junior, middle and high schools. After them universities, colleges or schools of special vocational training.

The academic year is divided into three semesters:

• Spring. From April 1 (this is the beginning of the school year) to mid-July.
• Summer. September 1st to mid-December.
• Winter. From the beginning of January to the end of March. The academic year ends in March.

After each semester, students take intermediate tests, and at the end of the year, exams. In addition to lessons, the Japanese have the opportunity to attend circles and participate in festivals. Now let's take a closer look at education in Japan.

Preschool

As already mentioned, etiquette and manners are instilled by parents. There are two types of kindergartens in Japan:

• 保育園 (Hoikuen)- state child care center. These establishments are designed for the little ones. By government decree, they were created specifically to support working mothers.
• 幼稚園 (youchien)- private kindergarten. These institutions are designed for older children. Here they teach singing, drawing, reading and counting. In more expensive institutions they teach English. So they come to school fully prepared.

It should be noted that the main function of kindergartens is not so much education, but socialization. That is, children are taught to interact with peers and society as a whole.

Primary School

Education in Japan in elementary school begins at the age of six. Most of these establishments are public, but there are also private ones. The elementary school teaches Japanese, mathematics, science, music, art, physical education and labor. Recently, English has been introduced as a compulsory language, which used to be taught only in secondary schools.

There are no clubs, as such, in elementary school, but extra-curricular activities are held, such as sports competitions or staging theater performances. Students wear casual clothes. The only obligatory element of equipment: a yellow panama, an umbrella and a raincoat of the same color. These are mandatory attributes when the class is taken on a tour so as not to lose children in the crowd.

secondary school

If translated into Russian, then this is training from grades 7 to 9. A more in-depth study of the sciences is added to the subjects of elementary school. The number of lessons is increased from 4 to 7. Interest clubs appear in which students are involved until 18.00. The teaching of each subject is assigned to a separate teacher. More than 30 people study in the classes.

Features of education in Japan can be traced in the formation of classes. First, students are distributed according to the level of knowledge. This is especially common in private schools, where they believe that students with poor grades will be a bad influence on excellent students. Secondly, with the beginning of each semester, students are assigned to different classes so that they learn to quickly socialize in a new team.

High school

High school education is not considered compulsory, but those who wish to enter a university (and today this is 99% of students) must complete it. In these institutions, the focus is on preparing students for university entrance exams. Also, students take an active part in school festivals, circles, attend excursions.

juku

Modern education in Japan does not end exclusively with schools. There are special private schools offering additional classes. They can be divided into two types according to the areas of study:

• Non-academic. Teachers teach a variety of arts. There are sports sections, you can also learn the tea ceremony and traditional Japanese board games (shogi, go, mahjong).
• Academic. Focused on the study of various sciences, including languages.

These schools are mainly attended by students who have missed school and cannot absorb the material. They want to successfully pass exams or prepare for entry into a university. Also, the reason why a student may insist on attending such a school may be closer communication with the teacher (in groups of about 10-15 people) or in company with friends. It is worth noting that such schools are expensive, so not all families can afford them. However, a student who does not attend additional classes has a losing position in the circle of his peers. The only way he can compensate for this is self-education.

Higher education

Higher education in Japan is mainly received by men. For women, as well as centuries ago, the role of the guardian of the hearth, and not the head of the company, is assigned. Although exceptions are becoming more common. The institutions of higher education include:

• State and private universities.
• Colleges.
• Schools of special vocational training.
• Technology colleges.
• Institutions of further higher education.

Colleges are mostly girls. The training is 2 years, and they teach mainly the humanities. In technological colleges, individual specialties are studied, the duration of study is 5 years. After graduation, the student has the opportunity to enter the university for the 3rd year.

There are 500 universities in the country, 100 of which are public. In order to enter a state institution, you must pass two exams: the “General Test of Achievement of the First Stage” and an exam at the university itself. For admission to a private institution, you only need to take a test at the university.

The cost of education is high, ranging from 500 to 800 thousand yen per year. There are scholarship programs available. However, there is a big competition: there are only 100 state-funded places for 3 million students.

Education in Japan, in short, is expensive, but the quality of life in the future depends on it. Only those Japanese who graduated from higher educational institutions have the opportunity to get high-paying jobs and occupy leadership positions.

Language schools

The education system in Japan is a cult leading the country to success. If in the post-Soviet space a diploma is a beautiful plastic crust, indicating that a person has been doing something for 5 years, then in the Land of the Rising Sun a diploma is a pass to a brighter future.

Due to the aging of the nation, higher education institutions accept foreign students. Each gaijin (foreigner) has the opportunity to receive a scholarship if his knowledge in a certain area is high. But for this you need to know Japanese well, so there are special language schools in the country for foreign students. They also offer short-term Japanese language courses for tourists.

