Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

The scope of lifelong learning in Japan covers school education and informal learning. Japan faces large social changes: severe child population decline could ease competition for entrance examination but students are pushed to win in the society; cyber communication changes the human relationships more invisible and atomized; the gap between urban and remote areas is widened; and local industry can hardly find its successors and local schools need to attract students because young people move away to city. This article overlooks what the Japanese society has missed today and identifies it is the social aspects of outcomes by lifelong learning. Recent trends and the framework of lifelong learning in Japan are introduced, and the concept of social capital is used for discussion. The case study shows benefits of learning opportunities, technology, and collaboration in a Japanese local city to build a sustainable society