joint school sports club activities where teams can be organized with members from several schools and cooperation between school sports clubs and community sports clubs. MEXT is also actively promoting the establishment of club houses at which schoolchildren in school sports clubs can interact with local residents and the conversion of more exercise grounds to grass sports fields.

## (3) Improving Athletic Meets

School athletic meets such as the National Lower Secondary School Athletic Meet and the National Upper Secondary School General Athletic Meet are held as part of school educational activities. Because these competitions exhibit the achievements of day-to-day school sports club activities and because exchange with students from other schools has a major educational benefit, MEXT supports the expansion of school athletic meets.

MEXT is also reviewing the regulations governing faculty sponsors in charge of students participating in school athletic meets so that outside instructors and

▲ Opening Ceremony of the National Upper Secondary School General Athletic Meet

not just teachers and other staff assigned to a particular school can be permitted to serve in such a capacity in exceptional instances. These faculty sponsor regulations have applied since FY2003 to the National Lower Secondary School Athletic Meet and since FY2004 to the National Upper Secondary School General Athletic Meet.

## (4) Creating Sports Sites – Creating Sports Sites Nationwide

Setting participation in national athletic meets as both a goal and an incentive for elementary, junior high and high school students contributes also to forming a positive and dynamic society and is hence extremely meaningful. The establishment of symbolic venues for sports competitions such as Koshien Stadium (baseball) and National Stadium (soccer) encourage children to participate in athletic meets and thereby promote sports; local public organizations also find this effective from the perspective of vitalizing communities through sports.

In holding such competitions, however, support is necessary to address issues connected with running athletic meets such as selecting venues, securing funding, and reconciling the differing needs of local governments and sports organizations. Under the direction of Prime Minister Koizumi, MEXT and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications are engaged in programs to create sports venues where national athletic meets can be reliably held on a continuing basis with the cooperation of sports organizations and cities, towns and villages.

This program will assess and coordinate the sports organizations and cities/towns/villages and provide necessary financial support so that national athletic meets for elementary, junior high and high school students can be held regularly and continually in the same cities/towns/villages with cooperation from sports organizations and those cities/towns/villages.

## 2 Enhancing Moral Education/Experiential Activities in Schools

## (1) Measures to Enhance Moral Education

Recent years have seen lessened importance given to the importance of life and consideration for others, a diminished respect for rules and models used to distinguish right from wrong and a weakened sense of public spirit. To cultivate the character and sociality of children in the face of these challenges, better moral education suited to differing stages of emotional development among children has become increasingly significant. MEXT is pursuing several measures designed to enhance moral education in schools.