Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Ryu Shionoya of Japan

Education minister Ryu Shionoya said Tuesday that the Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso) should cooperate with the ministry on improving education, dismissing critical remarks by short-lived transport minister Nariaki Nakayama, who resigned Sunday after attacking the union and calling it "a cancer.

The union has been a staunch foe of education ministry policies, but Shionoya said Nikkyoso has been shifting toward forming a partnership with the ministry since 1995.

In an interview with The Japan Times and other media organizations Thursday, Shionoya said he would like to make efforts to compile materials on "moral education.

Shionoya is against the idea of making moral education a formal subject that students are graded on, but said "it is very important to have substantial content in terms of what we teach our children about social morals and order.

Running from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, which has the largest population of Japanese-Brazilians, Shionoya said the central government is lagging in providing Japanese-language education to children of foreign residents.

Shionoya said the central government should establish a system to teach children Japanese before they reach school age or transfer to Japanese schools.

As for his policies on science, Shionoya said he wants to boost the government's five-year plan for strengthening research and development on science and technology.

While admitting the government is struggling to solve serious financial problems, Shionoya said he will do everything he can to secure that funding.

It's just "common sense" to stand before the Hinomaru flag and sing "Kimigayo," the national anthem, education minister Ryu Shionoya said Tuesday.

Shionoya said his ministry will conduct a fact-finding survey on local boards of education over their approaches to children's use of mobile phones.

2008-09-29 15:23:44Shionoya embraces teachers union, 'morals': New education minister dismisses Nakayama's broadside, invites Nikkyoso to form partnership with the governmentpOct 1--Education minister Ryu Shionoya said Tuesday that the Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso) should cooperate with the ministry on improving education, dismissing critical remarks by short-lived transport minister Nariaki Nakayama, who resigned Sunday after attacking the union and calling it a cancer.