阅读理解。AimlessnesshashardlybeentypicalofthepostwarJapanwhoseproductivityandsocialharmonyaretheenvyoftheUnitedStatesandEurope.ButincreasinglytheJapaneseareseeingadeclineofthetraditionalwork-mo
阅读理解。
AimlessnesshashardlybeentypicalofthepostwarJapanwhoseproductivityandsocialharmonyare
theenvyoftheUnitedStatesandEurope.ButincreasinglytheJapaneseareseeingadeclineofthetraditional
work-moralvalues.Tenyearsagoyoungpeoplewerehardworkingandsawtheirjobsastheirprimary
reasonforbeingbutnowJapanhaslargelyfulfilleditseconomicneedsandyoungpeopledon'tknow
wheretheyshouldgonext.
Thecomingofageofthepostwarbabyboomandanentryofwomenintothemale-dominatedjobmarket
havelimitedtheopportunitiesofteenagerswhoarealreadyquestioningtheheavypersonalsacrificesinvolved
inclimbingJapansrigidsocialladdertogoodschoolsandjobs.Inarecentsurveyitwasfoundthatonly24.5
percentofJapanesestudentswerefullysatisfiedwithschoollifecomparedwith67.2percentofstudentsin
theUnitedStates.InadditionfarmoreJapaneseworkersexpresseddissatisfactionwiththeirjobsthantheir
counterpartsdidinthetenothercountriessurveyed.
WhileoftenpraisedbyforeignersforitsemphasisonthebasicsJapaneseeducationtendstostresstest
takingandmechanicallearningovercreativityandself-expression."Thosethingsthatdonotshowupinthe
testscorespersonalityabilitycourageorhumanityarecompletelyignored"saysToshikiKaifuchairman
oftherulingLiberalDemocraticParty'seducationcommittee."Frustrationagainstthiskindofthingleadskids
todropoutandrunwild."LastyearJapanexperienced2125incidentsofschoolviolenceincluding929
assaultsonteachers.Amidtheoutcrymanyconservativeleadersareseekingareturntotheprewaremphasis
onmoraleducation.LastyearMitsuoSetoyamawhowastheneducationministerraisedeyebrowswhenhe
arguedthatliberalreformsintroducedbytheAmericanoccupationauthoritiesafterWorldWarⅡhad
weakenedthe"Japanesemoralityofrespectforparents."
ButthatmayhavemoretodowithJapaneselife-styles."InJapan"sayseducatorYokoMuro"it'snever
aquestionofwhetheryouenjoyyourjobandyourlifebutonlyhowmu