======= Date Modified 05 Dec 2008 02:32:30 =======
======= Date Modified 05 Dec 2008 02:31:38 =======
Sorry, ignore this posting, I screwed up something.

My comment as a foreigner working in Japan as Associate Professor:
It depends very much. I would say that Japan is different from other advanced countries in that there is much more variation in everything, more high tech in some fields and more low tech in others. As someone said in this thread, in international rankings, Japan often does not shine, but that is not necessarily the fault of the teaching personal, and these rankings themselves are dubious as well.
There is a tremendous difference in culture between different Universities, and even between different departments of the same University.
When someone from a Japanese humanities department says it is exploitative ... that has maybe more to do with the professors who have read their Marx then with the Japanese Educational system as such. Any more specific questions (in which subject to you want to make your PhD?)