The National Commission for Educational Reform, established in March this year and chaired by Reona Esaki, President of the Shibaura Institute of Technology, submitted an interim report to Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. The report contained 17 proposals for changing education, focusing on four areas: development of Japanese imbued with humanistic qualities, development of Japanese full of creativity through the encouragement of individual talent, creation of new types of schools for a new age, and a basic plan to promote education and the Fundamental Law of Education. Next the commission will canvass people on their views of the interim report, engage in further deliberation, and compile its final report.