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Trabajo forzado y esclavas sexuales, las claves de la disputa histórica que mantiene enfrentados a Japón y Corea del Sur

agosto 31, 2019agosto 30, 2019Noticias

Redacción: BBC Mundo

Durante décadas, Japón y Corea del Sur han sido grandes socios comerciales y, al mismo tiempo, los mayores aliados estratégicos de Estados Unidos en Asia oriental.

Pero en los últimos meses, esa relación ha sufrido un vertiginoso deterioro hasta el punto que este viernes se anunció la decisión de Tokio de despojar a Seúl de su estatus de socio comercial preferente.

La medida adoptada por el gobierno del primer ministro Shinzo Abe dificultará el acceso que tienen industrias que son clave para la economía de Corea del Sur, como las del automóvil o la petroquímica, para adquirir más de un millar de productos nipones.

Esta limitación se suma a una restricción previa impuesta a inicios de julio, mediante la cual Tokio puso límites a la exportación de materiales industriales que Seúl necesita para fabricar semiconductores y pantallas de visualización.

Más allá del daño que puedan causar a una relación comercial que en 2017 superó los US$82.000 millones, se teme que estas medidas generen perturbaciones en la cadena de suministro global de productos de alta tecnología, sumando un problema adicional a una economía global que parece perder fuelle.

Seúl ha amenazado con hacer que la controversia sea resuelta ante la Organización Mundial de Comercio (OMC) y ha advertido que dispone de medidas que puede hacer «mucho daño» a la economía de Japón.

Sin embargo, curiosamente, esta disputa no tiene su origen en ninguna diferencia comercial sino en una controversia histórica que durante décadas ha arrojado su sombra sobre la relación entre ambas naciones.

Colonia y esclavitud

En 1910, la península coreana fue anexada por el imperio japonés a través de un polémico tratado que dio inicio a un periodo de dominio nipón que se extendió hasta el final de la II Guerra Mundial.

Image captionEn las primeras décadas del siglo XX ya Japón era una potencia industrial.

Se trataba de la culminación de un proceso que se había iniciado en 1905 con la firma de un acuerdo impuesto por la fuerza desde Japón, mediante el cual la península se convertía en su protectorado.

A partir de entonces Tokio impuso en la península un gobierno conformado por un gobernador y por oficiales militares nombrados por el emperador.

Los ciudadanos coreanos quedaron privados de derechos elementales como la libertad de expresión y de asociación, mientras las autoridades coloniales intentaban impulsar su asimilación a través de un sistema educativo que favorecía la enseñanza del japonés y excluía la formación sobre lengua e historia coreana.

La expansión del imperio japonés y el inicio de la Segunda Guerra Mundial tuvieron fuertes consecuencias para la población coreana.

De acuerdo con fuentes surcoreanas, se estima que hasta 7,8 millones de coreanos fueron reclutados como soldados o como trabajadores esclavosdesde la etapa previa hasta el final de la guerra.

Image captionEn octubre de 1945, la llegada de las tropas estadounidenses a Corea del Sur puso fin a más de tres décadas de dominio nipón.

Muchos fueron enviados a trabajar en minas o en fábricas de municiones a lo largo de Asia, mientras otros tuvieron que combatir en las filas del Ejército nipón.

Las mujeres, sin embargo, tuvieron un destino distinto, incluso peor. Decenas de miles de ellas fueron forzadas a trabajar en prostíbulos creados para satisfacer a los soldados japoneses.

Eran llamadas «mujeres de confort» y se estima que hubo unas 200.000 de ellas, incluyendo coreanas, chinas y filipinas.

Image captionDe las mujeres surcoreanas que fueron convertidas en esclavas sexuales del Ejército nipón solamente quedan vivas menos de 50.

No eran prostitutas. Eran esclavas sexuales.

Muchas fueron secuestradas y obligadas a tener relaciones sexuales con los soldados durante años.

La disputa por las reparaciones

Después del final de la II Guerra Mundial, el gobierno de Corea del Sur buscó que Japón pagara algún tipo de compensación por el daño infligido a estos trabajadores.

Así, en el acuerdo para el restablecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas firmado por ambos países en 1965, Tokio aceptó pagar US$300 millones en ayudas y US$200 millones de préstamos para Corea del Sur.

Esos fondos, sin embargo, no fueron a parar a manos de aquellos trabajadores que habían sido esclavizados sino que fueron utilizados por el gobierno militar que entonces regía el país para la construcción de autopistas, fábricas y acueductos.

