A Review of Japan's Education System "Ikiru Chikara" for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Reni Juwitasari
Japan Program Analyst
Asian Research Center for International Development (ARCID)
School of Social Innovation, Mae Fah Luang University
Source of picture: https://www.policycircle.org/life/education-for-sustainable-development/
Introduction
The disruption of COVID-19 has had unprecedented impacts on the lives of millions of people, families, communities, and even children. The social distancing of health protocol urges the school closure, which disrupted the conventional educational style of face-to-face, and affects more than 1.5 billion learners – over 90% of the world's children-on-age school population by school closure (WV, 2020). This condition is a milestone to flourish distance learning as a solution during this pandemic; however, this platform of distance learning has still not been adequately established, particularly in the Global South countries. Precisely, distance learning creates significant barriers to achieving educational objectives, e.g., lifelong learning and inclusive education in alignment with the United Nations' Education for All (EFA) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agendas (Blackman, 2021).
Education is a vital tool that gives equitable opportunities for children or the young generation regardless of gender, race, color, nationality, and social status (Samkange, 2015). Nevertheless, education amid crisis time is not easily accessed. The distance learning approach exacerbates the digital divide, especially in the cultural and structural divides gap. For instance, different social classes, such as upper-middle-class and lower-middle-class, have been provided support for education access differently and unequally (Goudeau et al., 2021). Therefore, the disruption caused by COVID-19 has dramatically altered the educational role's nature, even another social classes problem.
The educational practitioner and agency are essential to be adaptive and proactive in response to this uncertain circumstance in which transform the education practice with the skill of communication and socialization to distance learning where social presence as the salience of interpersonal relationships school members, students, and teacher, inter alia faced a disruption (Vakoufari, Angelaki & Marvroidis, 2014). School as an institution not only exhibits students' potential but also becomes adaptive and responsive to world circumstances, for instance, among Japanese schools. Japanese schools involve students in confronting this difficult moment and other global concerns, such as the environment. As a result, the COVID-19 outbreak will not paralyze the school's role to equip children with the necessary power to live in the future, strengthened by the school principal in Japan at his speech (Mochiduki, 2020). As a result, this kind of spirit leads Japan as one of the countries performing the best education globally in terms of sustainability and lifelong learning (OECD, 2018). One of the salient Japanese education concepts of lifelong learning is Ikiru Chikara, known as 'Zest for a Living.' This concept embeds children with a balance of three pillars of knowledge, moral and physical aspects. This concept will be elaborated in this article as a lesson learned from Japanese education to create sustainable development, especially environmental education and preservation among Japanese children as the environment is recognized as one of the future disruptions.
'Ikiru Chikara' and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Japan
The Japanese do not distinguish between humans and nature but see the two as inextricably linked. Because the Japanese term for nature (shizen) incorporates the character for "self," they demonstrate a desire to shape, trim, and work on nature (Burke, 2014). From childhood, an attitude of appreciation for the environment is nurtured in educational institutions. Appreciating nature and the environment is one of the values embedded in Japanese children's spirits and is included in the school curriculum (Mulyadi, 2020). The Japanese government recognizes that environmental education must begin in the early stages to develop an inherent love and concern for the environment. In this sense, formal education or schools are critical in establishing prevailing ideas, culture, ideology, and forming the civil society in accordance with the government's mission statement, especially environmental issues mandated in Social Education Act 1949 (Duran, 2019; Glackin & Greer, 2021).
In link with the nature preservation and environmental education in Japan's context, since elementary school, one of the mission statements of Japan's education has been "Ikiru Chikara" (Zest for a living). This concept has been cultivated under the educational goals outlined in the Basic Act on Education, "the foundations for an independent life within society while developing each individual's abilities, and fostering the basic qualities necessary for those who come from our state and society." One of the objectives is to promote an attitude of respect for life, care for nature, and contribution to environmental protection (Chapple, 2015). "Ikiru Chikara" is highlighted in Japan's Education Ministry's (2002) Elementary School Curriculum Guidelines and is associated with to social-anthropological perspective on personal orientations and the natures of vitality. As a result, "Ikiru Chikara" is primarily concerned with incorporating the concept of education's targets and mission (Kameyama, 2009). The fostering of a "zest for a living," which is promoted in Japanese education today, encompasses relationships with nature; science, technology, and energy; the environment; and the international community, all of which are areas to which education will need to adapt in the near future (Fujioka & Sakakibara, 2018). Under this concept, students are brought to learning by doing or active learning, positioning students as active and center agents (Starkie, Claro, & Gonzalez, 2021).
