Impact of Covid-19 on education in Japan

  Today I'd like to address some of the things that have been on a lot of our minds, when coping with the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. I have personally seen some of the effects on decision-making on a practical level, of the huge accommodations that schools have had to make to make schools a safe…

Update: School closures / switch to online learning due to covid-19

Two Tokyo international schools close campuses for long durations At least two International schools in Tokyo are closing their campuses for long durations, with the American School in Japan shutting down for the remainder of the school year as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on curriculums. "Following the advice of the Japanese Government that all schools should…

Sasumata; the samurai weapon of Japanese school administrators

Don’t be scared if you see one of these at your local school, it’s this school’s version of security in the event of malevolent intruders…

Kansai Culture

Sasumata刺股

Safety and threats in society-

Japan is an incredible safe country, violent crimes rates (and crime rates in general) are among the lowest levels in the world.

Americans are familiar with mass shooting and gun violence, so it is not unusual to see security officers or even metal detectors in schools.

Despite the social safety and stability in Japan as well as the limited access to firearms, there have still been acts of violence that have shaken Japan. Most foreigners are aware of the sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway that were perpetrated by a religious cult (Aum Shinrikyo) in 1995, sending thousands to hospitals and killing 12.

Foreigners are much less aware of the “Osaka school massacre” of 2001. In Osaka, at the Ikeda Elementary School, a mentally ill man went on a rampage with a kitchen knife, killing 8 and injuring 15.

A defensive weapon-

After…

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