Education was instrumental in producing a modern industrial labor force; this should be noted as one of the factors in the rapid growth of a capitalist economy in Japan. On the other hand, because this education emphasized moral training in the Confucian virtues of filial piety and loyalty, it did not instill any broad understanding of society" (3).
Two laws were passed that laid out the basic structure and principles of the present educational system in 1947: the School Education Law and the Fundamental Law of Education. These two laws provide basic principles of which the Japanese educational system is founded upon. Discrimination based on race, creed, sex, social status, economic position, or family background is prohibited. Everyone is to be granted an opportunity to receive an education to the best of their abilities. There is an importance placed on political knowledge and religious tolerance but religion and political parties are strictly prohibited from forming a link with education. State and local governments are asked to stress social education and to build libraries, museums, and civic halls to promote this. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Japan compiled a book called The Japan of Today and in the book it is stated that, "The central concept in Japanese education today is to produce self-reliant citizens of a peaceful and democratic state and community with respect for human rights and a love for truth and peace" (115). .
The government plays an important role in the Japanese educational system. In a Case Study Project conducted by the United States government it is explained that Monbusho is Japan's Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. Monbusho provides a national curriculum that identifies what students and teachers need to know to prepare themselves for the national entrance exams. Of the entrance exams the Case Study Project said, " the competition, which is engendered by a strict system of entrance exams and a great need for academic credentials, appears to motivate students in junior and senior high school to perform at high levels.