Studying in Japan is difficult but fun. After all, students have the opportunity to develop harmoniously, make decisions independently and decide their own future. So, education in Japan, interesting facts:

• In elementary school, students are not given homework.
• Primary and secondary education is compulsory and free in public institutions.
• To enter the school, you need to pass the exams, those who failed to pass can try their luck next year.
• Schoolgirls are not allowed to dye their hair, wear make-up or jewelry other than wristwatches. The appearance of students in schools is carefully monitored. Even socks can be taken away if they are not the right color.
• Schools do not have cleaners. Starting from elementary school, students themselves clean the classrooms and corridors after the end of classes.

• Also, each group of students in the class has its own responsibilities. There is a group that is responsible for cleaning the school grounds, organizing events, health care, etc.
• In schools, the composition of students often changes so that children learn to quickly join the team. In higher education institutions, groups are formed according to the chosen subjects for study.
• "The System of Lifetime Employment". Education in Japan is also significant in that many universities cooperate with high schools, accepting students with good grades. And above universities there are well-known companies that hire graduates. A Japanese who graduated from a university can be confident in future employment and career advancement. Many Japanese work their way up from junior employee to department/branch manager and retire with a sense of accomplishment to the country.
• Holidays last only 60 days a year.
• A unique uniform has been established in middle and high schools.
• Each academic year begins and ends with ceremonies to welcome newcomers and congratulate graduates.

Mugs and festivals

The development of education in Japan is rooted in ancient times. Already in the 6th century there was a national education system. The Japanese have always been supporters of early and harmonious development. This tradition continues today. In middle and high school, students are given the opportunity to attend hobby groups. Each circle has its own supervisor, but he interferes in the activities of the club only when there are competitions or creative competitions between schools, which happens quite often.

During the holidays, students attend excursions organized by the school. Trips are carried out not only within the country, but also abroad. After the trips, each class is obliged to provide a wall newspaper in which it will detail everything that happened on the trip.

In high school, special attention is paid to such an event as the autumn festival. For each class, the school allocates 30,000 yen and buys T-shirts. And students are required to come up with an event that will entertain guests. Most often, cafeterias, fear rooms are organized in the classrooms, creative teams can perform in the assembly hall, sports sections arrange small competitions.

A Japanese student has no time to wander the streets of the city in search of entertainment, he has enough of them at school. The government has done everything possible to protect the younger generation from the influence of the street, and this idea they did very well. Children are always busy, but they are not mindless robots - they are given the right to choose. Most school and university events are organized by students on their own, without the help of supervisors. They come into adulthood already fully prepared, and this is the main feature of education in Japan.

2012 Economics №2(18)

I.A. Petinenko, A.A. Weaver

JAPAN'S EDUCATION SYSTEM: WHAT LEADS THIS COUNTRY

TO SUCCESS?

All stages of the educational system in Japan are studied, from preschool to postgraduate education. The features of raising children in educational institutions are revealed, the stages of the formation of characteristic Japanese features are shown - diligence, diligence, the ability to work in a team, understanding one's place, the desire to work for a company, and not for oneself, adherence to a strict hierarchy, etc.

Key words: education, education system, Japan, education in Japan.

One of the driving forces of progress in any field of human activity is the synthesis of accumulated world experience. In the context of the reform of the education system in our country, the study and analysis of the development of education abroad is becoming increasingly important.

Based on this, the purpose of this scientific work was to study the features of the modern education system in Japan.

The structure of education in Japan includes (Fig. 1): an optional level - kindergarten; school education, which is divided into junior, middle and high schools - a feature is that after high school you can go to various special schools and technology colleges; and higher education, subdivided into universities and the non-university sector.

Let's take a closer look at each of the levels of education.

Preschool education. In Japan, kindergarten is not a compulsory educational level. Children come here at the request of their parents - usually from the age of four.

All kindergartens in Japan are private. Among them, a special place is occupied by the so-called elite gardens, which are under the tutelage of prestigious universities. If a child enters such a kindergarten, his future can be considered secure: upon reaching the appropriate age, he moves to a university school, and from there, without exams, he enters the university. In Japan, there is quite intense competition in the field of education: a university degree is a guarantee of getting a prestigious, well-paid job - in a ministry or in some well-known company. And this, in turn, is a guarantee of career growth and material well-being. Therefore, it is very difficult to get into a kindergarten at a prestigious university. Parents pay a lot of money for the admission of the child, and the baby himself, in order to be accepted, must pass a rather complicated test.

Rice. 1. Education system in Japan

Japanese educators, teaching children to interact, combine them into small groups (khan), which is the most important distinguishing feature of the organization of preschool education. These groups are formed not according to ability, but according to what can make their activity effective. Groups are re-created every year. The constant change of the children's composition is associated with an attempt to provide the kids with the widest possible opportunities for socialization. If a child does not develop relationships in a particular group, it is possible that he will acquire friends among other children.

