Surveying the Japanese educational research and development system, this paper contains information on education agencies, research institutes, and universities and colleges. The keystone of the Japanese system is the Ministry of Education, from which most authority and funds derive. Its activities include gathering and publishing statistics, funding scientific research through grants to universities, coordinating the activities of research institutes, commissioning research studies, and nominating pilot schools for research. Among the approximately 400 educational research institutes in Japan, two are national: the National Institute of Educational Research (NIER) and the National Institute of Research on Special Education. In addition, each prefecture and important municipality has an institute, as do many private companies. The discussion lists the various types of Japanese institutes conducting educational research and outlines their activities. (Author)