Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 18 - 24 [POLITICS]

Education-related laws revised, destroying university autonomy

The House of Councilors at its plenary session on June 20 rammed through a bill to revise laws on school education and national university corporations by the majority vote of the ruling Liberal Democratic, Komei, and the opposition Democratic parties.

The Japanese Communist Party opposed the revision as it will destroy university autonomy.

JCP Upper House member Tamura Tomoko in her question time prior to the vote denounced the new law for aiming to weaken the faculty council’s authority and place a person subservient to government policies as university head. Tamura added, “Decision making in a democratic manner at various stages at universities contributes to academic development.”

Past related articles:
> Academic freedom in danger [ May 8, 2014]
> Abe gov’t proposes bill to destroy university autonomy [ April 26, 2014]