While the government is actively promoting education on information technology starting in elementary school, some teachers question the wisdom of getting children started on computers at such an early age.

"I often doubt if it is good for first-graders to learn drawing pictures on a computer screen," remarked an art teacher at a junior high school in Tokyo.

"I believe it would be better for small children to draw pictures with crayons first. I don't think it would be too late for them to start using computers from high school."