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LEAD: Gov't sends education bill to Diet, patriotism new feature+
(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, April 28_(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING KOIZUMI'S COMMENTS, INFO AT LEAD-4TH GRAFS)
The government on Friday sent proposed legislation to the Diet to amend the basic education law that is nearly 60 years old to emphasize "public spirit and Japanese traditions" and instill a sense of patriotism in the young.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he hopes the bill, approved at Friday's Cabinet meeting for submission to parliament, will be enacted by the June 18 end of the ongoing Diet session, but again ruled out extending the session to secure time for its passage.
The premier called for efforts to get broad support for the bill from lawmakers including members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
"Times have changed over the past 60 years," Koizumi told reporters at his official residence. "So, we hope to review the significance of education from that viewpoint."
The bill was approved Tuesday by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the New Komeito party. It is identical to the draft the two parties hammered out earlier this month.
The bill contains 18 articles, adding and updating some notions of the Fundamental Law of Education of 1947, which consists of 11 articles.
While the bill retains the wording of "on the basis of the spirit of the Constitution" in its preamble, it adds calls for "public spirit and respect for tradition," and a newly defined notion of "patriotism" in one article.
The bill defines patriotism as "an attitude which respects tradition and culture, loves the nation and homeland that have fostered them, respects other countries and contributes to international peace and development."
The current education law says in its preamble that Japan's education must respect individual dignity, aim at raising people who will aspire for truth and peace, and seek universal and characteristic culture.
Conservative groups say the law, enacted shortly after World War II, fails to urge educators in their work to encourage a spirit of patriotism and respect for tradition, and have long called for it to be revised.
Opponents argue that a revision might lead to a revival of the sort of nationalism that led to militarism before and during the war.
The ruling bloc intends to set up a special committee in the House of Representatives after the Golden Week holidays through May 7 to begin discussion with the opposition parties.
It is uncertain, however, whether the amendment can pass both houses of the Diet during the 150-day regular Diet session due to adjourn June 18 as supporters worry that time may run out.
The bill deletes the existing law's provision that compulsory education should be for nine years, with the aim of flexibly addressing a change in social conditions stemming in part from the rapidly falling birthrate, according to its proponents.
It adds articles on "lifelong learning, home education and a basic plan for promotion of education."
The basic plan calls on the government to work out a long-term program so as to achieve specific goals of a variety of "philosophies" for education in a revised law.
A review of the Fundamental Law of Education was recommended in 2000 by a private advisory body to then Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
In March 2003, the Central Council for Education endorsed plans to amend the postwar education law and recommended that a revised law call for "an attitude which loves the nation and homeland, and for proactively participating in activities of public interest."
Two months later, the LDP and New Komeito began work to amend the law. The two parties, however, remained apart on some notions, such as the definition of patriotism.
After 70 rounds of study meetings, the two ruling parties managed to draw up the amendment plan April 13.
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