After Japan's defeat in World War 11, the right to education was provided for by the new Constitution of Japan, and the basic philosophy of education was stipulated in the 'Fundamentals of Education Law.' The Japanese education system was designed to realize peace, democracy and human dignity through the power of education. Subsequently, the compulsory education system enabled all children in the nation to receive education regardless of their social background. As a result, school enrollment increased.

However, Japan's entrance exam system has fostered overly fierce competition among students and has caused children to experience a serious amount of stress, much more than is necessary. Moreover, education reform that seeks to introduce the new concept of 'competition in the classroom' has been carried out since 1980. Amid growing calls for administrative reform, privatization of public education has been underway. As a result, the education environment surrounding children has worsened; problems such as school violence, bullying and non-attendance at school, and 'alienation towards learning' are becoming more serious.

JTU successfully conducted efforts to realize a five-day school week system, which enables children to acquire real learning ability under a more relaxed environment. This system was fully adopted in 2002. JTU has also strived to reduce the number of students in each class to 30 or less. Furthermore, JTU has promoted 'education reform initiated by communities' and 'school-building where children play an active role' because the involvement of local residents and children is essential for education reform.

(Excerpt from the Japan Teachers' Union pamphlet)