2. Industries thriving in Japan
The country dominates the world's automobile, robotics, biotechnology,
nanotechnology and renewable energy sectors, and is home to some of
the world's largest manufacturers of electronic products. Its industrial
sector represents nearly a third of GDP and employs around a quarter of
the Japanese workforce.
Japan's major export industries include automobiles, consumer
electronics (see Electronics industry in Japan), computers,
semiconductors, copper, and iron and steel. Additional key industries in
Japan's economy are petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, bioindustry,
shipbuilding, aerospace, textiles, and processed foods.
3. Why Are the Industries doing well ?
The objective of industrial policy was to shift resources to specific industries in
order to gain international competitive advantage for Japan. The policies and
methods were used primarily to increase the productivity of inputs and to
influence, directly or indirectly, industrial investment.
Japan’s industrial sector is highly diversified, manufacturing products ranging from
basic goods (such as steel and paper) to cutting-edge technology. The country
dominates the world’s automobile, robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology and
renewable energy sectors, and is home to some of the world’s largest
manufacturers of electronic products. Its industrial sector represents nearly a third
of GDP and employs around a quarter of the Japanese workforce.
As with most countries, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the
Japanese economy, with GDP growth contracting by 28% in the second quarter of
2020.
4. What are the career growth prospects in Japan
"Craftsman, mining, manufacturing and construction workers and
laborers" was the largest group, 19.31 million persons or 30.1% out
of the total employed persons aged 15 and over in Japan.
New roles such as Threat Intelligence Analyst, Digital Forensics
Specialist will also be increasingly common. Those looking for a job
in these fields will benefit from SIEM (or similar) experience, and
security certifications such as CISA, CISSP, or CISM for non-technical
roles.
5. Major Japanese industries include:
• agriculture
• consumer products (electronics)
• manufacturing (mining)
• information technology
• pharmaceuticals
• services (banking, retail, telecommunications)
• tourism
• transport (aerospace, automobiles, shipbuilding).
6. Imagine you work in the Ministry of Education at your given destination. What
are 3 new changes you will bring to the education system and work
opportunities for students. Explain how this would enhance the student’s
experience, learning and outcomes in Japan.
To cultivate, in all children, the foundation for independence within society by the
time they complete compulsory education
To improve the quality of public education and establish people’s trust in it
The goals of compulsory education are to enhance students’ individual abilities and
develop a basis for their social independence and basic abilities as citizens of the
nation. To provide high quality education for all, the national government is
responsible for ensuring the foundation of compulsory education, such as by offering
equal opportunities, guaranteeing minimum standards, and providing free education.
To raise children with the support of the whole society
Regarding the actual status of students’ academic ability, the results of the National
Assessment of Academic Ability and various international assessments show positive
results, though some particular items indicate problems. It also becomes clear from
the results that there are problems concerning students’ abilities in thinking,
judgment, expressiveness, etc., especially on the descriptive format test.
7. To guarantee the quality of education in upper secondary schools and
universities
In upper secondary education, students can decide what kind of school they
attend, according to their motivation and ability. Various types of upper
secondary schools exist to meet students’ purposes and needs. The current
enrollment rate of upper secondary school has reached 98%, and therefore,
support for upper secondary schools as education institutions which are
universal among the general public, is needed. For this purpose, educational
costs need to be reduced by an appropriate amount, as almost all lower
secondary school graduates will go on to attend upper secondary institutions.
Furthermore, quality assurance is needed for the various types of upper
secondary schools.
There are several types of upper secondary school education, such as a credit
system and integrated courses, and students can choose a track based on their
own learning needs. Current problems include a decrease in the amount of
time students spend studying and a drop in student motivation. The average
amount of time upper secondary school students in Japan spend studying has
been declining for the last 15 years. We need to create a system that will
guarantee the quality of upper secondary school education.
