MOFA: Japan's School Textbook Examination Procedure
The School Education Law enacted in 1947 created the current system of textbook authorization. (Until the end of World War II, the government generally authored textbooks.) In this system nongovernmental publishers create textbooks and submit them for official examination and authorization by the Ministry of Education. These books must meet the requirements of the Curriculum Guideline, a set of curriculum standards for Japanese schools; beyond this, however, the publishers have freedom to include their own learning methods and ideas in the material. The process of textbook creation and authorization involves several steps...more...