How School Textbooks Are Compiled and Published in Japan

Abstract

School textbooks are compiled in accordance with the Courses of Study and their guidebooks. A Course of Study comprises three parts: the objective, the content and how to deal with the content. A guidebook for the Course of Study gives more concrete explanations. Textbook publishers have their textbooks inspected by the Textbook Authorization Research Council summoned by the MEXT. The council scrutinizes the content of textbooks as well as their academic correctness. It is also expected to give comments mainly on necessary changes. The publishers are required to make alternations according to these comments. After they have their revised textbooks inspected again by the MEXT, they can publish them as authorized ones.