Research Question

Visual Novel Community Off Topic
#1

I ask these here because to be honest I am not sure where else to ask such a question, since a lot of people here seem very familiar with Japanese culture or know places to search hopefully there are answers to this question. My searches thus far have turned up some internet sites, so now the search is more in the ways of books or perhaps sitll internet sites anyone may know of, and thank you in advance for any help. Also if anyone knows the Japanese view on the issues below, as oppose to the international views, that too would be welcome.

Anyway, most of this is very tentative at the moment as it will likely be narrowed down a lot so please excuse me if other help is asked for, but at present the project that I am working on involves gaining as much knowledge from as many sources as possible about the Japanese School Systems, the pressures that they put on children, in terms of pressures to succeed, conformity (both good and bad), and whatever other pressures may exist as part of the school system which might be put on by the homefront. Now from these pressures I am trying to find out a few things at present, once more this might get narrowed down or changed. One being how it might lead to the increasing sucicide rates amongst children, and another how such pressures early in life, throughout schooling, influence the adults they become and thus influence their interactions in society and/or workforce expectations of them.

Once more thank you for any help that can be given, my search for books has lead to several good books, and internet searches to somewhat in-depth information but I always am greatful for help.

#2

Most books that go into Japanese culture will usually at least touch on the subject. Every book that I’ve got, or picked up on the culture has hit those points. In case you haven’t gotten this information already, the Japanese terms for the principle concerns are the kyouiku mama, which is essentially the mother who is soft on discipline, but is pushing the child to succeed in school; ijime or “bullying” which has been on the rise, and increases pressures on the students, and jisatsu, which is the suicide that you’re mentioning. I should probably throw in the phrase shiken jigoku, or “examination hell,” which is a media coined term to describe the pressure put on students to pass exams in order to move onto the next stage of education. I’m just tossing those out in case they might help in searches for information.

[This message has been edited by Wolfson (edited 08-19-2004).]

#3

I had not gotten some of that information yet I thank you and the different term for the exam has actually given me more sites already.

Most of what I seem to be finding is centered on as one book called it and as you mentioned, the “exam from hell” and the pressure from all sides that get’s put on students over that time period. Some say it’s to the point where though it is never said there is alway the implication on some of the children that, well to quote Vince Lombardi (or maybe it’s Homer Simpson) “If you lose you’re outta the family”. The more I read about that test the less shocked I am at the increased suicide rates amongst that age group around that time.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 08-19-2004).]

#4

There’s that, and apparently, they seem to think that there’s a connection with the ijime problem and the increase in suicide, also, according to one of my books. It even has gone so far that in one notorious case in the late 1980’s, a bullied student who committed suiced named his teacher as one of his tormentors in his final suicide note. Interestingly enough, despite the pressures of “examination hell,” it seems that the number of students that are enrolling in juku (“cram school”) is on the decline. Most of the students that comprise juku enrollees are students cramming for senior high entrance. I don’t know if that indicates that students are putting more of the burden of studying onto themselves, or if that indicates that the likelihood of suicide happening at a younger age is increased.

#5
quote:
Originally posted by Wolfson:
There's that, and apparently, they seem to think that there's a connection with the ijime problem and the increase in suicide, also, according to one of my books. It even has gone so far that in one notorious case in the late 1980's, a bullied student who committed suiced named his teacher as one of his tormentors in his final suicide note. Interestingly enough, despite the pressures of "examination hell," it seems that the number of students that are enrolling in juku ("cram school") is on the decline. Most of the students that comprise juku enrollees are students cramming for senior high entrance. I don't know if that indicates that students are putting more of the burden of studying onto themselves, or if that indicates that the likelihood of suicide happening at a younger age is increased.

I have not yet stumbled across that information about the cram schools going to a younger age, but would guess it is a little bit of each and it is likely if the stress which is now put on those in high school, gets put into getting accepted in a great high school the suicide rates will increase amongst a younger age. Perhaps this also a slight change in thinking, which I am surprised has not happened sooner, to the idea of being ready and rested for the test rather then mostly just ready and not that rested. From what I have read many students only get 5 or less hours of sleep a night each night for a month or so before the test so perhaps, the lack of cram school will have them better rested to face the test. Knowledge does you no good if you are too tired to tell the answer you know to be right from the one you know to be wrong, so perhaps this too is partly coming from parents if not quietly from professor who are asking their students, children, to be rested before the test rather then cramming to the point a pencil dropping makes them react as if it were a cannon being fired.

#7
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