Abstract
In light of the need for increased consumer citizenship in Japan to improve our citizens’ quality of life, this study compares the European Union’s Europa Diary, an educational tool for students age13-18, with Japan’s Course of Study in Upper Secondary School for social studies and home economics. It finds that the Europa Diary strongly emphasizes consumer rights in terms of citizenship, including the right to eat and the right to a smoke-free environment, whereas Japanese guidelines stress rights and responsibilities in the context of the Japanese Constitution and the Consumer Basic Act. The study concludes that international trends toward consumer rights and behavior should be incorporated in consumer education in Japan.
