Article: For U.S. Students, Fewer Days Off; Americans Turn to Longer School Year Just as Japan Trims Calendar

On this side of the Pacific, hundreds of educators who are tired of losing to Japan in international academic and economic competitions are pushing for a Japanese-style longer school year. Already, almost 1,700 schools have abolished the traditional summerlong vacation.

But on the other side of the ocean, the thinking is the reverse. Japanese officials are hoping to foster more well-rounded and less-pressured students like those in America and other countries by shortening the school year.

"Students need more free time to do various other things than academics and memorizing," said Shinichiro Horie, educational

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