Monbusho , the national educational governing board, is stressing educational reforms both in the national curriculum and administration. Corporations are struggling to provide opportunities for young Japanese entering a downsized workforce. Loyalty to one's company remains high, despite a downward trend in the phenomenon of lifetime employment. My students are typical examples of America's urban youth. They are generally unmotivated and lack basic social skills.
Academic achievement is average at best.
In order to instill a stronger work ethic and a sense of community, I have used Japan and its adherence to a set of core values as a model for change. Students will hopefully learn how, with a new attitude toward work, they can improve their lives. 203 people responded, both male and female, aged seventeen to sixty-seven. Based on these responses, as well as on individual and group interviews conducted by the author, several conclusions have been drawn, each relating to one of the four values highlighted by the survey. Most of the Japanese people I interviewed believe, in contrast to many Americans, that work is done for neither money nor prestige but for the good of the employer and society.