Liceo Mexicano Japonés

Liceo Mexicano Japonés () is a Japanese school based in the Pedregal neighborhood of the Álvaro Obregón borough in the southern part of Mexico City."At the Liceo: Where Two Cultures Meet." ''Mexico Journal''
Information
. Demos, Desarrollo de Medios S.A. de C.V., 1989. p
22
"In southernmost Mexico City, nestled within the upscale neighborhood of the Jardines del Pedre- gal, is the private campus of the exclusive Liceo Mexicano Japones. In Japan, it is believed to be the best school in Mexico because Mexico because President Salinas' two sons and daughter attend classes there. Headmaster Arturo Zentella prefers to refrain from making such a boast, but he does admit that "it is a school that ..

The school was founded and chaired by Japanese-Mexican businessman Carlos Kasuga Osaka, who also founded and directed Yakult Mexico.

María Dolores Mónica Palma Mora, author of , wrote that the school is a "central institution in the life" of the Japanese Mexican group.Palma Mora, María Dolores Mónica. ''De tierras extrañas: un estudio sobre las inmigración en México, 1950–1990''. Secretariat of the Interior of Mexico (SEGOB), Instituto Nacional de Migración, Centro de Estudios Migratorios, 2006. , 9789680301713. p
318
"El Liceo Mexicano Japonés es una institución central en la vida del grupo, ya que en ella se forman sus hijos. Se fundó en septiembre de 1974, a raíz de la visita a México, por esa fecha, del primer ministro de Japón (Kakuei Tanaka). La escuela, sin embargo, no empezó a funcionar hasta el 2 de septiembre de 1977, y fue inaugurada por el secretario de Educación Pública de ese tiempo, Porfirio Muñoz Ledo. Se construyó con las aportaciones de miembros de la comunidad, de empresas japonesas establecidas en el país, y del gobierno de Japón (que aportó 300 mil yenes), El gobierno de México, ..
See search pageSee second view
/ref> , the author of the master's thesis "The Japanese Immigrant Community in Mexico Its History and Present" at the California State University, Los Angeles, stated that Japanese parents chose the school because they wanted to "maintain their ethnic identity and pride, to implant a spiritual heritage that they claim is the basis for success, and to establish close ties with other Nikkei children who live in distant areas."

Since 1983 many Nikkei and Japanese came to the school to study its management techniques and problems.Watanabe, p. 165 (footnote no. 19): "The Liceo is considered so unique that many people come to see it from Japan and other Nikkei communities in the world in order to study the management and the problems encountered." The is the first transnational educational institution among the Nikkei community.Kikumura-Yano, Akemi. ''Encyclopedia of Japanese descendants in the Americas: an illustrated history of the Nikkei''. AltaMira Press, 2002. , 9780759101494. p
218View #2
. "Beginning in 1974, the Japanese Mexican School (Liceo Mexicano Japones, A.C.) merged five Nikkei-run schools and a preparatory school for the children of temporary residents and thereby became the first transnational educational venture of its first kind in the history of any Nikkei community. Accredited by the governments of Mexico and Japan, the school formally opened its doors in September 1977, offering regular classes, based on a Mexican curriculum, taught in Spanish for first grade through the fifth year of secondary school,
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History

Over one decade of organizational activity occurred before the school's opening.Masterson, p
214
The merger process forming the school began in 1974. It was a merger of a preparatory school, and three of Mexico City's four part-time Japanese schools.

The proposals to build the school were controversial in the Mexico City Nikkei community, and Watanabe stated that the school's importance and that of the ''Asocación Mexicana Japonesa'' "is indicated by the fact that the establishment and management of them has been the source of much strife among the community members".Watanabe, p. 146-147. p. 146: "One is Nichiboku Kyokai, or Asocacion Mexicana Japonesa, and the other is the Japanese school, the Liceo Mexicano Japones. The importance age ends p. 147: "of these two institutions is indicated by the fact that the establishment and management of them has been the source of much strife among the community members". Because of this, about 12 police officers protected the July 1967 annual general meeting to protect it from rioting, and the general meeting had received threats of violence. Watanabe stated that after the ''Liceo Mexicano Japones'' was completed, "the antagonism subsided and unity in the community seems to prevail at present".