The interpretation of the widely disseminated "Ikiru Chikara" (Zest for a living) philosophy and its implementation in local settings is a significant challenge to individual schools' adaptive capacity (Clark, Nae & Arimoto, 2020). The key of Ikiru Chikara is relevant to the development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) since this concept is integrated studies of environmental education, health, and welfare education, and other educations which shared the educational purpose of "sustainable society" in several subjects of social studies, science and moral education in all levels of education, including Kinder Garten (NIER, 2011). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) refers to empowering learners of all ages with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes necessary to face the global issues that are inextricably linked, including climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, poverty, and inequality, along with the balanced development of the environment, economy, society and culture (UNESCO, n.d.; Glackin & Greer, 2021). Broadly, ESD is a lifelong learning process and an integral part of quality education in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by transforming society (UNESCO, n.d.). Therefore, implementing the prolonged existing "Ikiru Chikara" educational concept becomes a key to ESD attainment in Japan.
As a result, this article will elaborate on the "Ikiru Chikara" or Zest for a Living educational concept in the case of environmental preservation in Japan. This concept can be a lesson learned to cultivate children's skills of living in the future. The author examines that students are given knowledge and skills under this concept as indicated by the lifelong learning definition (Amaratunga et al., 2011).
A Transformation of Japan's National Curriculum toward Ikiru Chikara
The educational institution in Japan began during the Edo period when a formal school and communal learning center called terakoya were formed. The school establishment specialized in teaching Chinese classics (Confucian Studies) to children of the samurai warrior class (Shoheizaka school, fief schools). At the same time, Terakoya was devoted to teaching reading, writing, and practical skills for everyday life to children from ordinary people. Throughout the Meiji Restoration, the Ministry of Education was established as a component of the central government. The first minister of education, Mori Arinori, was acutely aware that education is critical for national development. The Japanese needed to be equipped with Western knowledge and skills to modernize the country and spiritual unity through an intensified national morality. Additionally, during the Meiji Restoration, the government adopted the Vocational Education Act, supporting the route of Japan's industrial modernization (JICA, n.d.). Consequently, Japan implemented a modern school education system in 1872, which increased public passion for education by including the external world, in contrast to the Edo Period, when education excluded the outside world (Yamanaka, & Suzuki, 2020; JICA, n.d.).
The development of progressive educational theory and technique in Japanese schools occurred during the Taisho Era when John Dewey's educational philosophy of "learning by doing" flourished worldwide. This movement and theory of "learning by doing" resulted in the transition of child-centered and activity-based education in Japan's public schools at the Core Curriculum aiming at solving everyday living problems, along with other movements, such as "Free Painting Movement" and "Red Bird" magazine, where children could be given free expression. Education in Japan has significantly changed after the wartime in the 1950s in the socio-political environment discernibly, and it mattered to the re-evaluation of education reforms under the San Francisco Treaty of Peace. "Moral Education" that Japan cultivated needed to be revised influenced by America. The children were focused on science and mathematics. Continuously, there were influential transformations of structuring school and learning environment under Japanese Law, as follows;
After the Meiji Restoration and the Second World War, Japan's education system underwent another reform in the 1970s, termed "the Third Education Reform," to align with the country's tremendous economic growth. The country forced for economic, social, and cultural development which school was a "distortion" of student's performance competition. Hence, education reform was aimed to address social issues in education, such as the number of children missing from school, dislike school, in-school violence, bullying among school students, and corporal punishment. As a result, the Japanese educational council established the fundamental education reform on the humanization of the educational environment, the transition to a lifelong learning education system, and the growth of creativity, the capacity for thought, and the ability of expression (Sothy, 2020; JICA, n.d.).
Since the end of the Second World War, education in Japan has been guided by the fundamental opportunity of ensuring equal opportunity in education regardless of birth, family income, or class status. It has expanded rapidly, aided by a national culture emphasizing education and the Japanese people's rise to the world's highest wealth levels. Education's remarkable dissemination has been the driving force behind what we now refer to as Japan's miraculous development (Kitano, 2003).
