Abstract
After World War II, teacher education policy in Japan shifted their emphasis of specialized education courses from liberal arts towards teacher education departments, in the process establishing a human institutional foundation of art pedagogy. Despite the change from normal teacher’s schools to teacher’s colleges, specialties in art education were not recognized. The designation of art education within the teacher training system from 1964 to 1978 brought only an appearance of specialization in art education. This condition allowed for delays to teacher placements and a lack of coordination with research in art education. However, a decision by a committee in the Ministry of Education saw it officially recognized in examinations of teaching studies careers of those entering graduate schools in art education from 1968 to 1999. A human institutional foundation of art pedagogy was established as a result despite differences among university staff regarding the need for graduate schools.