No sería sino hasta finales de la década de 1980, después de que Corea del Sur logró democratizarse, cuando muchos de los que habían sido sometidos a trabajos forzados acudieron a la justicia para buscar ser resarcidos.

Image captionUna sentencia contra Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal abrió el camino para otras decisiones adversas a las empresas japonesas.

Aquellas primeras demandas fueron introducidas ante juzgados de Japón, que terminaron desechándolas con el argumento de que las compensaciones ya habían sido pagadas tras el acuerdo de 1965.

Allí se señala textualmente que todos los reclamos relacionados con la era colonial se consideran «resueltos de forma completa y definitiva».

Ante el rechazo de las cortes japonesas, a partir del año 2000 las demandas comenzaron a ser presentadas ante tribunales en Corea del Sur.

Allí los juicios tampoco prosperaron inicialmente. Sin embargo, en 2004 un tribunal ordenó al ministerio de Exteriores de Corea del Sur a hacer públicos los documentos relacionados con el acuerdo de 1965.

Posteriormente, esto llevó a la creación de una comisión nacional que estudio el tema, la cual concluyó que el tratado no incluía las compensaciones por los «actos ilegales en contra de la humanidad».

Además señalaba que gran parte de los US$300 millones que había pagado Japón debieron haber sido entregados a las víctimas del trabajo esclavo.

Como consecuencia de todo este proceso, el gobierno de Corea del Sur terminó distribuyendo después unos US$547 millones entre unas 72.600 personas.

Image captionGigantes industriales como Nissan están incluidos en las demandas que revisa la justicia surcoreana.

Pese a todo, hubo muchas víctimas que no recibieron nada.

Las cosas dieron un giro en 2012, cuando la Corte Suprema dictaminó que quienes fueron sometidos a trabajo forzado tenían derecho a demandar a las empresas japonesas y ordenó a los tribunales inferiores revisar decisiones anteriores a la luz de ese fallo.

Esa sentencia encendió las alarmas en el propio gobierno surcoreano y llevó al ministerio de Exteriores a emitir una opinión en la que advertía al máximo tribunal acerca de una «catástrofe irreversible», en caso de que se autorizara la incautación de bienes pertenecientes a las empresas japonesas.

El Ejecutivo surcoreano temía ser considerado como un país que desconoce los acuerdos internacionales y que rompe sus promesas.

Muchos años pasaron antes de que la Corte Suprema volviera a decidir sobre este tema hasta que finalmente, en octubre de 2018, emitió un fallo a favor de Lee Chun-shik, un nonagenario surcoreano que en su adolescencia fue llevado a Japón para trabajar como esclavo en la fabricación de acero.

Esa empresa para la que trabajó se llama Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal y es en la actualidad la mayor fabricante de acero de Japón, con propiedades en muchas partes del mundo, incluyendo una participación valorada en unos US$9,6 millones en NPR, una acería en Corea del Sur.

Image captionEl gabinete del presidente surcoreano, Moon Jae-in, se reunió de emergencia este viernes tras el anuncio de las medidas tomadas por Japón.

Aunque aquella decisión de la Corte Suprema solamente ordenaba el pago de US$89.000 para Lee y para las familias de otros tres demandantes, el fallo abrió la puerta a otras decisiones similares.

En noviembre del año pasado, hubo dos sentencias similares en contra de Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, mientras que hay una decena de casos que se ventilan en tribunales inferiores en contra de unas 70 empresas japonesas, entre las cuales hay verdaderos gigantes mundiales como Nissan, Toshiba o Panasonic.

Así las cosas, las demandas de los surcoreanos que fueron esclavizados van dirigidas en contra de los grandes de la industria japonesa.

Una probable explicación de por qué, más allá del costo económico de estas compensaciones, esta disputa entre Japón y Corea del Sur tiene muchos componentes de historia y de orgullo nacional.

Fuente: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-internacional-49210374

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Bringing Japanese Educational Approaches to Egyptian Schools

agosto 27, 2019agosto 26, 2019Saitō Katsuhisa

By: Saitō Katsuhisa.

A World First

Under the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership administered by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Egypt is the first country in the world to adopt tokkatsu, an integral part of Japanese education, throughout its school system.

Egypt, a leading Arab nation, is famed for its pyramids, but its education system is rife with problems. Teachers are poorly paid and frequently moonlight as tutors or cram school operators, practices that parents have complained about. Under pressure to excel academically, students may fail to develop well-rounded personalities. Since there are too few schools to meet demand, classes with 70 or 80 pupils are not unusual, and school graduates are increasingly failing to find jobs. Given these myriad issues, the government decided that the time was ripe for educational reforms.

Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, has always been highly impressed by punctual, industrious Japanese, whom he has called “a walking embodiment of the Quran.” In the Arab world, it is commonly believed that Japan’s education system has been key to its success as an advanced nation. Sisi, visiting Japan in 2016, concluded the EJEP agreement with Japan to introduce elements of Japanese schooling into all levels of the Egyptian education system.

Egypt-Japan Schools Opened

Egypt’s education authorities saw tokkatsu—activities outside of school subjects intended to foster children’s all-round development—in Japanese elementary schools as a way of nurturing well-rounded individuals in Egypt. Tokkatsu including class meetings were introduced on a trial basis in 12 public schools, and 35 brand-new Egypt-Japan Schools opened in September 2018. At these schools, tokkatsu are part of the school day, and the schools follow Japanese operational methods. Kakehashi Tarō, an assistant director in JICA’s Basic Education Group, says that 45 minutes per week of tokkatsuactivities were incorporated into the curriculum for first graders at all elementary schools in the country at the same time.

Tokkatsu includes a number of key activities. Class meetings, where pupils discuss and decide on topics for schoolwide events, help them learn to express their ideas and respect those of others. Guidance consists of helping pupils to acquire good habits like washing their hands and brushing their teeth, training them to give proper greetings, and encouraging them to be considerate of others. All pupils take the role of class leader of the day in turn; this teaches children leadership and gives them the experience of leading the class. Egypt’s education system has never included activities like tokkatsubefore, so this has been a novel experience.

Children brushing their teeth after lunch. This activity is part of overall guidance to promote good hygiene. More children are now participating voluntarily.

Unlike schools for Japanese children living abroad, EJS institutions are tokkatsu model public schools attended by local children. The schools have introduced practices common in Japan, such as study periods and classroom cleaning by pupils, intramural seminars where teachers observe each others’ classes and offer teaching hints, and school staff meetings.

Children Cleaning Classrooms: A Novel Experience

One tokkatsu practice that raised issues was cleaning. In Japanese schools, pupils clean their classrooms and other parts of their schools as a matter of course. In Egypt, though, cleaning is viewed as a menial task carried out by the lower classes, and children and their parents alike were shocked that they were expected to clean. Some pupils initially refused to participate, and parents also protested, saying they were not sending their children to an EJS to clean. But the idea of everyone working together to keep classrooms and other spaces clean is starting to take hold. Some pupils started cleaning, and others, seeing their friends doing so, eventually joined in. Everyone learned to keep their desks neat and tidy too.

Classroom cleaning. Some pupils disliked the idea at first, but now most participate in this activity meant to teach teamwork.

JICA education experts make the rounds of EJSs and continue to offer advice. Up to now, 42 people, including school principals and teachers in charge of introducing tokkatsu, have participated in month-long training sessions in Japan that include a first-hand look at Japanese schools in action. Over the next four years, JICA envisages bringing a total of about 700 teachers to Japan for similar training.

These schools have been in operation for barely a year now but are already showing results. For example, EJS attendees have shown solid progress in listening to what their classmates are saying and respecting their ideas. Tardiness is also less of a problem now, children are quarreling less at school, and more children are helping with chores at home.

Egypt-Japan Schools offer a pleasant environment: The buildings are new and class sizes, at around 35 to 40 pupils, are about half the size of classes at other public schools. Tuition, however, is expensive, costing the equivalent of ¥60,000 to ¥70,000 yearly, which is 5 to 10 times the tuition at regular schools. According to JICA’s Kakehashi, “There are no EJS entrance examinations, but we have asked the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the schools don’t turn into places just for children from high-income families. We hope the government will offer more scholarships and make it easier for those who want to enter EJS institutions to do so.”

Developing Human Resources

Ayman Ali Kamel, Egypt’s ambassador to Japan, says that through the EJS program, “Egypt hopes to learn from Japan’s experience to contribute to social progress and effect comprehensive reforms to the education system. We view classrooms and elementary schools as miniature societies, and we hope that these societies will inculcate a sense of morality in our children and help mold their personalities.”

Hany Helal, Egypt’s former minister of higher education and scientific research, who worked as a coordinator between Egypt and Japan to set up the EJEP and other projects, comments: “The most important issue for Egypt is developing high-quality human resources, which has been difficult to accomplish with our existing education system. We hope to improve our learning environment by introducing features of Japanese education like tokkatsu to nurture the upcoming generation driving our country’s future.”

