Recent Work

My book, Examining Japan's Education System through International Student Assessments: A Quantitative Analysis of Effects and Inequality in Education (in Japanese), will be published by Akashi Shoten at the end of February 2025. This book aims to quantitatively analyze how students' socio-economic backgrounds and school environments influence their academic achievement and motivation to learn, with an emphasis on an international perspective. Using international large-scale assessments such as the IEA Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), as well as domestic panel survey data, the book examines these factors through international comparisons and longitudinal trends.

Chapter 1 examines the implementation of yutori kyoiku (a relaxed education policy) and the subsequent shift away from it as a key turning point in Japan's recent education policy, based on empirical data. Using TIMSS data, the following figure illustrates changes in the relationship between family background and mathematics achievement among 8th grade students in Japan from 1999, when discussions on yutori kyoiku were ongoing, to 2019.

Figure 1. Trends in Mathematics Achievement by Number of Books at Home (TIMSS, 8th Grade Students in Japan)

According to this analysis, the academic achievement of students with few books at home――an indicator of a less enriched home learning environment――declined throughout the 2000s from its level in 1999. Subsequently, coinciding with the implementation of revised curriculum guidelines aimed at moving away from yutori kyoiku, overall academic achievement showed an upward trend from 2011 to 2019. In particular, the achievement level of students who reported having few books at home (0-10 books) recovered to the same level as in 1999 by 2019. However, since the achievement of students with a larger collection of books also improved, the relative academic gap remained wider than in 1999.

Strengths and Challenges of Japan's Education System

In recent years, Japan's education system has successfully raised overall academic achievement. However, it continues to face the challenge of disparities in academic performance due to differences in family background. This analysis highlights the need to distinguish between achievement levels and disparities, as well as the influence of schools and family environments. The fact that students from the most disadvantaged family backgrounds have recovered to their previous achievement levels is an important outcome that demonstrates the efforts of schools. At the same time, the continued academic gains among students from more advantaged backgrounds have sustained relative disparities, which cannot be ignored.

This book also explores a variety of topics, including international comparisons of the impact of family background on study time (such as attending private tutoring and doing homework), disparities between schools, the effects of attending private junior high schools, and the long-term trends in academic achievement and motivation to learn in Japan. Additionally, it provides a theoretical discussion on the concept of the effects of education, drawing on previous research. For further details, please refer to my forthcoming book, which will be published by Akashi Shoten.

Through my analysis of the education system, I came to recognize the crucial role that schools play as the foundation of society. Discussions of academic disparities sometimes tend to overemphasize the challenges within Japan's education system, but the value of the social stability and order that the system provides should not be overlooked. As highlighted in this book, from an international comparative perspective, Japan's compulsory education system has successfully maintained a high level of academic achievement among students as a whole. Furthermore, schools in Japan play a significant role in mitigating the impact of differences in family background, which stands out as a major achievement when compared to other countries.

Currently, teachers are becoming increasingly busy and there are calls for improvements to their working environments. Particularly during such times, researchers and policymakers in the field of education have a responsibility to fairly evaluate and communicate the significance and value of public education, without underestimating the efforts made in schools. Of course, this must go hand in hand with accurately analyzing the challenges faced by the education system and identifying where inequalities, exclusion, and structural weaknesses arise. These two perspectives――recognizing the strengths of Japan's education system while also addressing its challenges――are both essential for building a better society.

As a Faculty Member in Sociology

Through my experience teaching sociology, I have come to recognize the importance of cultivating an academic foundation for analyzing social issues. Sociology is a discipline that examines the very society in which we live and is deeply connected to everyday life. I encourage my students to question what is taken for granted and to develop a perspective that allows them to critically reexamine the structures of society.

For example, in sociology, one of the key issues is how to define and measure the concept of "disparity." Defining this concept requires making specific choices, such as which theories to rely on, what data and variables to use, and which analytical methods to adopt. These choices shape the facts and the way disparities appear, meaning that how researchers conceptualize issues is not merely a technical matter but a critical factor that directly influences public perceptions and understanding of reality.

On this point, the Japanese sociologist Masaaki Takane makes an important point in Sōzō no Hōhōgaku (Methodology of Creation, 1979) that "without concepts, there are no facts." Human cognition involves the active process of using concepts to frame and understand a part of the infinitely expanding empirical world. This means that what we recognize as 'facts' can easily shift depending on the perspective through which we view the world.

In my sociology classes, I emphasize that people's perspectives are shaped not only by these conceptual frameworks but also by their backgrounds and social positions. I ask my students why viewpoints differ, and I guide them in considering different positions through exercises that help them engage with different perspectives.

Questioning Assumptions and Envisioning Social Change

Questioning what is taken for granted also leads to the realization that society can be changed. This perspective helps students develop the ability to identify the social and structural factors underlying issues, rather than reducing problems to individual responsibility. Sociologists such as Bourdieu and Giddens emphasize that individuals are shaped by social structures but also act as agents who understand and, at times, transform them. By illustrating this perspective to my students, I hope that they will recognize the plasticity of society and explore possibilities for change, rather than taking the current situation for granted.

Studying sociology can also help us reexamine the meaning of life and everyday events. For example, when we encounter difficulties in our daily lives, instead of viewing the cause as entirely our own fault, adopting the perspective that sees it as part of a structural problem can help us find a healthier way of dealing with the issue. Similarly, recognizing one's own privilege may enable us to use that good fortune to live with greater consideration for others. All of this stems from the power of the sociological imagination, as emphasized by the field of sociology.

In my classes, I tell my students that I want them to evolve from being mere consumers of information to becoming producers of knowledge. The ability to delve deeply into social issues and construct ideas based on reliable data is essential to working toward a better society. Society is constantly changing, and to ensure that this change moves in a positive direction, each of us must remain aware of the present, think critically, and take action. As a first step toward such awareness and action, I hope to convey to as many people as possible the significance of acquiring a sociological perspective.

Izumi Mori／Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Chuo University
Areas of Specialization: Sociology of Education, Quantitative Analysis of Social Survey Data

In 2004, Izumi Mori graduated from the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies at Sophia University. In 2006, she completed the Master’s Program in Comparative Sociology of Education at the Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo. In 2012, she earned a Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Policy from the College of Education, Pennsylvania State University.

She served as an Assistant Professor in the College of Sociology, Rikkyo University from 2013 to 2015, before joining The University of Tokyo’s Institute of Social Science as an Assistant Professor (2015–2017) and later Associate Professor (2017–2021) at the Center for Social Research and Data Archives. From 2021, she was a JSPS Research Fellow for Young Scientists-RPD at Sophia University, before taking on her current role in 2024.

She has been serving as a Fellow at the National Institute for Educational Policy Research since the 2023 academic year.

Her major work includes Examining Japan’s Education System through International Student Assessments: A Quantitative Analysis of Effects and Inequality in Education (original title: Kokusai Gakuryoku Chōsa kara Miru Nihon no Kyōiku Shisutemu: Kyōiku ni yoru "Kōka" to "Kakusa" no Keiryō Bunseki), which will be published by Akashi Shoten in February 2025.

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