The authors of this book are concerned with the public and private school systems in Japan and how they interact to provide widespread and widely differentiated education. The private educational sector in Japan is very large, especially at the secondary and higher levels, as a result of a political decision to limit the size of the public sector and a labor market which makes education economically attractive as a family investment. There is a description of the sources of demand and supply in historical perspective and an analysis of current differences in clientele, benefits, costs, quality and efficiency between the public and private sectors.