The Ambiguity of Japan’s Alternative to the Compulsory Public School System

Trajectory Equifinality Modeling Reveals Why Two Free Schools Had to be Closed Down

Abstract

In Japan, free schools have been characterized as safe spaces for school refusers. Previous studies have regarded free schools positively because they offer an alternative to the public school system and the problems contained in the system. However, many free schools closed within 10 years. This study examines why free schools closed down through an analysis of individual cases. The researcher conducted semi–structured interviews with two men who founded their own free school and ran it for more than 10 years before closing it down. An analysis of the interview data using trajectory equifinality modeling showed that their ideal of running their own free school was ambiguous. The ideal positively impacted the establishment and running of their own free school. However, in their case, there was a gap between the ideal and reality, and they shut their own school to pursue a new field where they had a better chance to realize their ideal.