The founding of the school occurred after a visit to Mexico by Prime Minister of Japan Kakuei Tanaka. The Government of Japan donated 300 million yen to finance the school's construction in 1975. Tanaka later placed the school's first stone.Nathal, Janett. "Entre dos mundos." '' Diario Reforma''. November 19, 2009. p. 24. Available at Informe Académico, Gale Group, Document ID: GALE, A212211605 "Hace 35 años, durante la visita a México del ex Primer Ministro de Japón, Kakuei Tanaka, surgió la idea de crear una institución en la que japoneses y mexicanos pudieran aprender de ambas culturas y realizar un intercambio educativo; dos años después, se colocó la primera piedra del Liceo Mexicano Japonés en el País, y el 23 de septiembre de 1977 fue inaugurado de forma oficial. ..975 Japón dona 300 millones de yenes para el fondo de construcción del colegio ..984 El ex Primer Ministro, Takeo Fukuda, visitó la escuela y, el mismo año, se inaugura la preparatoria" The school, inaugurated by President of Mexico Luis Echeverría,Morrison, Manuel Rosen. ''Architecture''. BPR Publishers, January 1, 2005. , 9789681867805. p
290
English text: "1977 JAPANESE LYCEUM, Mexico City Commissioned by the Japanese government, and inaugurated by Mexican President Luis Echeverria Alvarez" - Spanish text: "1977 LICEO JAPONÉS, Ciudad de México. Comisionado por el gobierno japonés e inaugurado por el presidente mexicano Luis Echeverría Álvarez." and by Secretary of Education of Mexico Porfirio Muñoz Ledo, opened in September 1977. The governments of Japan and Mexico accredited the school. The Nisei in Mexico were the primary party who had the school built because they wanted their children to have the Japanese cultural heritage. In 1984 the high school was inaugurated. Takeo Fukuda, the Prime Minister of Japan, visited the school that year.

The school, which covered kindergarten through secondary school, eventually gained over 1,000 students, including Mexicans, Nikkeijin, children of Japanese business owners resident in Mexico, and children of Japanese diplomats.

Daniel M. Masterson, author of '' The Japanese in Latin America'', wrote that it "became one of the most prestigious schools" in Mexico. According to the '' Mexico Journal'', because President of Mexico Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent his children to the school, people within Japan perceived the ''Liceo Mexicano Japonés'' as being the best school in Mexico. Salinas said that he sent the children to the school because the Japanese culture has an emphasis on design and discipline. At the time the Mexican government was expanding trade with Japan, and Japanese influence was increasing in Mexico. At the time the Mexican authorities were taking efforts to attract further Japanese economic activity.

In 1997, there was an accusation that a preparatory level student sexually assaulted a primary level student. The accused student was expelled due to parental pressure. The Juvenile Board did not find the student guilty. The ''Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor'' fined the school for cancelling a trip of that student, giving the school a penalty of 1.870 million pesos. In November there were accusations that government officials with children enrolled in the school pressured the school to expel the accused student.

In 1997 the city of Nagoya, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary of sister city relations with Mexico City, began its exchange with the school. From then on, the school on an annual basis sends a cultural exchange group to Nagoya.

Curriculum and academics

The school has two sections: The Mexican section with Spanish-language classes and a curriculum according to the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the Japanese section with classes in Japanese and a curriculum according to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Most classes for Mexicans are in the Spanish language. Mexican students spend ten hours per week on the Japanese language. Classes offered include art, Japanese calligraphy, judo, karate, music, and the tea ceremony.Masterson, p
215

According to the 2012 "Ranking de las Mejores Prepas en la Ciudad de México" ("Ranking of the best preparatory schools in Mexico City") of the '' Diario Reforma'', the school had the highest rank. The ranking had over 380 university academics and company directors evaluating 67 private schools in Mexico City.Carvallo, Carlos. "Destacan en Liceo seleccion docente." '' Diario Reforma''. October 15, 2012. News, p3. Available at Informe Académico (Gale Group), Gale Document ID: GALE, A305329118. "La institución obtuvo el primer lugar en el ranking Las Mejores Prepas 2012 elaborado por Grupo Reforma entre un total de 67 planteles privados de la Ciudad de México, evaluados por más de 380 directivos y académicos de universidades." According to the 2014 "Ranking de las Mejores Prepas en la Ciudad de México" of the same newspaper, the school received a score of 8.80, the highest score out of the 80 private schools surveyed. 558 academics from various universities and managers ranked each private school. According to the 2022 "Ranking de las Mejores Prepas en la Ciudad de México" of the same newspaper, the school received a score of 8.99, the highest score out of the 94 private schools surveyed. 207 academics from various universities and managers ranked each private school.

Campus

The campus has over of space.Fotografias de las instalaciones del Liceo
" () ''Liceo Mexicano Japonés''. Retrieved on March 5, 2014. "Diseñado por los arquitectos mexicanos Pedro Ramírez Vázquez y Manuel Rosen Morrison en 1976." The architects of the campus were Mexicans, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Manuel Rosen Morrison. Another architect, Rafael Espinoza, collaborated. The Japanese government had commissioned for the design.

There is a mural outside of the gymnasium created in 1987 under the direction of the Yokohama artist Teiko Nishimori (西森 禎子 ''Nishimori Teiko''). 20 LMJ students and 14 visiting children from Japan created the mural.

The school has athletic facilities for several sports, including aikido, basketball, dance, karate, and kendo.

