Greg Culos, 2021
International Education: A Social Historical Perspective
The 3 Stages of Evolution in International Education—An evolution has taken place in International Education. Prior to World War II, the perceived value of receiving an education in a foreign nation was driven by old wealth, royalty, and ruling elites for the control of territory & people.
Following that, and concurrent with a new global order characterized to a large degree by the global standardization of democratic forms of government, the Western economic partners pursued commercial globalization. Public and private education institutions were quick to appreciate the financial opportunities and began to follow suit in the commodification of their products and services.
Their initiatives have since extended access to international mobility for education to middle classes around the world. And this all paralleled massive technological progress. I see a 3rd stage may now be discerning itself, and as a direct consequence of the first two. The traditional socio-political order is less relevant and losing teeth, fast. Change is coming: the Internet is emancipating knowledge & expression, digital currencies challenge traditional wealth, new energy sources threaten national bases of power, & old identities weaken as old dependencies erode.
Where does this all lead?
The future of International Education is beginning to beg a question… is there anything international at all about it? I am thinking this emerging 3rd stage is simply Education people choose based on their dispositions, characteristics, and life goals. They will more and more seek awareness of opportunity not defined by others, but by themselves. They will gravitate to create communities of interest and expertise where they feel most comfort in doing so, wherever those places might be.
International Schools in Japan were established due to different socio-economic influences and in four general stages or waves. The first of these was the wave of expansion that followed the isolationist policies of the Tokugawa Era during the Meiji Era and the Meiji Restoration that followed from 1867.
In 1854 following Perry’s visit to Japan and the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa, Japan made a concession that the first port to be open to international interests would be Shimoda on the Izu Peninsula south of Tokyo. To ensure this was indeed the case and that the Japanese were following their commitments, Perry returned to Japan later the same year and arrived in the Port of Shimoda with another fleet of black warships. The USA opened its first consulate in Shimoda in 1867. The Tokugawa regime was not a willing partner in the Japan’s reopening . In the decade that followed, political tides shifted until 1867 when the Meiji Emperor ascended and set in motion the Restoration that marked Japan’s socio-economic reopening to the world.
In Japan, schools offering foreign formal education, in English, and serving members of an expatriate community, began establishment early in the Meiji Era, in 1872 (JCIS, www.jcis.jp/about/history-of-jcis/). These first years saw international commercial and cultural influence burgeon, and those involved were economic settlers. Their children required education; as a result, schools opened.
The current landscape of International Education in Japan emerged in 3 waves: 1. Meiji Era Economic Ingress, 2. Market Diversification & Growth, and 3. Transfer, Capacity, & Capitalization. Here I will turn to look more closely at each.
The Evolution of International Education in Japan
1. Meiji Era Economic Ingress
Foreign interests began to flow into Japan. Communities of expat populations grew, as did their influence in the social, economic, and technological development of Japan, and according to the economic objectives of the Japanese government and the policies and objectives of the Meiji Restoration. Intimidated by the growing powers of the world, the intent was to modernize, adapt, adopt, and to become a nation according to the rules of the new International milieu for the sake of the survival of the nation. As foreign populations grew, particularly in the areas surrounding the port city of Yokohama, so too did their needs. The education of their children was one. In 1872, only 5 years after the Meiji Emperor took the throne, St. Maur International School was founded in Yokohama. Three more followed by three others: the American School (1902), the Canadian Academy in Kobe (1913), and Yokohama International School (1924).
2. Market Diversification & Growth
While the Meiji Era saw Japan open its doors to the outside and the nation swiftly set course on a path to modernization, a similar ingress of foreign interests took place, and perhaps at a more massive scale, following Japan’s defeat in World War II. Rebuilding Japan. This time however the need was to rebuild after the devastation of the war, and along the lines of Western interests. During this period of time, 8 new international schools were established across the country, from Jyushu to Hokkaido. As with the original 4 schools that opened during the Meiji Era, these too opened to meet the needs of a burgeoning expat community. They continue to operate today.
3. Transfer, Capacity, & Capitalization
By 1970, the nation had rebuilt and was moving fast towards becoming the economic powerhouse we now know. During the 20 years that followed the War, the perceived need for international education amongst the Japanese themselves grew, creating a growing demand for educational services that the existing 12 schools could not meet, and for all intents and purposes, were unwilling to meet. First, they were schools for the children of expat foreign families. Second, they did not have the capacity nor need to open their admissions to meet the growing local need. And so, this created a new market opportunity in the country that, once realized, was quickly pounced on.
The two decades following 1970 saw an additional 11 schools open in Japan, and mostly in the economic capitals, especially Tokyo. These schools were of a slightly different breed and intent, satisfying a growing local Japanese desire to have their children educated by international curricular standards, and in English. From a business perspective, there was a market need, and the promise of commercial development and profi t. During this period of growth, the founding interests were both foreign and Japanese, and the latter moreso as Japanese business minds themselves began to see the opportunities available in the sector. This trend continues, and since 2000 has seen a new surge of interest and activity, with 5 new schools introduced in the 2010s alone.