Source of article: https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00727/bringing-japanese-educational-approaches-to-egyptian-schools.html

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Learning education from Japan

agosto 20, 2019agosto 20, 2019Naazir Mahmood

By: Naazir Mahmood.

One of the reasons for Japan’s rapid progress in the 20th century was its education system. Today we discuss some of the salient features of Japanese education and how it has facilitated the creation of one of the most civilized nations on the globe. Here being ‘civilized’ does not mean their achievements in science and technology alone, it also means a nation of people who are caring, considerate, honest, and responsible citizens. This can be seen while travelling across Japan, and even while walking on the streets in cities from Tokyo to Nagasaki.

On a recent visit to Japan, this writer availed himself of the opportunity to review the elementary and secondary education system in Japan and also visited a couple of universities. Ms Yumioka Haruna from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MECSST – normally written as MEXT) was kind enough to give a detailed briefing about the Japanese education system. With her impeccable English proficiency, she explained the intricacies of their system and the challenges they have faced and overcome. She started with the constitutional provisions for education in her country.

Article 26 of the Japanese constitution says, “All people shall have the right to receive an equal education corresponding to their ability, as provided by law. The people shall be obligated to have all boys and girls under their protection receive ordinary education as provided by law. Such compulsory education shall be free.” Before moving forward, I would like to make two comments here: first, please have a look at the name of the ministry once again. It is one ministry that takes care of culture, education, science, sports, and technology.

If you compare this with the countries in South Asia, most have separate ministries for all of the above. In Pakistan, even almost a decade after the 18th Constitutional Amendment was passed in 2010, we have overlapping ministries at the federal and provincial levels. In Japan, MEXT combines all related departments such as culture, education, and sports together; and also puts science and technology (S&T) under the same umbrella. If one of the purposes of education is to nurture citizens who are cultured and civilized, you cannot separate culture from education. Being cultured means being caring, considerate, honest, and responsible.

The second comment is regarding Article 26 of the Japanese constitution and its provisions. Its stress on ‘equal education’ deserves attention as in Japan the state provides almost equal opportunities to all its citizens. As opposed to South Asian countries where the states have miserably failed to offer ‘equal education’, Japan has been successful in doing so, mainly thanks to its appropriate allocations to education. If we look at the Basic Act of Education of Japan, its Article 5 reads:

“The objective of general education, given in the form of compulsory education, shall be to cultivate the foundation for an independent life within society while developing the abilities of each individual, and to foster the basic qualities necessary for those who form our state and society.”

Please note that there is no mention of any national, patriotic, or religious responsibilities; neither is there any rhetoric about defending or preserving any ‘Japanese culture’ or any ‘Buddhist or Shinto’ heritage. Yes, there is emphasis on cultivating “the foundation of an independent life” and “developing the abilities of each individual”. This is the spirit and the approach for an effective education system. If you compare this with our myriad education policies, we find them full of platitudes about our nationalistic and patriotic pride, and cultural heritage and religious identity, and Pakistani faith, unity, and discipline.

Now some more specifics. The costs of municipal elementary, junior, and high schools are borne by the government. The national government is merely responsible for establishing a framework and setting of national standards. It also secures funding sources for preparation of education conditions. That means the national government provides guidance, advice and assistance without interfering into the curriculum and syllabus matters, as long as certain national standards are followed. There are two tiers or boards of education (BoE): prefectural and municipal. Prefectural is like the provincial board that establishes and operates high schools and special-needs schools.

Prefectural BoEs also hire teachers and make payments to elementary and junior high school teachers’ salaries. Municipal BoEs get advice, assistance and guidance from prefectural BoEs, but they establish and operate their own municipal schools. Interestingly, BoEs are established in all prefectures and municipalities as administrative committees, but they are totally independent of the prefectural or municipal head of government. BoEs decide the basic policy and important matters regarding the administration of education. Each BoE has five members: one full-time superintendent with a three-year term; and four part-time lay members who can be reappointed after four years.

The relevant local assemblies approve the appointment of the head of prefectural or municipal BoE. The BoE ensures political neutrality – meaning the contents of education must be neutral, fair and free from personal value judgments. The BoE also ensures sustainability and stability of compulsory education throughout the learning period. That means absenteeism and dropouts are controlled and minimized. There is a strong provision for pre-primary education (PPE) which starts at the age of three and ends at the age of six when children start elementary schools. For PPE there are integrated centres for early childhood education and care (ECEC) established and run by the kindergarten department.

