The new educational guidelines stipulated a compulsory subject of Budo at junior high school for 1st and 2nd year students from 2012. Budo as a subject consists of Judo, Kendo, and Sumo. The educational effects expected from making Budo a compulsory subject are that Japanese tradition and culture would be respected more through Budo education. But the subject contents of Budo referring to Japanese tradition remain vague and cause confusion for teachers. The aim of this study is to consider the educational effects of Budo as a difference between "task" and "achievement." We explore the new possibilities of Budo education as an activity of generating bodily sympathy.

View full abstract

In this article, I provide an overview of the shifting in the system of appointment as the local administrative official, referred to as gunji, and who was selected from regional powerful clans, during the ancient period of Japan. Along with many previous studies, this article discusses the system of appointment by focusing on both the presence of the group consisting of multiple regional powers referred to as gunjiso and the relation between the gunji and the emperor. From these perspectives, the transition of the degree of centralization of the power in the ancient state during the eighth and ninth centuries is revealed, and a view of the actual situation of centralization is obtained.

View full abstract

In Japan, education about the economy is about the economic "system," That is insufficient, because not only the system but also the economy in the student's own (future-) life should be taught. So, we have paid attention to "personal finance education" in U.S.A. This paper is a report of classroom teaching in Japan after analyzing and modifying the practice of "personal finance education" in U.S.A.

View full abstract

This research note investigated body image of Vietnamese factory workers employed at the Japanese company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and compared with that of Japanese college students taking a sports management course. Body image was assessed a questionnaire in terms of body shape satisfaction and dieting experiences. Questions regarding their ideal body shape, own liking, liking of body shape of the other sex, and health conditions were answered by marking silhouettes. Three hundred ninety subjects (52 males and 338 females) participated in this study. The average BMI of the Vietnamese workers was significantly greater than that of the Japanese college students (20.2 vs. 22.7). Many Japanese wish to lose their weights but desirable weight were bigger(62.3kg) than Vietnamese(49.7kg). However, only 18.9% of Japanese had a dieting experience and 8.1% of Vietnamese. It is said that the three-fourths of Japanese girls believe Japanese boys like slimmer girls. This misunderstanding sometimes causes health problems in Japanese girls, and therefore, it is necessary to educate body image and good health. This investigation suggested that Vietnamese workers may have a healthier conception about their body images than Japanese, probably because of the social awareness and eating habits in Vietnam.

View full abstract

In this paper, we analyzed the issues of Japanese compositions written by the students attending the lower-Japanese-competence class at Kanto Gakuen University using results of their Japanese compositions. We set the students two types of compositions; a topic composition and a composition requiring filling blank spaces with suitable words and phrases. Their features are as follows; They can not make a composition based on their free thinking. They can not understand contents or information of text correctly. They can not adapt sentences in a contextual situation.

View full abstract

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683〜1764) is one of the greatest composers in France. His fame, however, seems to have been established in 19th-century France. This article discusses mainly the claveciniste Rameau and his acceptance in 19th-century France.

View full abstract