抄録
In Japan, the legal framework permits the use of religion as a substitute for morality in private schools, as outlined in Articles 50（ 2 ）and 79 of the Regulation for Enforcement of the School Education Act. However, the formalization of moral education as a subject has initiated a debate regarding the viability of this substitution. This study investigates how religious education teachers have “translated” or responded to these policy changes, both during the process leading to the institutionalization of moral education and after its implementation. Based on semi-structured interviews with four head teachers of religious education, this study revealed varied translation styles. These differences were influenced by each teacher’s values and beliefs regarding religious education, institutional expectations from school management and teaching departments, and the broader institutional environment surrounding religious education within each school. The findings indicate that different “translation” styles have emerged in response to these complex dynamics. Furthermore, the study posits that teachers, middle-level actors, school organizations, and external environmental factors—each with their embedded values—should be recognized as agents capable of resisting or strategically utilizing educational policies. This perspective highlights the multi- faceted nature of policy translation in educational settings. Keywords: moral education reform, religious studies, policy enactment, policy translation, politics
