Japanese students are less interested in mathematics and science than ever before even while continuing to perform relatively well, according to the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, a survey conducted every four years in 42 nations by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.
The results from the fifth survey found Japanese fourth graders and second-year junior high students ranked fourth in science and fifth in mathematics globally.
Despite that respectable achievement, Japanese students' interest in science and math was far below students in other countries. The results are positive signs that Japan's math and science education still rests on a firm foundation, but point toward educational issues that need drastic change.