124: 80 Years Later, Japan’s Big Problem (3)

【Inclusive Education】
As shared in the previous blog post, recent election results show striking contrasts:

• Tokyo:                 50%pt conservative win (Upper House, July)

• Manhattan:      64%pt liberal win (Presidential, last year)
• San Francisco: 64%pt liberal win

 
Even where conservatives won statewide, urban centers tell a very different story:

• New Orleans: 67%pt liberal win
• Atlanta:              45%pt liberal win

 
These results raise an intriguing question: while major urban cities in the US are overwhelmingly liberal, why is Tokyo so overwhelmingly conservative?
 
Urban cities are often seen as important barometers of social progress, globally. It’s because they attract people, education, jobs, and diversity. With an ever-increasing concentration of everything in Tokyo, it’s especially so in Japan.
 
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at inclusive education--an education that fosters human rights awareness.
 
The more a society cultivates inclusive education grounded in human rights, the less likely people are to be drawn toward:

• Xenophobia and nationalism
• Groundless conspiracy theories or anti-vaccine movements
• Discrimination against women, foreigners, or LGBTQ individuals
• Denial of established historical facts about wartime aggression
• Militarism or fascism

 
In short, people become less inclined to cling to “traditional values” simply because they want to preserve the tradition regardless of good or bad--that is, they move away from a conservative mindset.
 
Conversely, the stronger a society’s commitment to inclusive education grounded in human rights, the more likely people are to embrace:

• Inclusivity and equality
• Pacifism and nonviolence
• Honest peace education that acknowledges past mistakes of war aggression, vowing never to repeat [See #25]

 
In essence, people move toward a liberal mindset--one that seeks to preserve what’s good from the past while changing what’s harmful, to build a better tomorrow for everyone.
 
This shift from conservative mindset to liberal mindset can be illustrated by a few examples:

• “It’s only natural that a person’s life is largely determined by the circumstances of their birth.”→
• “Let’s create a society where no one is unfairly excluded/rejected based on an inborn trait like race, ethnicity, origin, family background, gender, sexual orientation, illness, or disability.” [See #42]

 

• “We shouldn’t change things because that’s how it’s always been.”→
• “If that tradition harms some people, let’s change the harmful parts.” [See #28]

 

• “This war is inevitable because they attacked first.”→
• “Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense can never be the answer. Rather than glorifying war, idolizing nationalism, or calling soldiers our heroes, let’s strive for a nonviolent society.” [See #103], [#9], [#61]

 

• “The Bible is the word of God, so it’s not for us mere mortals to question.”→
• “Can words said to have been written thousands of years ago truly address every modern issue, especially when they contradict science? As long as we share the core values of contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring for others, helping those in need, and working to make this world a better place for everyone, let’s embrace both believers and non-believers alike.” [See #79]

 
Inclusive education places great emphasis on independent thinking grounded in factual/evidence-based reasoning, as well as putting it into action. As it takes root, people often move away from a conservative mindset and toward a liberal mindset.
 
Of course, in every country, there are individuals who may not have had access to quality education yet can still think independently and act based on fact/evidence.
 
Conversely, also in every country, there are graduates of so-called “elite” universities who fail to think independently or act based on fact/evidence.
 
The most wasteful cases are when people who’ve had the privilege of an excellent education use their knowledge not for the common good, but to exploit loopholes or twist interpretations for their own personal gain.
 
Still, one overarching pattern remains clear:
Learning in an inclusive, human rights-based environment is key to moving beyond a conservative mindset and toward a liberal mindset.
 
And this understanding is essential to explaining why Tokyo remains strikingly conservative while urban America is overwhelmingly liberal.
 
In the next post, we’ll explore this further by looking at the differences between Japanese and American approaches to inclusive education.

Read Next: 80 Years Later, Japan’s Big Problem (4)【College Admissions】
Read Previous: 80 Years Later, Japan’s Big Problem (2)【Even in Urban Cities】

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