Today, school children for their 9 years of education that are stipulated as being compulsory, are provided with textbooks free of charge. Up until 40 years ago this was not the case. In 1962, mothers in a Buraku community in Kochi prefecture rose up to demand free provision of textbooks for their children. This demand was based on a part of the Japanese Constitution that guarantees free compulsory education. The campaign succeeded locally and then spread throughout the country. This photo shows children with free textbooks.

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