While there is much academic research conducted to compare school systems in order to improve them, there is little historical and anthropological research on why the length of school days around the world differ. It is simply accepted that different regions and cultures have different needs and constraints.  However, there many possible socio-economic and cultural factors at play from which to piece together probable explainations for longer school days and school years in Japan versus America.

One possible factor is the Japanese government's emphasis on having one of the world's best-educated populations.  The Ministry of Education closely supervises curriculum, textbooks, and classes and maintains a uniform level of education throughout the country, with an aim of 100% enrollment in compulsory grades and zero illiteracy. While not compulsory, high school (koukou) enrollment is over 96% nationwide and nearly 100% in the cities. The high school drop out rate is only 2%, though it has been increasing. About 46% of all high school graduates go on to university or junior college.  As a result, a high standard of education is possible, and the Japanese put a high value on it culturally. As both Japanese higher education and Japanese workplaces are very competitive, this approach to schooling is likely to prepare students for an adult life in Japan, and longer school days may be an important part of that preparation.  On the face of it, American workplaces and universities are also competitive, and both cultures have issues with work-life balance compared to European countries.  However, looking deeper, America has a rich and early history of pushing for labor reforms, such as child labor restrictions and unionization; even today there are many struggles in America around working hours and wages in workplaces, and many different alternative schooling approaches, such as Montessori.  Americans have a much more complex relationship with working hours--and are more divided on whether children are best prepared through early hard work, or if childhood is a time to be free to learn and grow through exploration, before transitioning to their later adult lives dominated by work until retirement.  So in Japan, the length of the school day is largely dictated by strong initiatives of the government and populace; and in America, school hours may be largely determined by experimentation and compromise on American's inherently and historically diverse views on education.

Another possible reason is cultural influence of other countries educational systems, especially over time.  While it is true that the Japanese educational system was reformed after World War II, to be more in line with the American school system: the old 6-5-3-3 system was changed to a 6-3-3-4 system (6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of senior high school and 4 years of University) with reference to the American system. However, the modern Japanese educational system's roots actually extend back to 1872, modeled after the French school system which begins in April. The fiscal year in Japan also begins in April and ends in March of the following year, which is more convenient in many aspects.  April is the height of spring when cherry blossoms (the most loved flower of the Japanese) bloom and the most suitable time for a new start in Japan. This difference in the school-year system causes some inconvenience to students who wish to study abroad in the U.S. A half-year is wasted waiting to get in and often another year is wasted when coming back to the Japanese university system and having to repeat a year.  Further explaination may come from neigboring Asian influences, such as China, most of which have more intensive school days and years than the American system.   Many of these influences go back centuries, and there has always cross-cultural exchange btween neighboring nations throughout history, especially in Asia.  Except for the lower grades of elementary school, the average Japanese school day on weekdays is 6 hours, which makes it one of the longest school days in the world. Similar to other Asian countries, even after school lets out the children have drills and other homework to keep them busy. Vacations are 6 weeks in the summer and about 2 weeks each for winter and spring breaks. There is often homework over these vacations, unlike European school and work systems, which put a high value on quality vacation time.  America, on the other hand, has only Canada and Mexico as significant neighbors, and has generally been a stronger influence on their education systems than the other way around, except in specialized areas such as language learning.  Farther afield, while it is true that European models have influenced univeristies and private schools in America, it is also true that America's lower education has been largely been indepenantly evolved as its own ecosystem.  America's school scheduling differs from most of the world, except those that have borrowed from its influence.  And while the Japanese have been one of those borrowers of ideas during the rebuilding after World War II, the Japanese are also prolific importers of culture, picking and choosing what they feel best each culture has to offer in line with their own ideals. As such Japan seems to have chosen school hours models from their closer neghbors, instead of the American model.

Another factor in the increased length of the school day in Japan may be making the best use of limited reseources.  As a result of the rapid population growth after World War II, the numbers of students in a typical elementary or junior high school class once exceeded 50 students, but now it is kept under 40.  This is exacerbated by Japan being an island nation, where space and land are at a premium--especially compared to the vastness and relatively cheap real estate of most of America--so spacial efficiency is a way of life in Japan, including in its schools, in a way that is quite foreign and suprising to many Americans.  Every class of students in Japan has its own fixed classroom where its students take all the courses, except for practical training and laboratory work. During elementary education, in most cases, one teacher teaches all the subjects in each class. Longer school days may be a way of making sure each student in Japan has access to everything they need, as time is split between limited resources such as teacher attention and classroom space.

Lastly, a big overall difference between the Japanese school system and the American School system may lie in lifestyle philosophy and group ethics. Americans prize individuality while the Japanese (and many other Asian cultures) put a higher value on observing group rules and maintaining harmony. These values are taught from a young age in their respective cultures.  At Japanese public elementary and junior high school, school lunch (kyuushoku) is provided on a standardized menu, and it is eaten in the classroom; whereas Americans have largely gravitated to a cafeteria-based lunch service for schools, and even at many larger companies now. Nearly all junior high schools in Japan require their students to wear a school uniform (seifuku), while United States dress codes tend to be more relaxed and accepting of some individiality and expression. This helps to explain the Japanese characteristic of group behavior, which may make consensus on longer learning durations and working hours more pallatable to Japanese teachers, students, parents and the polulace at large. Contrast this with the diverse and staunchly independant American school and work systems, and it is easy to see how these two cultures could inspire quite different school schedules.

There are many differences in the standards and practices of school systems around the world, especially between Japan and America.  No approach is necissarily right or wrong, as they each strive to prepare their children for a life in their respective cultures.  I hope I have given you some food for thought in exploring the topic of school hours in Japan and America.

Do you have any questions I can help you with?
spam fails_task lang_mismatch pii not_appropriate hate_speech sexual_content quality toxicity humor helpfulness creativity violence