An Empire of Schools : Japan's Universities and the Molding of a National Power Elite

Based On In-depth Analysis, Extensive Interviews, And A Journalist's Keen Insight, An Empire Of Schools Provides A New Framework To Explore The Misunderstandings That Have Arisen Between Japan And The United States. The Vital Determining Issue That Complicates U.s.-sino Communications, Cutts Says, Is Not The Cultural Incompatibilities Of The People Or Economies But The Fact That All Japanese Leaders Emerge From The Same Educational Treadmill Or Cartels Of The Mind. This Revered System, Crowned By Five National And Private Universities, And From Which Almost All Japanese Leaders Emerge, Teaches Its Students That They Are Inherently Incapable Of Sharing Their Values, Civic Or Personal, With Those Of Any Other Civilization. Describing An Educational System That Has Been Left Fundamentally Unchanged Since The Meiji Empire, Cutts Depicts The Elites Who Graduate From The System, Describes What Ethical Philosophy Is Imparted To Those Graduates, And Warns Of The Dangers Of Nationalist Elitism That Arise From The System. Filled With Personal Anecdotes As Well As Critical Interviews, An Empire Of Schools Traces The Potential Consequences To Japan And The Pacific Rim Of An Educational System That Begins Imparting An Elitist Doctrine In Kindergarten That Extends To The Highest Levels Of Japanese Government.--book Jacket. Foreword / Chalmers Johnson -- Ch. 1. If There Is A God, He Went To Todai -- Ch. 2. First Principles: The Society -- Ch. 3. First Principles: The Individual -- Ch. 4. The Ivory Basement -- Ch. 5. A Tale Of Two Citizens -- Ch. 6. The Leisure Class -- Ch. 7. Who's On Top: The Women Elites -- Ch. 8. Family: She's Got The Whole World In Her Hands -- Ch. 9. Weapons -- Ch. 10. Making It -- Ch. 11. Fifty Ways To Lever The Governed -- Ch. 12. Reform: No Exit. Robert L. Cutts ; Foreword By Chalmers Johnson. An East Gate Book. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book addresses issues of American-Japanese relations by focusing on how the Japanese educational system molds the Japanese people and culture. It identifies the vital determining issue in U.S.-Japan communications in the fact that all Japanese leaders emerge from the same educational treadmill or "cartels of the mind." This system, especially the five national and private universities from which almost all Japanese leaders emerge, is seen as teaching its students that they are inherently incapable of sharing their values, civic or personal, with those of any other civilization. The book suggests that education is one component of the overall Japanese system in which training, knowledge, self-discipline, and obedience are there to support the glory and power of the nation. The educational system is also seen as being fundamentally unchanged since the Meiji empire, which results in a dangerous nationalist elitism. The main points are illustrated with quotes from interviews as well as by anecdotes. (Individual chapters contain reference notes.) (DB) This book explains who the current Japanese leaders are, their visions of a new world order and their convictions of morality and leadership. It does this by examining the ethical philosophies of the universities that have produced them and the dangers of nationalistic elitism.