Manuscript received May 20, 2026; accepted July 13, 2026; published August 21, 2026.

Abstract—This study examines the alignment between national policy frameworks and localized university curricula in Japanese social education by evaluating a newly developed curriculum in Yokohama City. The curriculum was structured in response to the 2017–2020 national reforms and the introduction of the “social education facilitator (shakai kyoikushi)” title. It establishes an educational framework centered on community-based multicultural conviviality, incorporating cultural studies and interpersonal communication. A formative evaluation against the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) guidelines confirms that the program satisfies the statutory mandates for course content and credit allocations. The curriculum addresses diversity by allocating a portion of its core credits to multicultural paradigms, engaging specialized faculty in intercultural communication, and integrating field-based practical training. While the curriculum is in its initial stage of implementation, it provides a pedagogical foundation for developing professionals who facilitate social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and community development. However, longitudinal assessments are required to evaluate student learning outcomes and refine syllabi based on local socio-cultural dynamics.
 
Keywords—social education, social education specialist, curriculum design, multicultural conviviality

Cite: Hiroki Yoshida, " Integrating Cultural Inclusivity into Social Education in Japan: A Curriculum Framework for the Specialist Training Program," International Journal of Learning and Teaching, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 255-261, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).