Japanese Board of Ed offers 6-day Black Belt

[yabanjames]

Well folks, just in case we thought the salvation of classical judo was to be found in Japan, here’s rather crushing evidence to the contrary. This is a translation of an article that appeared in the Yomiuri Shimbun today, January 16. Aichi-ken is one of the larger, more important provinces in Japan, an hour and a half by bullet train from Tokyo, home to the city of Nagoya, automaker Toyota, and several well-known champion judoka. Which is to say, it is not some forgotten backwater desperately trying to comply with an impossible ruling from the national government. Note that the “program” mentioned in the article has been ongoing for 30 years…

And I have to say, from personal experience speaking with Japanese friends who are judoka and have been looking to become teachers in the public schools here, their judo experience didn’t matter in the slightest to the various boards of education. Now I see why. Read ‘em and weep…

The article:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20120116-OYT1T00173.htm

And translation (many thanks to my amazing wife)

"For almost 30 years, the Aichi Board of Education has hired the Aichi Judo Renmei (Federation) to hold Judo seminars for Aichi public school PE teachers; the purpose is to develop more qualified judo teachers for the school PE program. All participants who complete the 6-day seminar, held once every two years, receive a shodan – first degree black belt.

"According to the Kodokan (the mecca of Judo), it takes on average two years of regular, training to get a black belt. In addition to the extremely short time requirement, the Aichi Board of Education shodan program does not consider points earned in shiai (tournaments) as part of its awarding of the belt. The Kodokan will start an investigation into Aichi’s acitvity, as some say this recognition of the black belt is highly questionable.

"According to the Board of Education, this seminar has been taking place since 1984, and all “white belt” PE teachers are asked to take part.

"In the first year the trainees take a 2-day “Judo Instructor’s Seminar” which contains the foundation techniques such as ukemi (falling safely), and some of the history, and philosophy of judo, along with safety management. The next year, they take a 4-day “Dan Recognition Seminar” which includes shiai and being a referee; about 30 teachers take this course.

"The Aichi Judo Renmei explains that this is not a problem as all participants have sufficient athletic ability as PE teachers to get the belt even though they are beginners at judo. All participants in the seminar have been granted shodan level in six days. The Federation says the contents of its seminar are sufficient to award the black belt. The Board agrees with the Judo Renmei and says “Having the black belt makes the teachers more able to provide more fulfilling instruction for the students.”

"The Board and Renmei will increase the number of trainee slots in its seminars to 44, as “budo” will become a mandatory part of the PE curriculum in the new fiscal year."

[Jihef]

And I have to say, from personal experience speaking with Japanese friends who are judoka and have been looking to become teachers in the public schools here, their judo experience didn’t matter in the slightest to the various boards of education. Now I see why. Read ‘em and weep…

This could actually be somewhat funny if it was not so sad.
And to think Kano once was a major figure in japanese education. Makes you wonder what is left of his legacy.

[mike hanon]

And I have to say, from personal experience speaking with Japanese friends who are judoka and have been looking to become teachers in the public schools here, their judo experience didn’t matter in the slightest to the various boards of education. Now I see why. Read ‘em and weep…

This could actually be somewhat funny if it was not so sad.
And to think Kano once was a major figure in japanese education. Makes you wonder what is left of his legacy.

I can but just agree. Sad, so bloody sad.

Mike

[Ptnippon]

It is sad, but it's a way that Japan is trying to revive Judo in Japan. There are many middle schools and HS with dojo and tatami and students and no judo teacher. You must be a shodan or higher to teach judo in the public school system. All PE teachers have taken judo before to get their PE teaching credential. They are white belts but remember in Japan you go from white to black past the age of 13. So in reality there are "good" white belts and they are not novices like white belts indicate elsewhere.

I am in no way condoning this, but the PE teachers taking this course are far from "noobs" as some think their rank might indicate.

[yabanjames]

That's a very useful perspective on this, thank you. But it's just such a shame that the boards of ed haven't taken what to me would be a far more sensible approach, and hire part-time judo instructors who have truly got sufficient judo experience. There's certainly no shortage of those in the country, but that sort of thinking is, I imagine, just far beyond the purview of the educrats who run the public schools.