Japan's universities are at a crossroad. The notion has been voiced in some quarters for many years, but now -- by common consent -- the fact of the matter is impossible either to deny or to ignore.

Why now, you ask? After all, commentators have long been telling those still interested in listening that, as graduating from university is a simple matter compared to the rigors of getting in the first place, many students hardly bother to study at all.

And that some teachers simply repeat the same lectures year after year until they retire, with no evaluation from students or anyone else to shatter their complacency.