| The Princess responded by brushing aside the | | | | In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American |
| criticisms, "This is a distraction we do not need. All I'm | | | | preschool teachers, child development specialists, and |
| trying to do is help."Opposition parties, the media and | | | | parents were asked about various aspects of early |
| the public immediately voiced their support for the | | | | childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese |
| Princess. To make matters worse for the government, | | | | respondents Unlisted "to give children a good start |
| it soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been | | | | academically" as one of their top three reasons for a |
| approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in | | | | society to have preschools. |
| fact very well-informed about both the situation in | | | | In contrast, over half the American respondents chose |
| Angola and the British government's policy regarding | | | | this as one of their top three choices. To prepare |
| landmines. The result was a severe embarrassment | | | | children for successful careers in first grade and |
| for the government. ( | | | | beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, |
| To try to limit he damage, the Foreign Secretary, | | | | writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as |
| Malcolm Rifkidnd, claimed that the Princess's views on | | | | persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as |
| landmines were not very different from government | | | | a member of a group. The vast majority of young |
| policy, and that it was "working towards" a worldwide | | | | Japanese children are taught to read at home by their |
| ban. The Defence Secretary. Michael Portillo, claimed | | | | parents. |
| the matter was "a misinterpretation or | | | | In the recent comparison ofJapanc.se and American |
| misunderstanding". | | | | preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese |
| For the Princess, the trip to this war-torn country was | | | | respondents chose providing children with a group |
| an excellent opportunity to use her popularity to show | | | | experience as one of their top three reasons for a |
| the world how much destruction and suffering | | | | society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the |
| landmines can cause. She said that the experience | | | | more individually oriented Americans listed group |
| had also given her the chance to get closer to people | | | | experience as one of their top three choices. An |
| and their problems. | | | | emphasis on the importance of the group seen in |
| Education of Japan,In a lime of low academic | | | | Japanese early childhood education continues into |
| achievement by children in the United States, many | | | | elementary school education. |
| Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high | | | | Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early |
| academic achievement and economic success, for | | | | childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens |
| possible answers. However, the answers provided by | | | | have specific aims, such as early musical training or |
| Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans | | | | potential development. In large cities, some |
| expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, | | | | kindergartens arc attached to universities that have |
| surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. | | | | elementary and secondary schools. |