Apr 29, 2020 (Nikkei) - As the coronavirus outbreak leaves Japan's academic calendar in limbo, prominent figures advocate moving the start of the year from April to September, in line with common practice overseas.
Such a change could be a catalyst for a "paradigm shift" in Japanese society, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said in a video posted online Tuesday, noting that it would change the schedule for everything from preschool to job-hunting for university students.
Calling a September start the "global standard," Koike argued that it would help attract foreign students -- something that has been an issue for Japanese schools out of sync with much of the rest of the world.
"There would be some confusion, but things are already confused now," she said.
Education Minister Koichi Hagiuda said Tuesday that his ministry is "conducting simulations" for revising the April start of the school year "as one option." He also said he needs to coordinate with other ministries, since any revision would "need to be observed by society" as a whole.
Corporations, for example, typically welcome their annual batch of young recruits in April. A shift to September would require them to adjust their recruitment calendar and practices.
These comments come amid a rising political groundswell. On Monday, the Democratic Party for the People held a working-group meeting for the first time on the topic. It intends to work with other opposition parties on proposals to submit to the government. The smaller Japan Innovation Party compiled its own proposals the same day.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike pushed for school years starting in September, noting that such a change could be a catalyst for a "paradigm shift" in Japanese society. © Reuters
A group of 17 prefectural governors on Tuesday urged the government to adopt a September start to the academic year, saying that "now is the time to think boldly."
Miyagi Prefecture Gov. Yoshihiro Murai told reporters on Monday that a permanent shift would "boost globalization." He called the idea "one option" to a problem that has cropped up now that the virus has closed public schools and the country finds itself behind the e-learning curve: students are falling behind.
Japan's public schools have been closed since the beginning of March and are expected to remain so until sometime after the government lifts the state of emergency that it declared on April 7.