The elementary department establishes and runs elementary schools that provide primary education for six years till the age of 12. The last phase of compulsory education is managed by the lower secondary department which runs lower secondary schools offering three years of schooling till the age of 15. MEXT, which is a large ministry, has multiple departments for each level of education. Again, if you compare it with public education in South Asia, here perhaps the most neglected area is PPE or kindergartens. Lack of facilities and resources, and absence of committed and qualified ECEC professionals render early childhood education meaningless in countries such as Pakistan.

After the age of 15, Japanese boys and girls can do part-time courses, join upper secondary schools, or get into specialized training colleges to do upper secondary courses run by the upper secondary department. They may also get admitted to colleges of technology run by the higher education department. At age 18, when they complete 12 years of education, they may get into junior colleges or specialized training colleges where they can enroll into one-year or two-year courses. They have an exit option after every year and may also continue for four years doing multiple courses if they want.

This model is quite contrary to the HEC model in Pakistan which has enforced a four-year bachelor’s programme without introducing exit options after two years. The provincial HECs in Pakistan should introduce two-year associate degrees in all disciplines and in all degree colleges or universities so that students who face family problems or financial issues may exit after two years and join the workforce. Here we have a lot to learn from the Japanese model of higher education which offers six years of higher education till the age of 24 but also has multiple exit options on the way, without forcing students to quit midway without a degree or certificate.

But perhaps the best aspect of Japanese education system is its stress on the three components of education – intellectual, moral and physical. That’s how they take a holistic approach, and teachers in Japan are trained not only to teach but also to engage in extracurricular activities to develop competencies and provide guidance. Lastly, meal provision in schools makes a lot of difference, where children themselves serve food provided by the school and are encouraged to clean up after themselves.

Source of the article: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/514098-learning-education-from-japan

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Learning for empathy: A world effort to build peace through education

agosto 19, 2019agosto 19, 2019Noticias

Asia/ Japan/ 19.08.2019/ Source: www.japantimes.co.jp.

In a classroom on a recent Saturday, junior high school students were gathered in small groups discussing death, specifically whether they would consent for their organs to be harvested after they passed away. “I am willing to donate my organs because at that time I will no longer care what happens to my body,” one student told the class. “I will be glad if my body can be useful to others in need after my death.” Many students shared similar viewpoints.

The topic came up during moral education classes in mid-July during an open day at Funabashi Kibou Junior High School in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, where parents had been invited to observe special classes addressing life values. Moral education classes are not meant to judge if students’ opinions are right or wrong, or instruct them how they should think. Instead, the classes aim to encourage reflection and listening to others’ viewpoints to promote critical thinking and empathy — the ability to understand other people’s feelings and the basis for living together in peace.

“To survive in the world peacefully, we must show empathy to others. We must understand feelings of others,” said Mamtaz Jahan, an assistant English teacher from Tejgaon Government Girls High School in Dhaka, who observed the classes with a group of teachers, school leaders and officials from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan. After the session, parents were also invited to speak with teachers about morals and ethics in daily life and how to address these topics with children.

The visit was part of the UNESCO project “Learning for Empathy: A teacher exchange and support programme,” sponsored by the Japanese government. The project targets teachers as key influencers in social transformation linked to the sustainable development goals, particularly SDG4.7 highlighting the appreciation of cultural diversity and promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence.

Teachers can have a direct impact on strengthening students’ resilience to discriminatory and violent narratives as well as model values of respect and trust. In many countries, school leaders and teachers share similar concerns and challenges in terms of the quality and relevance of learning in the 21st century, when societies are rapidly changing in terms of technology, human relationships and how we relate with the natural environment.

The empathy project offers education professionals from different countries opportunities to learn from each other, find inspiration and generate changes in mind-set. The group visited schools and community learning centers in Tokyo to learn what Japan does to make learning meaningful, motivating and empowering, and exchange ideas with Japanese teachers and students.

“We come here from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia to learn about how the education system is running in Japan,” Jahan said, adding that she wanted to know how Japan had incorporated SDGs in education, particularly SDG4.7 promoting a holistic view of learning based on the three pillars of cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral dimensions.

The global indicator established for Target 4.7 measures the extent to which Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) are mainstreamed in national education policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessments. Japan has long-standing experiences in inclusive quality education with many schools, including those visited, promoting topics such as sustainable development and peace.