In the 1990s, Japan's education system was transformed into concrete, focusing on uniqueness and human resources development through training and a lifelong learning strategy. The Central Council for Education held the first report of its deliberations on "A model for Japanese education in the twenty-first century" in 1996, intending to foster Japan's future education on internationalization and the growth and spread of information, the development of science and technology, global environmental and energy problems, as well as the rapid development of an aging society coupled with a declining birthrate (JICA, n.d.). This concept is called "Ikiru Chikara" or "Zest for Living" directed the concept of having the ability and aptitudes required to identify issues, learn for themselves, think independently, make their judgments, act independently and work toward better solutions (Kitano, 2003). Education reform has become one of the most important common challenges facing developed countries. Therefore, following the education reform in Japan, education was raised for the first time as a major topic and active discussion conducted at the G8 Summit held in Cologne, Germany, in June 1999 (Kitano, 2003).
Hitherto, the national curriculum in Japan has evolved into the notion of "zest for life," where this notion refers to offering a balanced education that incorporates the three pillars of knowledge, morality, and physical strength or based principle of the "Chi-Toku-Tai," to develop healthy, well-rounded persons with strong academic abilities and moral values who will thrive in a changing society (Kimura & Tatsuno, 2017). Following the Education reform in 1996, in July 2001, the Ministry of Education (MEXT) amended the School Education Law (Article 18-2) and the Social Education Law (Article 5-12) to introduce the Nature Education Activity (NEA), which reconstructing a strengthened the education philosopher John Dewey "learning by doing." Additionally, extracurricular activities such as school events incorporated in the curriculum stress collaboration and teamwork (Starkie, Claro & Gonzalez, 2021; Kitano, 2003). "Ikiru Chikara" or Zest for Living is relevant to the situation nowadays on anthropogenic actions to the earth. In the next part, I will elaborate on the tangible example of Japan's School implementing this concept.
Examples of Japan's School "Ikiru Chikara" Implementation
The concept of "Ikiru Chikara" is associated with nature experiences activities (NEA) in school and social education (Kitano, 2003). In Japan, social education encompasses all sorts of organized educational activities that are included in the curriculum. Nature Experiences, Activities (NEA) refers to nature studies, fieldwork, and environmental studies that are merged with study activities (sougotekina gakushu), such as outdoor education and adventure education, that concentrate on environmental experiences (Mulyadi, 2020). After amending the School Education and Social Education Laws in 2001, the Comprehensive Five-day School Week System was implemented in Japanese school life in 2002. It allows children to spend more time free from pressure at home and in communities, engaging in social contribution activities and nature-oriented experiences "Ikiru Chikara" in their daily lives, including the cooperation among schools, families, and communities (Kitano, 2003).
Forest education is a well-known Nature Experiences Activity (NEA) in Japan since 70% of the country is covered by forest. Forest education flourished in kindergartens in 2007, after establishing a conference on forest education research in 2003. (Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute, 2020). Plowing rice or vegetable fields, sowing seeds, raising water, harvest, preparing, consuming, compost, and using a biological toilet is part of kindergarten and primary school forest education. Children may learn about plant life cycles and interact with various wild creatures via these activities. In short, there are much more chances to apply a holistic approach to environmental education and to encourage ecological ways of thinking for global sustainability than there are in fully recognized early childhood education services as a destination sector (Inoue, Elliott, Mitshushashi, & Kido, 2019; Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute, 2020).
According to Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute (2020), forest education in secondary education comprises nature observation, outdoor camping, and forestry practice, including cutting and planting trees using forestry tools. In detail, there are 1) immersion in nature: playing, games, walking, 2) resting for health: viewing cherry blossoms or autumn leaves, resting body and mind, 3) wildlife protection: investigating, breeding, and managing the environment, 4) nature observation and learning: observing trees or animals, learning about natural environment, observing forest-related-facilities, observing forestry, 5) collecting for observation and learning: flora and fauna, 6) collecting gifts bestowed by forests: fuel wood, material for handcrafts, collecting food, fallen leaves for composting, 7) environmental management: repair or mowing of forest trails, 8) building facilities in forests: building cottage or hut, building tree house, making forest trail, making playground equipment, 9) forestry work: planting trees, cutting understory, pruning, thinning, mushroom cultivation, making charcoal, 10) making handcrafts: crafts using wood, 11) activities related to daily life: eating food collected from nature, camping, outdoor cooking, 12) artistic activity: creation, outdoor concert, exhibition of pictures or photos, and 13) outdoor sports: hiking and mountain climbing, athletics, skiing, backcountry skiing, adventure course. In the activity, the students are taught the terminology of "Mokuiku," which means "Touching Wood; Learning from Wood; Living with Wood." This terminology is disseminated throughout Japan to promote a sustainable environment and raise awareness of environmental issues, particularly CO2 emission reduction, along with Kogai education or pollution education (Takahashi & Yamashita, 2021). The Kogai Education – pollution education is knowledge cultivation through the teaching of natural history, social history, and the history of human respect for nature and the creation of citizens through a thorough examination of the past and present situation of pollution (Glackin & Geer, 2021). However, the application of "Zest for a Living" is distinct following the environmental circumstance.