Raising young children in Japan immediately plunges them into a sharp competitive struggle for a better future, it does not always favor the development of a person’s creative abilities, but skillfully forms in the child the concept of human community, brings up a physically and mentally healthy person who knows how to work in a team, clearly following the instructions and without disturbing others.

School education. School in Japan is divided into three stages:

1. Primary school (grades 1-6) - Shogakko.

2. Secondary school (grades 7-9) - chugakko.

3. High school (grades 10-12) - kotogakko.

Primary and secondary schools in Japan are compulsory for everyone and free of charge. High school is not required, but about 95% percent go on to study after high school. 48% of high school graduates go on to college (2 years of study) or university (4 years of study).

Education in high school and at the university is always paid, but in state institutions it is cheaper. There are also paid private primary and secondary schools. In all paid institutions, you can study for free or get a big discount if you win a scholarship competition.

In elementary school, children study Japanese, mathematics, science (physics, chemistry, biology), social studies (ethics, history, etiquette), music, fine arts, physical education and housekeeping.

In secondary school, English and several special elective subjects are added to the list of subjects. The composition of these subjects depends on the school.

The high school program is slightly more diverse than the middle and elementary school programs, but students are given more opportunities to specialize in a particular area of ​​​​knowledge.

In addition to the school itself, most students attend paid juku preparation courses, which help them better prepare for the school exams. Juku classes usually take place in the evening, two or three times a week. “Juku” in translation means “school of excellence”, but it would be more correct to say “tutoring school”. There, specially hired teachers once again explain to the children what has already been said at school during the day, adding to this knowledge new ones that can be shown on the exam. And if before studying in juku was required for admission only to the best universities and schools, now it is also necessary for enrolling in the rank and file.

Juku is attended by one-sixth of junior students, half of middle school students, and almost all of the senior students. The annual income of all juku is an unthinkable amount of a trillion yen, comparable to the country's military spending. There is no such system in the world.

The main problem of Japanese schools is exhausting exams, each of which takes several hours of hard work and much more time in the process of preparing for it. From time to time they cause schoolchildren to commit suicide.

Middle and high school students take exams at the end of each trimester and in the middle of the first and second trimesters. Exams are usually taken in the form of written tests. Exam grades are based on a percentage system. The highest score is 100 points.

The transition from high school to high school is based on the results of exams. First, based on his school performance, the student receives a list of high schools that he has a chance to enter. Then he takes a transitional exam, and based on his results and previous performance, the question of which high school the student will enter is decided.

Good students go to prestigious high schools, bad students go to poor schools for those who do not intend to graduate. Such schools focus on home economics, agriculture, and so on. Career

their graduates have no prospects. Those who do not want to go to high school can enroll in five-year "technological colleges" - vocational schools. However, admission to them is not so easy - there is a big competition in the best of them, since skilled workers are highly valued in Japan. Some technical colleges are owned by large firms and their graduates are immediately employed.

Higher education. The higher education system includes the following main four types of educational institutions:

1) universities of full cycle (4 years) and accelerated cycle (2 years);

2) professional colleges;

3) special training schools (technological institutes);

4) schools of postgraduate education (magistracy).

Perhaps the main distinguishing feature of the Japanese higher education system is its hierarchy. Rigid hierarchies (often "non-overlapping", i.e., existing autonomously and independently of each other) permeate both the university and non-university sectors.

The non-university sector is, in fact, "second-class universities" that perform social rather than educational functions. Legally, junior colleges with two or three years of study are considered full universities, but the actual preparation and prestige of their diplomas do not correspond to the level of higher education.

Technological colleges train secondary technical personnel on the basis of a compulsory nine-year school and in many respects correspond to our technical schools.

In fact, the only full-fledged universities whose graduates do not experience discrimination and are listed on the labor market are full-cycle universities. The hierarchy of these universities includes the following steps:

1. Some of the most prestigious private universities such as Nihon, Waseda, Keio or Tokai University. Their graduates constitute the highest class of Japanese management and politics. It is almost impossible to get into such a university without appropriate training and recommendations, but their diploma gives a 100% guarantee of successful employment, regardless of grades, and often even specialty.

2. Top ranking public universities (Tokyo Institute of Technology or Yokohama State University). The tuition here is much lower, but the competition is exceptionally high.

3. Other public universities, most often established by prefectures and local governments. Low tuition and moderate competition.

4. Small private universities. With a high tuition fee, there is a low competition, a non-prestigious diploma and non-guaranteed employment.