Omori Dairoku Junior High School in Ota Ward is one of the most active UNESCO Associated Schools in Japan, actively promoting ESD through a whole school approach. School teachers collaborated to develop the SDGs Calendar as part of the school curriculum, integrating learning of and for SDGs in all teaching subjects throughout the school year. For example, ninth grade social studies focused in April on protecting democracy (SDG17: Partnership for the Goals) and in May on protecting human rights (SDG17 and SDG10: Reduced Inequalities).

“Learning for empathy is a universal value, but nowadays I think we have to think more about how to integrate it into the field of education, not only in the school, but also at home and in the community,” said Gilang Asri Devianty, a teacher from State Junior High School 2 in Cileunyi, West Java.

Education, including learning for empathy, involves three levels of learners, teachers and the broader education community, which also covers parents and community members.

For example, in addition to the usual parent-teacher association, Hasune Daini Elementary School in Itabashi Ward runs learning-support sessions led by volunteers in the community, many of whom are parents, helping students who cannot keep up with classes.

“We cannot live by our own. We are social beings, so we have to work with the others. To do so, we have to know and understand the others so we can coordinate, cooperate and collaborate,” Gilang said. “I think the very basic thing as a teacher, when we try to educate the students to have empathy toward each other, is to teach them how to accept differences, meaning not judging.”

The world is experiencing a rise of intolerance and conflict despite growing interconnectedness and interdependency among people and nations. Education can help to prepare learners to be active and responsible contributors to sustainable development and world peace. In the Asia-Pacific, an immensely culturally and linguistically diverse region, this is a particularly vital role.

Part of that mission is deconstructing prejudices about “others,” help to instill healthy self-esteem, and raise awareness about basic human rights and values. Education has a role to play in creating a strong sense of belongingness for people who feel excluded or marginalized as well as give them opportunities to develop skills for non-violent expression, communication and action through collaboration.

“I think one of the immediate problems is clashes of identities,” said Muhammad Israr Madani, an Islamic scholar and madrassa teacher at the International Research Council for Religious Affairs in Pakistan. “There are a lot of conflicts between different identities based on their ethnicity, religion, sectarian[ism] and language. Sometimes, identity crisis can create extremism.”

During the visit, participants also went to Mita High School in Minato Ward, to talk with about 30 students who are members of the school’s UNESCO Committee. Each country and the UNESCO Committee made presentations and discussed how empathy was taught in their countries, including challenges and what young people are most passionate about.

Madani said he believed that Pakistan needed to participate in such exchange programs, which would help people with different identities understand each other better. “We need to promote empathy through teacher training,” he said, emphasizing the need for proper teacher training on peace-building and conflict-resolution skills.

The visit ended with participants presenting plans that they would implement respectively in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan, taking into account challenges identified in their local contexts. Despite the differences in language, ethnicity and other factors, empathy — a key to learn to live together — is a thread that unites us all together.

Source of the notice: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/08/19/commentary/japan-commentary/learning-empathy-world-effort-build-peace-education/#.XVqVjugzbIV

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En Japón: opiniones divididas por la reducción de matrícula a estudiantes de familias de bajos ingresos

agosto 16, 2019agosto 14, 2019Noticias

Asia/Japón/universityworldnews.com

En un contexto de creciente desigualdad económica en Japón, una nueva regulación aprobada por los legisladores en abril y mayo para eximir las tasas de matrícula universitaria para estudiantes de familias de bajos ingresos a partir de 2020 está recibiendo reacciones encontradas.

Los expertos dicen que la nueva medida de ayuda es un medio para suavizar un aumento impopular de impuestos que también afectará a las familias desfavorecidas.

El primer ministro Shinzo Abe, cuyo partido ganó las elecciones nacionales celebradas el pasado fin de semana para la cámara alta del parlamento, aumentará el impuesto al consumidor al 10% desde octubre, desde el 8% actual, con el aumento de los ingresos fiscales que se utilizará para Apoyar la matrícula gratuita para estudiantes universitarios. Varios partidos de oposición hicieron campaña para congelar el impuesto al consumo en los niveles actuales.

A partir de abril de 2020, el nuevo año académico universitario, los estudiantes aceptados en instituciones de educación superior nacionales y privadas, incluidas las escuelas de formación profesional, y que provienen de hogares con ingresos anuales de JPY2.7 millones (US $ 25,000) o menos, son elegibles para el programa de ayuda, que no requiere reembolso.

También recibirán subvenciones para cubrir los gastos de subsistencia. La fecha límite para la solicitud está programada para diciembre y viene con condiciones como la evaluación para juzgar el fuerte compromiso del destinatario para estudiar.

