The Impact on Community Governance from Actual Conditions of Urban "Kominkan" (Japanese public learning centres) Reorganization

A Kominkan is a type of learning centre in Japan that conducts activities related to culture and education and thus plays an important role in communities. Kominkans came about following World War II and although the idea was a government-sponsored project, many were also voluntarily built by citizens in response to the government's call. As such, academia has long questioned who is responsible for the operations of Kominkan. With college enrollment rates having increased since World War II, many have questioned why Kominikans are necessary nowadays. Associate Professor Tomoko Sato at Tohoku University's Center for Learning Support, Japan, is investigating the role of Kominkans and the kind needed in the 21st century. Sato looks at how community governance is determined, with a focus on the two main forms: top-down and bottom-up. She believes that Kominikans are more than adult versions of schools and are actually hubs of social learning and integrated education. Ultimately, Sato's goal is to enable every individual to be afforded the same opportunities and environments through education. She hopes her research findings will impact on government policy and social learning practices.