School counselling in Canada and Japan

This paper compares the Japanese and Canadian education systems and their school guidance and counselling programs. The author first provides a Canadian example of a comprehensive school counselling program. Contextual and historical issues from the Japanese counselling and educational system are then examined. Finally, implications for both the Canadian and Japanese counselling systems are examined. How cultural differences are addressed and what is most needed in the Japanese school counselling system are considered. At the same time, the inclusion of some of the Japanese educational components in Canada's school counselling program is examined.