Los estudiantes de familias con un ingreso anual inferior a JPY3.8 millones (US $ 35,000) son elegibles para solicitar becas de dos tercios o un tercio.

Las tarifas estándar anuales para las universidades nacionales rondan los JPY540,000 (US $ 5,000) con una tarifa de entrada por separado. Los cargos de la institución privada son dobles.

Las reacciones de los estudiantes han sido variadas. Muchos aceptan que la medida del gobierno los aliente a buscar la entrada a la universidad. Pero otros dicen que el rango de ingresos calificado es demasiado bajo.

“Significa que los estudiantes de familias de ingresos medios y con muchos hermanos que también luchan por pagar una educación universitaria continúan enfrentando la carga de pagar las tarifas. Esto no es justo ”, explicó Shizuka Iwasaki, de 20 años, estudiante de la Universidad de Tokio que creció en una familia monoparental.

Ella agregó: «Nos gustaría ver un aumento paso a paso en la disponibilidad de un sistema de este tipo en lugar de separar a los de una familia con un ingreso de JPY3.8 millones».

Por otro lado, la estudiante de secundaria Mari Iseki, que asiste a una escuela secundaria para prepararla para ingresar a una universidad de cuatro años, está ansiosa por no molestar a sus padres para que paguen la matrícula universitaria. Ella dice: «El primer ministro Abe me ha dado esperanzas».

Iseki tiene tres hermanos y está interesada en estudiar manga, novelas gráficas, lo que dice que le preocupa a su padre, quien cree que el trabajo no será financieramente lucrativo. «Ahora estudiaré mucho para poder obtener matrícula gratuita y hacer lo que quiera», dijo.

Disparidad de ingresos La disparidad de ingresos de

Japón se debe en gran medida al envejecimiento de la población, junto con la inestabilidad laboral, incluidos los despidos y el aumento de los empleos a tiempo parcial, que ahora representan casi el 40% del mercado laboral. Como resultado, Japón ha visto más estudiantes que dependen de préstamos estudiantiles para completar la educación superior.

Según la Organización de Servicios Estudiantiles de Japón, la proporción de estudiantes con préstamos universitarios aumentó rápidamente del 6% hace más de una década a casi el 20% en 2016. La agencia gubernamental proporcionó un total de JPY1.02 billones (US $ 9,4 mil millones) en préstamos anualmente desde 2017, en comparación con JPY500 mil millones en 2002.

Aún así, la mayoría de los estudiantes universitarios reciben el apoyo de sus padres, mientras que los trabajos de medio tiempo de los estudiantes pagan extras, como gastos de vivienda y vivienda y viajes de estudio. Los datos oficiales indican que la proporción pagada por los padres está disminuyendo: 60% en 2016 en comparación con 76% en 1996, según las últimas cifras oficiales.

A medida que crece la brecha de ingresos, junto con la disminución demográfica, las universidades japonesas también se ven afectadas financieramente. Algunas universidades nacionales, como el prestigioso Instituto de Tecnología de Tokio, que aumentó sus tarifas anuales en un 18% a JPY640,000 (US $ 6,000), han aumentado las tarifas para hacer frente a las restricciones financieras en medio del próximo aumento en el impuesto al consumo que se espera que sea Una carga extra para las familias.

Luchando

contra las familias En este contexto difícil, Chieko Akaishi, portavoz del Foro de Madres Solteras, dice que la nueva ley de tarifas gratuitas es vital para los hogares que luchan por los bajos ingresos.

«Las familias monoparentales, generalmente encabezadas por una madre, ni siquiera pueden darse el lujo de enviar a los niños a la escuela secundaria, que no es gratuita en Japón», señaló.

Sin embargo, su principal reserva es que la nueva regulación impone condiciones estrictas, como que los estudiantes mantengan altas calificaciones, lo que, según ella, podría desalentar a los estudiantes con dificultades que tienen que trabajar mientras asisten a la universidad.

Otros también sienten que el nuevo esquema se queda corto. “La Constitución y la Ley Básica de Educación de Japón declara que la oportunidad educativa es un derecho humano básico. Por lo tanto, es deber del gobierno lograr este objetivo. A este respecto, la nueva legislación tan publicitada se queda corta ”, dijo Masayuki Kobayashi, profesor de la Organización para la Investigación Integral de la Universidad JF Oberlin, una institución privada en Tokio.

El gasto gubernamental en educación terciaria es el 1.7% del presupuesto nacional en comparación con un promedio del 3% en los países avanzados que pertenecen a la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE). Además, las universidades japonesas dependen en gran medida de la financiación privada, para el 68% de sus ingresos, en comparación con el promedio del 30% entre las naciones industrializadas de la OCDE.

