On Monday, February 6, 2023, Gifu University hosted a symposium, "Support for School Principals for Inclusive Education" conducted via a video-conference platform (Zoom). Two hundred people including school staff, board of education members, and representatives from universities across Japan attended the symposium.

It is an imminent task for school principals at elementary and junior high schools in Japan to promote special needs education in order to build a new "Reiwa¹-era Japanese style school education." One of its goals is to elicit potentials of individual students. In the first session, Mr. Mr. YAMADA Taizou, Director of Special Needs Education Division, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) was invited to give a keynote speech. He spoke about challenges for principals to take a lead in special needs education for children at school. Participants listened to the latest government commitments to supporting children with special needs and the development of management-level administrative school staff. In talks with Professor SHINOHARA Kiyoaki from Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University (Gifu City, Gifu), the two explained the relationship between "inclusive education" and the government's special needs education policies so that viewers can understand the nation's educational policies for the future.

In the second session titled, "2022 NITS² and Graduate Schools of Teacher Education Collaboration Support Program Report: special needs education management training to assist school principals for inclusive education," presentations were made on how to promote special needs education at school under the leadership of principals. In the following participants' exchange session, people shared their thoughts on necessary measures and steps to work for and together with school principals.

The latest GU symposium offered participants a great opportunity to learn, think and make a step forward to provide a better education for students. We are deeply grateful for the kind support and cooperation from all concerned for a successful conclusion of the symposium.

1) Reiwa: the current era of Japan's official calendar which began on 1 May 2019
2) NITS: National Institute for School Teachers and Staff Development