Minister Mori’s conception of the education system
In 1885, the cabinet system of government was introduced. As the first Minister of Education,
Mori Arinori was appointed. He was an enlightened statesman with diplomatic experience in
both Great Britain and the United States. He created the basic framework of an education
system, which was to become the foundation of educational development in Japan. In 1886,
Mori issued four separate school orders for different parts of the educational system, namely, the
Elementary School Order, the Middle School Order, the Normal School Order, and the Imperial
University Order.