Abstract
The concept of lifelong integrated education may be understood as an amalgamation of individual lifelong education (education over the life span of an individual) and social lifelong education (education of the society or nation as a whole). The international importance of this concept has been made clear in UNESCO'S report "Learning to Be" (1974), which described the principles of international educational reform. In Japan as well, the need to move from a credential-based society to one of lifelong learning has been officially recognized in reports issued by the Central Educational Council and the Extraordinary Council on Education. An "Ordinance for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning" has recently been passed (1990), but efforts to implement it will undoubtably engender growing list of administrative problems. There are two basic administrative problems that must be addressed in order to successfully implement programs for lifelong integrated education. The first is the educationalization of administration. This refers to the process of making the programs of ministries other than the Ministry of Education appropriate to a society of lifelong learners (viz., the process of their "educationalization"). To the extent that lifelong integrated education is not lifelong "schooling" it implies the educationalization of social institutions. The educationalization of social institutions necessitates the educationalization of all administrative agencies. The educationalization of administration may be divided into two types: that of services and that of organization. The second is the integration of administration. This refers to the coordination and systematization of the educational activities of the various ministries. Educational integration of administration is analogous to economic integration of administration, which is currently supervised by the Economic Planning Agency of the Prime Minster's Office, independent of economic ministries such as the Ministry of International Trade or the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. Accordingly, the establishment of a "Lifelong Intergrated Education Agency" by the Prime Minister's Office to integrate the lifelong educational policies of the various ministries is desirable. For the time being, however, until a Lifelong Integrated Education Agency is established, the Ministry of Education should assume a central role in the promotion and coordination of programs for lifelong education.
