著者

中林 隆明

出版者

東洋英和女学院大学

雑誌

人文・社会科学論集 (ISSN:09157794)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.22, pp.77-95, 2005-03

---

Educational policies in modern Japan, especially in the early Meiji period, were led by Tanaka Fujimaro, Deputy Minister of Education. At the first time, France was the model of education policies in Japan. Its example was Gakusei (national educational system) enforcement (Imperial Ordinance). In those days, Tanaka participated in the Iwakura Mission, led by Iwakura Envoy Extraordinary and Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the United States and European countries, as commissioner of Education Department. He eagerly conducted educational research in both continents with his staff during 1872-73. And again, he traveled to the United States to take part in the Exposition Fair in Philadelphia, in commemoration of American Centennal Foundation year in 1876. At both times he was impressed with American flexible educational systems, including libraries, small school districts and social institutions, and a variety of state initiatives. In 1879, he enacted the Imperial Educational Ordinance based on the principle of independence for local communities in elementary schools and educational institutions. As a result, his policy was denied by the government of the day, and he was transferred to another post (Minister of Justice).