Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
20.5
Current State of Japanese and Geography Education
20.5.1
Government Education Policy After the Disaster:
A National Dimension
According to Japanese education policy, disaster prevention education has a place
in the school security education sphere. That policy states that disaster prevention
education, belonging to Health and Physical Education subject as well as in a spe-
cial school activity, should be practiced in close cooperation with other subjects.
The disaster prevention education consists of three fi elds, life safety, traffi c safety,
and disaster prevention. Geography and Social Studies have contributed a great deal
to this fi eld of education, along with Health and Physical Education, Home
Economics and Science. For example, the National Curriculum Standards pre-
scribes the following units of a disaster prevention education.
Elementary School (Social Studies)
Third-fourth grade: disaster and accident prevention in the local area
Fifth grade: land preservation and natural disaster prevention
Junior High School (Geography Curriculum in Social Studies)
First-second grade: characteristics of the natural environment in Japan and disas-
ters/disaster prevention
Senior High School (Geography)
First-third grade: natural environment and disaster prevention
This shows that geography education has carried out the disaster prevention edu-
cation from the natural/human/social relationship viewpoint.
The Great East Japan Disaster demands reexamination of disaster prevention edu-
cation policy in the government. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology (MEXT) established the “Committee of Well-Informed Persons for
Disaster Prevention Education After the Great East Japan Disaster Age” in July 2011.
This committee produced a fi nal report in July 2012 that recommended enrichment of
disaster prevention education, especially fostering student's skills and attitudes about
survival during hazards. The Cabinet of the government passed the “Plan of School
Security Education Promotion” in April 2012. The promotion of disaster prevention
education has been demanded at a national policy level. Geography and Social Studies
are regarded as the main subjects to lead and achieve this aim.
20.5.2
Practices in Geography Education: A School Lesson
Perspective
In school geography lessons, disaster prevention practices have certainly increased
since the disaster. An examination of trends reported in academic association
presentations and journals are detailed below.
