Education systems in East Asia have generally been characterized as highly centralized compared to those in other regions (Green 2025; Reynolds & Farrell 1996). Japan is no exception: the content of education is regulated under the Course of Study, which carries legal authority. Within this institutional framework, both central and local governments establish and manage uniform standards to ensure consistent quality and levels of education nationwide. Such a nationally standardized approach reflects what Kariya and Rappleye (2020) describe as the principle of “spatial equality” and can be understood as a form of educational standardization. This presentation focuses on how this standardization, as an embodiment of spatial equality, extends not only across the entire school education system but also into the domain of support for non-attending students, which has traditionally been operated with considerable local autonomy. Specifically, it examines two sites of practice: (1) in-school educational support centers established within schools to support children who have difficulty attending regular classes, and (2) alternative schools operated privately outside the school system. Through these two cases, the study explores how spatial equality in Japan is being produced in terms of educational opportunity and quality assurance. In doing so, it aims to clarify how the standardization of inclusive education is progressing under the centralized structures characteristic of East Asian education systems.

Authors:
Ayaka Nakano, Sophia University/ Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan

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Posted by James Alexander Gordon

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00

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