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This volume is a textbook used in “Administration, Politics, and Management of Education,” which has been offered at the Faculty of Liberal Arts of the Open University of Japan, where I () am a visiting professor, since AY2019. Various ways to study education exist, but the purpose of this volume is to “learn about modern education by focusing on the legal system and how it actually operates” (from the website of the Foundation for the Promotion of the Open University of Japan). The Japanese education system and its actual conditions are subject to various legal revisions and reforms every year, and this volume is a relatively recent textbook published as a revised edition in 2023.
 
This volume is a source for learning the basics of the education system and educational administration in modern Japan and so, quite literally, will primarily be of use for those with an interest in this field. Education is a social activity, and efforts in the classroom and other workplaces are greatly influenced by the surrounding society and institutions. Discussing systems and policies is an inevitable part of considering educational reform and various educational issues, but advancing meaningful discussions on systems and policies is difficult without knowing how they are structured in the first place. To take the example of a recent topic, knowing the contents and outline of the Special Salaries Act (officially, the Act on Special Measures concerning Salaries and Other Conditions for Education Personnel of Public Compulsory Education Schools, etc.) is essential when talking about work style reform and growing teacher workloads. This volume provides an overview of the basic system and its challenges, with a particular focus on primary and secondary education as well as national and local government educational administration.
 
In recent years, Japan has undergone a series of educational reforms, and the systems and policies surrounding education changed frequently. For this reason, several textbooks that outline the educational system and educational administration have been published alongside this volume. In particular, an exceedingly large number of introductory books for teacher training courses exist. Or rather, the current situation is that almost nothing exists besides introductory books (a textbook written by myself and my colleague Akihiro Hashino for undergraduate and graduate introductory courses (/biblioplaza/ja/G_00169.html) is available, but this is an exception).
 
This volume is one among this wealth of introductory books, but it has several stand-out features compared to similar books. First, since the course is taught at the Open University of Japan, it is linked not only to textual information but also to broadcast materials (radio). The broadcasts are primarily for students of the Open University of Japan, but the general public can also access them via BS broadcasts (it used to be easily accessible through the radiko app, but this option unfortunately recently disappeared). Second, it emphasizes the perspective of pedagogy as a social science, aiming for not only a cursory understanding of systems and laws but also acquiring a social science way of thinking. Specifically, instead of “discussing matters as either good or bad,” which is common in educational discussions, this is teaching material that allows students to “put aside such value judgments and consider the questions of ‘how things are’ and ‘why they are that way’” (from the volume’s Preface). Third, this volume covers a wide range of topics, including not only elementary-, middle-, and high-school primary and secondary education but also early-childhood education and childcare, as well as higher, private, and social education. This is an introductory volume that I recommend many people with an interest in modern education to pick up.
 

(Written by MURAKAMI Yusuke, Professor, Graduate School of Education / 2024)