Gov't to boost moral education for young people

Wednesday 10th December, 07:19 AM JST

TOKYO —

The government is planning to boost moral education for young people in a bid to prevent crimes and bullying, as well as provide greater support for juveniles isolated from society. Specific measures will be spelled out in a revised outline of youth development measures that the government plans to adopt on Friday.

The draft report says youth problems are becoming increasingly complex due to expanding income gaps in society. It says that juvenile crime can stem from a lack of communication with family and others, an unstable employment outlook and the financial difficulties of parents. It calls on the government to promote moral education for parents as well as young people.

The government will also study the role of cell phones in juvenile crimes and bullying and clarify how they should be used at school.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 42 Total Comments Show All

thepro at 01:07 PM JST - 10th December

Hey, young people paid the fare and have just as much right to sit down as the herds of old people do.

Students pay a discounted fare, don't they? Back when I was a student we were required to give up our seats if an adult was standing because of this. Kids never do that over here in Japan.
Rogerrabbitt at 01:16 PM JST - 10th December

I agree with johnshiomi, moral education need to begin at home with parents taking responsibility and bringing their children up in a loving caring atmosphere. Johnshiomi is correct, as a teacher you get to know the parents long before you meet them!!
pointofview at 01:53 PM JST - 10th December

How about just fixing the income gaps in society? Geez that was easy... Theres is a moral education class at my JHS but I have no idea what they teach. But I dont think they learn about holding doors open for others, not using the word gaijin, treating the less fortunate with care and concern and keeping there school bags off train seats so others can sit down (usually I tell them to move their bags)etc. Morals will have to evolve in time and they should start at a very young age so they are somewhat innate.
dennis0bauer at 03:13 PM JST - 10th December

timorborder

because you cannot teach an old dog new tricks?
ptolemy at 03:34 PM JST - 10th December

Will the cirriculum include giving handicapped, pregnant women, and elderly their seats in the areas separated for them already. Will it include covering their mouths when they sneeze and cough in public. Sorry common sense cannot be taught. As far as morals are concerned if the parents aren't teaching them, then by middle school its a bit too late. Another example of pointing out a problem and the experts in the LDP haveing no solutions but announcing yet another "study". On top of the other 1000 studies currently under way.
30061015 at 04:10 PM JST - 10th December

"Morals need boosting" implies that there ARE morals than can be boosted in the first place. What are these J-morals and how do you "boost" them? Who is this great keeper of morals, this judge of humanity in Japan that society should look up to?? Japan's subjective group morality morphs from one generation to the next and is reinforced by...? Who or what?

Government is amoral or immoral, so what will they base this morality booster on? Where does J-society get morals from? In Japan, he who holds the hammer makes the rules. When society breaks down, what then? The nail that sticks up will be hammered down. When the only tool you have is government, all your problems look like people. Japanese have been conditioned to be hammered, so I suspect that they will partake of whatever "shoganai" moral solutions pounded into them by Big Brother for the boosting of all.
Disillusioned at 06:46 PM JST - 10th December

Children are products of their environment. There is no point in teaching kids about the morals of society if their parents are complete donkey's butts, is there?
khoki at 07:09 PM JST - 10th December

where is great teacher onizuka when you need him?
proxy at 09:50 PM JST - 10th December

thepro Seniors get a discount too. The difference between now and the old days is that in the old days there were not that many old people kicking about so most of the time a young person could sit and it was not so burdensome to give up your seat to an old person because it didn't happen every day. There are too many "sempais" in Japan and not enough "kohais." The old people get upset because there demands for getting served by "kohais" cannot possible be met by the small number of young people and the young people are upset because there are too many "sempais" telling them what to do and so many demands that they simply cannot satisfy them all. Young people in Japan are saying "bugger you" to the never ending demands by all of the "sempais" and the old people are sending carefully crafted hand written letters to elected office holders to complain about not getting every demand made.
sharky1 at 11:54 PM JST - 10th December

Crime prevention begins in the high chair, not the electric chair. Actually. now that I think about it, crime prevention ends in the electric chair.
usaexpat at 06:47 AM JST - 11th December

That's good but what exactly will this instruction include? By the way this is a secondary step as teaching morals and appropriate behavior needs to start at home.
floyd_43 at 07:01 PM JST - 11th December

usaexpat is correct in saying that morals and appropriate behaviour should begin at home. But if it doesn't, then surely teaching it at school is better than nothing?! On the other hand, I don't find Japanese kids to be particularly lacking in morals, certainly no more than western kids. I would be very interested to hear of any statistics that show that juvenile crime in Japan is anywhere near the levels of many other countries. A lot of this is just a bunch of jii-chans and baa-chans with nothing better to do than spout the old "in my day..." clap-trap. Its about time they learnt that respect is something elders do NOT have an automatic right to, but something they need to earn, just like kids!
Sammi33 at 08:48 PM JST - 11th December

The bullying situation in Japan is out of control, and I think Japanese kids need to be taught to have respect for their elders, and I think a lot would be acoomplished by giving teachers the ability to fail students. Many kids attitudes are "whatever, I can't fail anyway so why should I study?"
samsarks at 11:34 PM JST - 11th December

Bulying is everywhere around the globe and i must say japanese children are respectful than other kids around the world.Also,do not forget the differences in culture across countries.why do europeans and americans think their culture is the best and should be replicated around the world?.thier elders have not complained thus leave them alone and rather talk about gang rape and acts of hooliganism commited by kids in your respective countries.
illsayit at 07:45 PM JST - 16th December

Great! Does that mean the kids can do religion and comparitive studies?