Regarding the Feb. 3 letter "Educational reforms too slow" (writer's name withheld): Those calling for educational reform of universities are missing something. The reasons reform will be slow in coming, if it comes at all, is that there are too many old people; young people do not vote; and having an education does not matter to Japanese companies.
All the companies care about is whether prospective employees were enrolled and what institution they were enrolled at. The name of the university they "attend" gets them in the door. Whom they know, or how they look, gets them the job. The only education companies here want for an employee is what he or she gets in the grueling first two years of employment.
It is very doubtful that any true reform will ever take place in any part of the Japanese "education" system. It is not about educating young people but rather getting young people to conform to the cookie-cutter ideal that the elder Japanese believe in. The sad part is that most parents want their children to get a first-rate education, but because the parents were trained to conform, they are unwilling to step forward and demand it.