Evaluation of Japanese School Counseling Program : Qualitative Case Study in a Japanese Junior High School

The Japanese school counseling program has undergone considerable developmental transitions since the implementation in 1995. The organizational structure of the Japanese educational institutions has presented unique and significant influential factors regarding the establishment and implementation of program design and delivery. Within any organization the consideration of cultural, individual, economic, and political differences are essential in ensuring the success of the program outcome. Although the organizational structure, approaches and vocabulary pertaining to guidance do vary in comparison to western fundamentals, educational reform created by the recent surge in psychological and social developmental problems confronting Japan has shown that not only do basic definitions and concepts transcend international barriers but has also provided an opportunity for Japan to contribute an eastern perceptive and approach to a westernized institution of practice.