Demographics

According to the school's 1981 enrollment data, that year its Mexican division the school had 150 Kindergarten students, 470 primary school students, 166 middle school students, and 60 high school students. In its Japanese division the school had 282 primary school students and 58 junior high school students.

As of 1983, most non-Nikkei students are from socioeconomically rich families with intellectual backgrounds. Watanabe stated that this because of the school's "location, private nature, and high quality of education".Watanabe, p. 150. "Some Nikkei parents residing in other states send their children to this school by boarding them with relatives in Mexico City. Because of its location, private nature, and high quality of education, non-Nikkei students come from affluent and intellectual families."

As of 1983 some Nikkei families living in other Mexican states have their children move to Mexico City and live with their relatives so they can attend this school.

Extracurricular activities

For social purposes the school has athletic events and picnics. The school uses activities and exchanges to bring together the Mexican and Japanese sections of the school. The events by the school include a New Year festival, Mexican Independence Day, Day of the Dead, Epiphany, Las Posadas, Friendship Day, Students' Day, and Children's Day. The holidays are there to teach students about the histories of Japan and Mexico.

, of the Japanese school events, the '' undōkai'' (運動会 "athletic meets") are the largest events, and Watanabe stated that they function as community events. The school also has ''ensoku'' ( 遠足 "school excursions") and '' gakugeikai'' (学芸会 "cultural programs").

Notable alumni

The children of President of Mexico Carlos Salinas de Gortari attended Liceo Mexicano Japonés.
Emiliano Salinas attended elementary school at Liceo Mexicano Japonés.Retrata nuevo libro de Tavira a los Salinas, tras su salida del poder
(). '' El Universal''. Wednesday November 19, 2011. "Emiliano estudió la primaria en el Liceo Mexicano Japonés, ubicado al sur del DF."

See also

* Japan–Mexico relations
* Japanese community of Mexico City
* Japanese language education in Mexico
* Japanese Mexicans
* Benito Juarez Community Academy

Notes

References

Further reading

*
Project Liceo Mexicano Japonés
"

." Ramírez Vázquez y Associados.
*
Information
*
Convoca la SEP a sumar voluntades en favor de la educación

Archive
. Secretariat of Public Education (Mexico). Tuesday August 10, 2010.
* Fukasawa, Masayuki (深沢 正雪 ''Fukasawa Masayuki'').
再浮上する日伯学園構想——第四部 日本と国際学校－（3）－日墨学院①－〝独系のような学校を〟－駐在員と共に周到に準備
"

'' Nikkey Shimbun'' (''Jornal do Nikkey''). 3月27日（水） 2002.
* Fukasawa, Masayuki (深沢 正雪 ''Fukasawa Masayuki'').
再浮上する日伯学園構想——第四部日本と国際学校－（4）－日墨学院②－少しでも統合教程へ－絶え間ない国際化努力
"

'' Nikkey Shimbun'' (''Jornal do Nikkey''). 3月28日（木）
* Iwasawa, Masako (岩沢 正子 Iwasawa Masako). 「メキシコにおける年少者の日本語教育—日墨学院の場合 (中南米諸国における日本語教育<特集>) 」 ("Japanese-language education of children in Mexico--at LMJ"). The Society of Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (公益社団法人日本語教育学会), p41-46, February 20, 1984 (CiNii states "1984-06" but the document itself is dated February 20). Available by contacting the society.
* "Proyecto Arquitectónico del Liceo Mexicano Japones, A.C." '' Arquitectura y sociedad'', Colegio de Arquitectos de México, Sociedad de Arquitectos Mexicanos, number 10, Mexico City, 1981 (Año XXV). Pages 19–27.
* "Liceo Mexicano-japonés." '' Anuario de arquitectura'', Mexico City, 1980.
Articles written by former employees
* Tsukimoto, Seiji (月本 成児 ''Tsukimoto Seiji'') (前日本メキシコ学院日本コース:大阪府枚方市牧野小学校).
日本メキシコ学院の教育力向上に向けて
"
Archive
在外教育施設における指導実践記録. 在外教育施設における指導実践記録 32, 21-24, 2009-10-12. Tokyo Gakugei University. �
See NII entry in Japanese

Bibliography

* Masterson, Daniel M. '' The Japanese in Latin America''. University of Illinois Press, 2004. 0252071441, 9780252071447.
* Watanabe, Chizuko. "The Japanese Immigrant Community in Mexico Its History and Present" (Master's Thesis), California State University at Los Angeles, 1983.

External links

Liceo Mexicano Japonés


Liceo Mexicano Japonés

**

日本メキシコ学院 日本コース


Dosokai – Asociación de Exalumnos Del Liceo Mexicano Japonés

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liceo Mexicano Japones
J
J
Japanese diaspora in Mexico
Mexico City
Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City
Private schools in Mexico
Educational institutions established in 1977
1977 establishments in Mexico