Competitive Environment
The first step in identifying the opportunity in Japan is one of definition. What is International Education? The answer to this is entirely contextual. One has to look outside of the country first before recognizing what is, in perspective, so obviously different, and therefore open to so much opportunity in this country. Seldom, if ever, do you find untapped market potential in a global industry that generates in the order of 200 billion dollars per year (and forecast to double by 2040).
International Education in the Japanese Context
As has been indicated in previous sections, the history of international schools in Japan began shortly after the country opened its doors in the waning years of the Tokugawa regime and the start of the Meiji Era, between 1853 and 1867. While Commander Perry’s accomplishment of ending a centuries old closure of Japan, the Meiji Era ushered in a highly coordinated effort to help the country catch up to its perceived loss of ground, status, and respect in a growing international order dominated by the West. Japan’s doors opened wide to social, cultural, technological, political, military influence from, in particular, the Western powers. The early years of this era saw a quick and massive influx of a foreign population specifically to provide Japan with the tools, knowledge, and skills required to move Japan from a feudal society to a modern one in as short a timeframe as possible.
This initial wave of residency brought with it a need for the education of foreign children, and within the fi rst 30 years the four most reputed of today’s international schools in Japan were established. The fi rst of these was St. Maur International School, followed in succession by the American School, the Canadian School (Kobe), and Yokohama International School. These four schools represented the sector until following Japan’s loss that ended World War II. Japan’s defeat in World War II ushered in the next commercial and industrial boom that facilitated the rebuilding of the nation and its social and commercial realignment with the West. The explosion of foreign residency resulted in the development of an additional eight international schools spread across the entire nation, from Kyushu (Fukuoka International School) to Hokkaido (Hokkaido International School).
All of these schools continue to exist today. They form the backbone of the network of international schools in Japan. They have also become responsible for defining what is considered to be international education in Japan: schools whose standards and curricular frameworks are based on non-Japanese systems, and originally intended to cater to the expatriate residents of the country. In the 20 years that followed World War II, Japan’s economy was rebuilt.. Political control and the reins of the economy returned to the Japanese themselves. By 1970 the country had reestablished itself according to the postwar world order.
This led to a new and growing demand amongst the Japanese themselves: access to Western Education. While the original 4 + 8 international schools stuck fast to admissions policies, for the most part open only to children of foreign residents, the postwar economic boom generated a growing demand, a new commercial opportunity, and a 2nd wave in the development of international education in Japan. From 1970 to 2000, 12 new International Schools were established. What distinguished these was their intended target population. Of course open to foreign children, they were enabled by a growing number of Japanese families wanting access to Western education. Some of these are now nearing half century lifespans. They have become part of the definitive fabric of international education in Japan. This wave continues today.
A External Perspective
From an external perspective, and especially from regions such as North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe, International Education is the mobility of students from around the world to schools located in those countries. International Schools are destinations for globally relevant education that prepares students for professional participation in an interconnected world. While this kind of mobility has existed for a long time, it has in more recent decades become an opportunity available to anyone with a Western middle class means from anywhere. Switzerland perhaps remains at the top of the list of desirable destinations, but at costs beyond the means of most.
While initially the destinations of choice were the English speaking regions of the world, this is no longer the priority. English being the language of global interactivity, the attraction for students has shifted more to where that education takes place. Decisions are made based more on other lines of consideration that include: experiences, safety and security, uniqueness, cost, accessibility, novelty, social stability, resources, healthcare, livability, access to post-secondary and professional opportunities, and lifestyle. In all of these, Japan ranks very highly as a destination. Additionally, the value of an education in those regions is no longer perceived as unique or exclusive. Students seek education that will allow them to stand apart.
The Competitive Landscape & the Opportunity
There have been recent initiatives in inbound international education in Japan, but they are small, standalone, disconnected from existing international networks and systems, or parallel in principle only.
● Karuizawa International school located in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture approximately 2 hours north of Tokyo is likely the only institution that is intentionally a destination for inbound students. While largely absent in most international recruitment and industry networks, they are growing and represent the first and only real initiative of this kind in Japan.
● British Schools: in the past 3 years there have been major developments ongoing that are now witnessing the opening of a number of prestigious British school organizations, including Harrow, Malvern, and Rugby. They are full boarding schools funded by Chinese interests and targeting essentially the Chinese student market. Their costs are prohibitive to both the Japanese and most others who seek international education. They do not represent competition in this sector in Japan.
International Education in Japan continues to be defined predominantly by institutions targeting the resident population of Japan. There is no industry in the country, by intent nor initiative, that provides international education and corollary services to students inbound from around the world. Perhaps it has not been an opportunity until only recently. However, as is rare in commerce and business, it is essentially a first-to-market-opportunity. This is the opportunity, and it will be defined by those who choose to take advantage of it.