1. Illiteracy in Japan: Fact or Fiction?
B17421 Kana Kimura

2. outline Introduction Defining terms Fact Fiction Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

3. Image “Japan is a high literacy country”
Introduction
Image “Japan is a high literacy country”
Compulsory education system (義務教育)
“All people shall have the right to receive an equal education correspondent to their ability, as provided by low.”
The Constitution of Japan (2009)

4. Introduction
This is always true?
Illiterate people

5. Introduction
Illiteracy in Japan is
Fact
Fiction or

6. outline Introduction Defining terms -2terms Fact Fiction
Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

7. Defining terms : Illiteracy
People have a difficulty to understand texts in daily life.
People can not read and write because being unable to receive education even if they want to learn.
Unesco (2015),
ACCU (2018)

8. Defining terms : Illiteracy

9. Defining terms : The literacy rate
People
who can read and write
➣ The target is over 15 years old.
(Unesco 2015)
Total population

10. “The literacy rate is 99%...?”
Defining terms : The literacy rate
“The literacy rate is 99%...?”
Japanese literacy survey (日本人の読み書き能力調査)
-A opinion poll in nationwide
-in 1948
-16,820 people
Surveys for literacy has not been done…
This is the latest survey!
Kadoya (2010 : 159), Sumi (2014: 1), Nakamura (2009 : 13)

11. Defining terms in
People who can not read and write in daily life exist in Japan. Or
All Japanese can read and write in daily life.
Fact
Fiction

12. outline Introduction Defining terms Fact Fiction Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

13. Illiteracy is Fact? 3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学)
3-2. Dyslexia

14. The evening junior high school
Fact : The evening junior high school
The evening junior high school
31 Schools
1,687 students
Government
Volunteer
331 students
1,356 students
Government Public Relation Online (2018), MEXT (2017: 24)

15. Fact : The evening junior high school
58.8% are
over 60 years old people
MEXT (2017: 24)

16. Fact : The evening junior high schoool
World war 2
Housekeeping
Poverty
Discriminated community (部落差別)
The existence of the evening junior high school
The existence of illiterate people
Government Public Relation Online (2018)

17. “Illiteracy in Japan: Fact”
Fact : The evening junior high school
“Illiteracy in Japan: Fact”
Unesco (2015),
ACCU (2018)

18. Illiteracy is Fact? 3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学)
3-2. Dyslexia

19. Dyslexia One of learning disability 5 to 8% people are possible to be
Fact : Dyslexia
Dyslexia
One of learning disability
5 to 8% people are possible to be
dyslexia.
Isii (2004: 1-2), Edge (2018)

20. Fact : Dyslexia Ed
Edge (2018)

21. Fact : Dyslexia Ed
さかな
めがね
語　鳥　健
湖　庭　州
Isii (2004: 3))

22. Tom Cruise “I’d try to concentrate on what I
Fact : Dyslexia
Tom Cruise
“I’d try to concentrate on what I
was reading, then I’d get to the
end of the page and have very little memory of anything I’d read.”
“I can not understand the script, so I listen the dialog when I remember it.”
People(2003)

23. “Illiteracy in Japan: Fact”
Fact :Dyslexia
“Illiteracy in Japan: Fact”
Unesco (2015),
ACCU (2018)

24. outline Introduction Defining terms Fact Fiction Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

25. Fiction
Illiteracy is Fiction?
4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

26. The enrollment rate Japanese enrollment rate (2011 to 2016) →100%!
Fiction : The enrollment rate
The enrollment rate
People who attend a school in school age
Japanese enrollment rate (2011 to 2016)
→100%!
The high school-going rate : 98.8% (2017)
People in school age
Sumi (2014: 19), Japan Committee for UNICEF (2017: 2), MEXT (2018)

27. “Illiteracy in Japan: Fiction”
Fiction : The enrollment rate
“Illiteracy in Japan: Fiction”
Unesco (2015),
ACCU (2018)

28. Fiction
Illiteracy is Fiction?
4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

29. Education before the compulsory education
Fiction : Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
Education before the compulsory education
MHLW
(厚生労働省)
MEXT
(文部科学省)
Kindergarten
Nursery school
>
Benesse (2015)

30. Fiction : Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
Government policy
Kindergarten 1,271,918 children
Nursery school 2,546,669 children (2017)
生活の中で必要な言葉が分かり、使う。
日常生活の中で、文字などで伝える楽しさを味わう。
(文部科学省、幼稚園教育要綱　2017: 16)
教師が幼児一人一人にとって豊かな言語環境となることを教師自 身が自覚する必要がある。
(文部科学省、幼稚園教育要綱解説　2017: 103）
MEXT (2017: 16), MEXT(2017: 103)

31. “Illiteracy in Japan: Fiction”
Fiction : Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
“Illiteracy in Japan: Fiction”
Unesco (2015),
ACCU (2018)

32. outline Introduction Defining terms Fact Fiction Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

33. Analysis : Fact
Analysis for Fact?
3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学) 3-2. Dyslexia

34. About 80% are foreigner students Newcomer children are increasing!
Analysis : The evening junior high school
About 80% are
foreigner students
Japanese students
Newcomer children are increasing!
Foreigner students
Literacy education

35. Analysis : Fact
Analysis for Fact?
3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学) 3-2. Dyslexia

36. Dyslexia Does not fit the illiteracy definition 2?
Analysis :Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Does not fit the illiteracy definition 2?
The reason of dyslexia
　○ a disability of brain

37. Analysis : Fact
Analysis for Fact?
3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学) 3-2. Dyslexia

38. Analysis :Fiction
Illiteracy is Fiction?
4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

39. The enrollment rate 100% All children go to school enrollment rate
Analysis : The enrollment rate
The enrollment rate
A refusal(停学), a long absent and a dropout…
100%
enrollment rate
All children go to school
Saito (1991 : 59-60)

40. In junior high school and a high school
Analysis : The enrollment rate
In junior high school and a high school
A refusal : 18
A long absent : 286,431
A dropout : 47,623
334,072 students can take enough education?
(2017)
MEXT (2017: 59,62,89,105)

41. Analysis :Fiction
Illiteracy is Fiction?
4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

42. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
Analysis :education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school
The level is different
By parents’ intention
Is educational opportunity equal?
Figure 5: The rate of children who go to a kindergarten or a nursery school (2013)
Benesse (2015), MHLW (2015: 4)

43. Analysis :Fiction
Illiteracy is Fiction?
4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

44. Analysis : Fact and Fiction
3-1. The evening junior high school (夜間中学) 3-2. Dyslexia 4-1. The enrollment rate（就学率） 4-2. Education in a kindergarten and a nursery school （幼稚園・保育園での教育）

45. outline Introduction Defining terms Fact Fiction Analysis of 3. Fact
Analysis of 4. Fiction
Conclusion

46. Illiteracy Illiteracy in Japan : Fact older illiterate people
Conclusion
Illiteracy in Japan : Fact
older illiterate people
(Dyslexia and functional illiterate people)
Illiteracy
Disability?
Illiteracy level?

47. Thank you for listening!