In addition, there are two examples from two senior high schools; Motoyoshi Hibiki High School and Kensennuma High School in Miyagi Prefecture. Motoyoshi Hibiki High School is one of the educational institutions whose students and faculty are actively involved in preserving Lake Izunuma-Uchinuma, which was declared an internationally significant wetland for waterfowl habitat by the Ramsar Convention in 1985. Lake Izunuma-Uchinuma, with its dense population, is a priceless wetland that exemplifies the cohabitation of nature and humans. To ensure future generations inherit the Izunuma-Uchinuma area's wonderful natural environment, children participate in various preservation and conservation initiatives (hydrilla, a kind of waterweed, algal growth potential, etc.) (Shinkawa & Arimoto, 2012). Continuously, students of Kensennuma High School were part of volunteers' activity for the aftermath of the tsunami event of 2011 Tohoku Tsunami by planting thousands of Kenaf inspired by their experiment and verification contributing to sustainability (Shinkawa & Arimoto, 2012). The study case of a student from Kensennuma High School reflects the "Ikiru Chikara" education system in Japan, shaping students on balancing knowledge, morality, and physical strength, creating social transformation for sustainable development.
Conclusions
After education reform, several times in Japan, "Ikiru Chikara" or Zest for a living, established in 1996, is the prominent education concept from Japan relevant with the 21st-century skills for living in the future with global issues, and the 21st-century targets of sustainable development, especially the environment. For Japan, the concept is cultivated for students' life skills in raising awareness of the environment since early childhood education. Rooting from the Japanese notion that Japanese do not distinguish between man and nature because Japanese recognize nature as "self" to work with nature harmoniously. Education plays a vital role in maintaining this notion. Therefore, besides giving knowledge, education in Japan balances morality and physical strength to empower all ages of children to address the real action for the environment. There are tangible examples from Japan of the "Ikiru Chikara" application, such as Natural Education Activities (NEA), inspired by "learning by doing philosophy" pertaining to forest education, in regards to Japan's forest composition of 70 percent. The NEA focuses on environmental experiences, nature observation, and outdoor activities. These experiences are embedded in students, where one of the study cases from Kensennuma High School reflects the result of "Ikiru Chikara." On the other hand, this concept is a key to lifelong learning education for sustainable development (ESD).
Thanks to Dr. Yuki Miyake, the Head of Japan Program, Asian Research Center for International Development, School of Social Innovation, Mae Fah Luang University for supervising this article
References:
Amaratunga, R. D. G., et.al. (2011). Lifelong learning needs for disaster management education in the built environment. Retrieved from: usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/16883/1/1_Amaratunga_et_al_Lifelong_Learning_needs_for_Disaster_Management_Education_in_the_Built_Environment.pdf
Blackman, S., N., J. (2021). The Impacts of COVID-19 on Education Equity: A View from Barbados and Jamaica. Prospects (Paris), 1-15. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11125-021-09568-4.
Burke, R. S. (2014). Taming the Wild: Approaches to Nature in Japanese Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 2(1), 76-96.
Chapple, J. (2015). Mission Accomplished? School Mission in NZ and Japan: What they reveal and conceal. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev., 16, pp. 137-147. DOI:10.1007/s12564-015-9360-2
Clark, I., Nae, N., & Arimoto, M. (2020). Education for Sustainable Development and the "Whole Person" Curriculum in Japan. Retrieved from: www.researchgate.net/publication/343524498_Education_for_Sustainable_Development_and_the_Whole_Person_Curricu_lum_in_Japan
Duran, V. (2019). Education in the Context of Gramsci's Concept of Hegemony. INTERNATIONAL BLACK SEA COASTLINE COUNTRIES SYMPOSIUM. Retrieved from: www.researchgate.net/publication/335014678_EDUCATION_IN_THE_CONTEXT_OF_GRAMSCI'S_CONCEPT_OF_HEGEMONY.
Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute. (2021). Forest Education in Japan: Historical Review, Current Forestry Practices, Forest Management, Wood Processing Education, and Future Expectations. Retrieved from: www.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/tmk/en/introduction/documents/4th-chukiseika31.pdf
Fujioka, T., & Sakakibara, Y. (2018). School Education for Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEGET). Terrae Didatica, 14(3), 313-319. DOI:10.20396/td.v14i3.8653531.
Glackin, M., & Greer, K. (2021). Environmental Education-related Policy Enactment in Japanese High Schools. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 1-21. DOI:10.1177/09734082211031325
Goudeau, S., et al. (2021). Why Lockdown and Distance Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic are likely to Increase the Social Class Achievement. Nature Human Behaviors, 5, 1273-1281. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01212-7
Inoue, M., Elliott, S., Mitshuhashi, M., & Kido, H. (2019). Nature-based Early Childhood Activities as Environmental Education?: A Review of Japanese and Australian Perspectives. Japanese Journal of Environmental Education, 28(4), 21-28.
JICA. (n.d.). Part 1. Overview of the History of Japan's Education. Retrieved from: www.jica.go.jp/jica-ri/IFIC_and_JBICI-Studies/english/publications/reports/study/topical/educational/pdf/educational_02.pdf.
Kameyama, Y. (2009). What is the Concept of "Ikiru Chikara": An interpretation from the Socio-Anthropological Perspective? Japan Journal of Sport Sociology, 17-1.
Kimura, D., & Tatsuno, M. (2017). Advancing 21st Century Competencies in Japan. Retrieved from: asiasociety.org/files/21st-century-competencies-japan.pdf
Kitano, H. (2003). Current State of Nature Experiences Activities and Nature Schools in Japan with Special Reference to Educational Reform. Asian Journal of Biology Education, 2, 50-57.
Mulyadi, B. (2020). ENIS Model of Environmental Education for Elementary School Students in Japan. ICENIS. doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202020203019.
Mochiduki, S. (2020). "Now is the time to exercise "the Zest to Live" (in Japanese)." Nagayato Elementary School, Shibuya.
NIER. (2011). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Japan. Retrieved from: www.nier.go.jp/English/educationjapan/pdf/201103ESD.pdf
OECD. (2018). Directorate for Education and Skills: Education Policy in Japan-Building Bridges Towards 2030. Retrieved from: www.oecd.org/education/Japan-BB2030-Highlights.pdf
Samkange, W. (2015). Examining the Role and Purpose of Education within the Marxist Perspective. Global Journal of Advanced Research,2(11), 1765-1769.
Shinkawa, M., & Arimoto, M. (2012). Research for Japanese-Like Competency and Assessment through Challenges of Eager Schools for Sustainability after the Great Earthquake and Tsunami. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 3(9), 61-70.
Sothy, C. (2020). Education in Japan and Cambodia: Past, Present, and Future. International Journal of Education, Learning and Development, 8(6), 30-38.
Starkie, E. G., Claro, M. F. C., & Gonzalez, I. N. (2021). The Japanese Educational System as an International Model for Urban Resilience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 5794. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115794
Takahasi, Y., & Yamashita, A. (2021). Mokuiko Education of Wood in Japan. Retrieved from: woodnews.in/japan/pdf/Japanese-Wood-Culture.pdf
UNESCO. (n.d.). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Retrieved from: en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development.
UNESCO. (n.d.). What is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Retrieved from: en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development/what-is-esd
Yamanaka S., Suzuki K.H. (2020) Japanese Education Reform towards Twenty-First Century Education. In: Reimers F. (eds) Audacious Education Purposes. Springer, Cham. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41882-3_4
Vakoufari, M., Angelaki C., & Mavroidis, I. (2014). Self-Esteem and Loneliness as Factors Affecting Distance Learning Students. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 17(2). DOI:10.2478/eurodl-2014-0022.
WV. (2020). Policy Brief: COVID-19 & Disruptions to Education. Retrieved from: www.wvi.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/World%20Vision%20COVID-19%20Education%20Policy%20Brief_2020-05-22.pdf