藤田 祐介
『日本教育行政学会年報』 (27) 126-138 2001年11月 査読有り
The purpose of this paper is to examine the process leading to the revival of calligraphy education in elementary schools during the Occupation period by focusing on activities of an interest group that obviously played an important role in the revival. Through this analysis, I hope to find clues to reveal the ways in which educational policy-making proceeded under the Occupation. Calligraphy education in elementary schools was discontinued through the establishment of the new Course of Studies in 1947, but in 1951 it made a revival through a revision of the Course of Studies. In the particular situation of the Occupation, what made this policy change possible? What political dynamics existed in the background for this policy change? My research shows that a series of interest group activities by the calligraphers' association, led by Shunkai Bundo, exerted a great impact on the revival of calligraphy education. This interest group tried to accomplish the revival of calligraphy education by taking energetic actions such as making petitions to the Diet and the Ministry of Education, and getting in touch with the Civil Information and Education (CIE) of GHQ/SCAP. Initially, the Ministry of Education was not favorable to the movement, but its negative attitude gradually turned into an affirmative one as the revival movement increased its momentum. Under the pressure of the revival movement, the Ministry of Education undertook a nationwide survey investigating public opinion about calligraphy education. The fact that Shinzan Kamijyo, one of the leaders of the calligraphers' association, was also a member of the Council of the Course of Studies (Kyoiku Katei Shingikai), helped the calligraphers' association make an effective appeal to the Council. His activities influenced the Council, which fundamentally opposed the revival, to become favorable to the revival of calligraphy education. It is certain that mainly owing to Bundo's own initiative to promote the movement, the group mentioned above played a significant role in bringing about a policy change, from elimination to "revival". Takeshi Ishida, a political scientist, has maintained that any interest group could have only limited impact on the policy-making process under the Occupation because the Occupation Forces had a dominant and overwhelming authority. However, historical facts make clear this policy impact by the calligraphers' association, which demonstrates that interest groups, even under the Occupation, could manage to affect policy. It may be because of CIE's low commitment to this issue of the revival of calligraphy education that the calligraphers' association attained their goal. Some CIE officials were reluctant to authorize the revival, but CIE, as a result, allowed the Ministry of Education to take its own initiative in a decision on the issue.