La nueva legislación es un enfoque poco sistemático para avanzar en el objetivo de la educación gratuita como un derecho para todos, dice Kobayashi, y una clara indicación de que las consideraciones económicas nacionales tienen prioridad sobre el derecho a la educación, lo que requeriría una mayor cantidad del presupuesto.

Las universidades más ricas han adoptado un enfoque diferente, complementando y extendiendo los programas de exención de tarifas del gobierno. La Universidad de Waseda, una prestigiosa institución privada, se encuentra en la parte superior de la lista que ofrece becas y subvenciones gratuitas para estudiantes.

Kasumasa Yoka, jefe de la sección de becas de la Universidad de Waseda, explicó que el programa de ayuda de la universidad está respaldado por fondos privados de antiguos estudiantes y donaciones.

“Como resultado, tenemos alrededor de 1,000 estudiantes que estudian con becas completas y parciales que no tienen que pagar. El programa ha alentado a más estudiantes a postularse ”, dijo.

Fuente: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20190726144908732

Imagen tomada de: https://img.kyodonews.net/english/public/images/posts/7ff70641a092013a322962e2716ffd5e/photo_l.jpg

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Universitarios abogan contra la violencia sexual en Japón

agosto 9, 2019agosto 9, 2019Noticias

Asia/Japón/09 Agosto 2019/Prensa Latina

Estudiantes universitarios japoneses iniciaron una campaña de recolección de firmas para solicitar a sus escuelas que brinden un ambiente de aprendizaje seguro, reseñan hoy medios locales.

Sin embargo, la respuesta de las universidades se silenció a pesar de informes que revelan el número creciente de casos de violencia sexual dentro y fuera de los campus en los últimos tiempos.

En mayo pasado Koyo Tani, de 22 años, estudiante universitario de cuarto año, inició la campaña para solicitar a los centros educación preventiva y otras contramedidas.

‘En comparación con las advertencias sobre el consumo excesivo de alcohol, la universidad no ha tomado la iniciativa de destacar la violencia sexual’, dijo Tani.

Varios alumnos de universidades como la de Soka y Sophia realizaron talleres para educar a los estudiantes sobre la importancia del consentimiento sexual.

Por su parte, la organización feminista Chabudai Gaeshi Jyoshi Action (Acción de mujeres que giran mesas), destacó la iniciativa de los jóvenes y la necesidad de tener campus seguros.

Mientras, los expertos instaron a las instituciones de enseñanza a desempeñar un papel más activo en la educación de los estudiantes para reducir los casos de agresión sexual.

Fuente: https://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=296514&SEO=universitarios-abogan-contra-la-violencia-sexual-en-japon

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Japan to toughen eligibility standards for Japanese-language schools

agosto 6, 2019agosto 5, 2019Noticias

Asia/ Japan/ 06.07.2019/ Source: www.japantimes.co.jp.

The Immigration Services Agency said Thursday it will toughen eligibility standards for Japanese-language schools that can accept foreign students, effective Sept. 1.

The stricter standards will require 70 percent or more of the students who complete the courses to proceed to universities, get jobs in Japan or certify through outside testing that their Japanese ability is above daily conversation levels.

Schools that fail to meet the requirement for three straight years will not be allowed to accept new foreign students.

The tougher standards are aimed at preventing foreign people from coming into the country with a study visa for the purpose of making money, as well as to improve the quality of Japanese-language education in the country.

The move comes as the number of foreign workers in the country is expected to continue increasing following the introduction of a new visa program in April.

Under the new standards, the minimum requirement for the average student’s attendance rate will be revised from 50 percent or more in a month to 70 percent or more over a six-month period. Schools failing to meet this threshold will not be able to accept new students.

Foreign students will be asked to inform schools about their part-time jobs, and information about students who miss more than half of classes in a month must be reported to the agency.

Japanese-language schools used to have to undergo eligibility checks only when they are established. But under the new standards, they will be checked every year.

The number of Japanese-language schools in the country recognized by the government rose 1.6 times over the past five years to 747 as of Thursday.

Source of the notice: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/08/01/national/japan-tighten-japanese-language-school-standards/#.XUi17OgzbIU

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Trabajo forzado y esclavas sexuales, las claves de la disputa histórica que mantiene enfrentados a Japón y Corea del Sur

Colonia y esclavitud

La disputa por las reparaciones