Master's and postgraduate studies in Japan are united in postgraduate schools, located at universities and with relative autonomy. Curiously, the main scientific resources in Japan

were involved specifically for teaching in state magistracy, while the level of teaching in the bachelor's degree remained relatively low.

The Japanese bachelor's degree program is focused mainly on the "in-line" production of qualified specialists necessary to maintain the system, while the master's degree program is aimed at the production of initiative analysts capable of designing its development. The technological leap in Japan was made possible largely due to this division of tasks and the successful development of postgraduate schools.

Summing up, it is safe to say that, despite the fact that Japan's education system is relatively young, it is one of the best not only in the Pacific region, but throughout the world. The Japanese, having synthesized all the latest achievements of pedagogical science with the peculiarities of building the Japanese society, were able to provide their country not only with impressive economic growth rates, but also with a fairly high standard of living. They realized before others that an effective education system in a country with a high level of automation is not only mandatory, it is vital. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the lion's share of the economic and social development of this country is a consequence of a well-built education system.

Literature

1. Mukhanov V. Education in Japan [Electronic resource] // Education: everything for applicants. 2008. URL: http://www.edunews.ru/ (date of access: 03/20/2011).

2. Bordovskaya N., Rean A. Pedagogy. Ch. IV: Education in the world: history and modernity [Electronic resource] // Electronic Library Gumer. 2008. URL: http://www. gu-mer.info/ (date of access: 02/17/2011).

3. Salimova K.I. General education school in Japan in the XXI century. // Pedagogy. 2006. No. 8. S. 88-96.

4. Bondarenko A. Japanese school through the eyes of a Russian // Elementary school. 2005. No. 5. S. 120126.

5. Plaksiy S.I. Qualitative parameters of higher education [Electronic resource] // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. Information humanitarian portal. 2004. URL: http:// www. zpu-journal.ru/ (date of access: 21.02.2011).

6. Analysis of the system for assessing higher education in the world [Electronic resource] // Information and reference portal for supporting quality management systems. 2006. URL: http:// www. quality.edu.ru/ (date of access: 10.02.2011).

7. Alferov Yu.S. Monitoring the development of education in the world // Pedagogy. 2008. No. 7. S. 73-84.

8. Dzhurinsky A.N. The development of education in the modern world. M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2006. 176 p.

Education in Japan is the public sphere to which both the state and society itself pay maximum attention. Largely because of its own, this Asian country was able not only to overcome the consequences of defeat in World War II in the shortest possible time, but also to take a leading position in many high-tech industries.

In terms of its structure, the education of Japan in many respects resembles the educational models of Russia and the developed countries of Europe and America. The first step is elementary school, where children study from the age of six to twelve. Here, young Japanese learn grammar, writing, arithmetic, and begin to master the hieroglyphic alphabet. Classes are held not only in the form of traditional lessons, but also in excursions, modeling. After the end of the sixth grade, students take final exams.

The next stage is the secondary school of the first stage. It includes three years of study, along with compulsory subjects, there are also optional classes where students can get acquainted with the cultural achievements of mankind, as well as gain practical housekeeping skills and simple labor skills. This stage is the last compulsory, further education in Japan is carried out on a voluntary basis.

The vast majority of schoolchildren who have completed the 9th grade continue their studies at the secondary school of the second stage. It is also designed for three years, but here it is already assumed. Entering the second stage school, the Japanese must make a choice in favor of a general education or a specialized department. The latter is typical mainly for rural areas and the provinces, where they are interested in specialists in agriculture, marine fishing, and home economics. Most students from large cities choose general education departments so that later they have the opportunity to enter a university.

The higher education system in Japan is the most important component of the entire vocational education system and includes the following types of institutions:

1. Universities of a full cycle, the term of study in which is 4 years.
2. Universities with an accelerated program, studies in which do not exceed two years.
3. Vocational colleges that train mid-level specialists.
4. Technical institutes that produce engineers and designers.

Higher education in Japan is under the constant control of the government of the country, which will not only allocate significant funds for its development, but also constantly improve curricula and certain disciplines.

The system of higher education in Japan includes such world famous universities as universities in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Sapporo. Here they not only provide an excellent education, but are also actively involved in the employment of their graduates.

Higher education in Japan is changing along with changes in society, industry and other areas of life. So, in recent decades, short-term courses have become very popular, especially in such areas as economics, social studies, Japanese culture and language. These short-term programs are popular not only among foreigners, but also among the Japanese themselves, who do not hesitate to get or retrain for a new specialty.

Education in Japan is largely focused on the fact that the student, whether he is a schoolboy, student or graduate student, himself strives to acquire certain knowledge. Evidence of this is the fact that the government encourages in every possible way the activities of the so-called "students-scientists", who, already in their first year of university, set themselves the goal of discovering something new in one area or another.