The taboo-defying digital textbook

　Digital textbook. I created a consortium four years ago, but things don’t catch on that easily. In the first place, there is no such thing, strictly speaking, as a digital textbook. According to law, textbooks are only recognized as such if they are written on paper.
　It has become necessary to tackle the three big themes surrounding the legal position of textbooks, matters concerning the exam system, and the ways in which copyright law is used. However, the government has been discouraging people from this as well, citing the lack of concrete evidence as their reasoning. It has always remained a taboo.
　Because of this, I issued a proposal for “Reforming the system to make digital textbooks a reality.” I was thereafter surprised to find that positive responses, “Let’s do it,” “Why don’t we build the legal foundation,” came back from all ends of the political spectrum. As a result, the government’s response also changed. In 2012, during an assembly of the committee on intellectual property, attended by all cabinet ministers below the level of Prime Minister, an official resolution—to “investigate” the three themes of the legal position of textbooks, matters concerning the exam system, and the ways in which copyright law is used—was passed.
　The taboo was broken. With this, gates were open. In addition, the government’s resolution stated in no uncertain terms that this investigation was to be carried out concurrent to the already ongoing search for concrete evidence. Even so it still seems that this will amount to nothing more than an “investigation.” We must continue until “realization” is reached.
　But why didn’t this taboo breaking debate happen while the research was ongoing 30 years ago? Now I understood completely. It was that none off the parties who participated in this issue, not the government, not the Diet, not academia, had had the will or desire to get anything done.
　Here, I want to solicit the help of those who do have the will, and move forward to the next stage. To that end, I took the opportunity to officially announce “Statement of Informational-izing Education,” and gather its supporters. Many well known people who represent Japan have responded with their support.
　Even more important, close to 50 heads of local government from all across the country lent their voices in support just after the announcement of the statement. Although it is said that the government has begun to take action, it is not as if they will set aside budget or even consider putting their full faith in the project. The movement needs to surge upwards from the local level.
　If knocking on the government’s door is the first stage in the plan for the digitalization of education, then we have entered the second phase, pouring new wind into the sails, together with motivated local government leaders.