US Schools: Mandarin, Arabic rise, Japanese get cut

In addition to state financial crisis, Bush administration’s education reform put emphasis on math and English courses, American public schools face a reduction of Japanese language classes.

In multiracial Mecca San Francisco, out of 10 schools that are offering Japanese courses, 3 schools have closed them down.

At the same time, as the rise of China and the ongoing war on terror, Chinese and Arabic education has been put into priorities. (Yomiruri Shimbun)