I hereby give My sanction, with the advice of the Privy Council, to the Fundamental Law of Education, for which the concurrence of the Imperial Diet has been obtained, and cause the same to be promulgated.
Signed:HIROHITO, Seal of the Emperor
This twenty-ninth day of the third month of the twenty-second year of Showa (March 29, 1947)
Countersigned: Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru
Minister of Education TAKAHASHI Seiichiro
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF EDUCATION
Having established the Constitution of Japan, we have shown our resolution to contribute to the peace of the world and welfare of humanity by building a democratic and cultural state. The realization of this ideal shall depend fundamentally on the power of education.
We shall esteem individual dignity and endeavour to bring up the people who love truth and peace, while education which aims at the creation of culture general and rich in individuality shall be spread far and wide.
We hereby enact this Law, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of Japan, with a view to clarifying the aim of education and establishing the foundation of education for new Japan.
Article 1 Aim of Education Education shall aim at the full development of personality, striving for the rearing of the people, sound in mind and body, who shall love truth and justice, esteem individual value, respect labour and have a deep sense of responsibility, and be imbued with the independent spirit, as builders of the peaceful state and society.
Article 2 Educational Principle The aim of education shall be realized on all occasions and in all places. In order to achieve the aim, we shall endeavour to contribute to the creation and development of culture by mutual esteem and co-operation, respecting academic freedom, having a regard for actual life and cultivating a spontaneous spirit.
Article 3 Equal Opportunity in Education The people shall all be given equal opportunities of receiving education according to their ability, and they shall not be subject to educational discrimination on account of race, creed, sex, social status, economic position or family origin.
The state and local public corporations shall take measures to give financial assistance to those who have, in spite of their ability, difficulty in receiving education for economic reasons.
Article 4 Compulsory Education The people shall be obligated to have boys and girls under their protection receive nine years'general education.
No tuition fee shall be charged for compulsory education in schools established by the state and local public corporations.
Article 5 Co-education Men and women shall esteem and co-operate with each other. Co-education, therefore, shall be recognized in education.
Article 6 School Education The schools prescribed by law shall be of public nature and, besides the state and local public bodies, only the juridical persons prescribed by law shall be entitled to establish such schools.
Teachers of the schools prescribed by law shall be servants of the whole community. They shall be conscious of their mission and endeavour to discharge their duties. For this purpose, the status of teachers shall be respected and their fair and appropriate treatment shall be secured.
Article 7 Social Education The state and local public bodies shall encourage home education and education carried out in places of work or elsewhere in society.
The state and local public bodies shall endeavour to attain the aim of education by the establishment of such institutions as libraries, museums, civic halls, etc., by the utilization of school institutions, and by other appropriate methods.
Article 8 Political Education The political knowledge necessary for intelligent citizenship shall be valued in enducation.
The schools prescribed by law, shall refrain from political education or other political activities for or against any specific political party.
Article 9 Religious Education The attitude or religious tolerance and the position of religion in social life shall be valued in education.
The schools established by the state and local public bodies shall refrain from religious education or other activities for a specific religion.
Article 10 School Adiministration Education shall not be subject to improper control, but it shall be directly responsible to the whole people.
School administration shall, on the basis of this realization, aim at the adjustment and establishment of the various conditions required for the pursuit of the aim of education.
Article 11 Additional Rule In case of necessity appropriate laws shall be enacted to carry the foregoing stipulations into effect.
Supplementary Provision:
The present Law shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation.