Policy process of Japan’s education reform through the International Baccalaureate: analysis of interactions among the cabinet, business and Ministry of Education

In the context of increasing global economic competition, the education sector in Japan has been experiencing mounting pressure since the 2000s to produce human resources suitable for international corporate operations. In response, the government launched several internationalisation measures in 2012. Among them, this study examines the policy goal of establishing 200 International Baccalaureate schools nationwide. Although initially advocated by business actors, the reform developed through collaboration between the business sector and the cabinet, a newly emerging actor in Japan’s education policymaking arena. Simultaneously, a traditional actor, the Ministry of Education, exerted a significant influence on the direction and implementation of the reform. Drawing on an analysis of policy documents and interviews, this study explores the interactions between these key actors and their impact on the policy process and outcome. While corroborating existing scholarship on the role of business actors and the enhanced power of the cabinet, this study draws attention to the distinctive policy preferences of the Ministry and indicates intra-ministerial heterogeneity, particularly in varying degrees of openness towards cabinet directives and demands from the business sector.