An Education Ministry advisory panel is calling for increased Japanese-language study and reading opportunities for children, saying a good command of the language provides a solid platform for education and cultural literacy.

Submitted Monday, the Central Education Council's interim report says it is necessary to improve and expand education in early childhood and at the elementary school level. It describes general education as "a key that allows children to live their lives independently with respect for different lifestyles and a sense of the value of others."

The report says elementary schooling should focus on basic subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic, with special emphasis on Japanese-language education. Language ability, the report says, is "the basis of important skills such as comprehension, thinking capacity and the ability to clearly express thoughts."

The report also says schools should provide children with more opportunities to read, saying, "Reading books helps children learn about different environments and expands their imaginations."

The panel said that sociability -- another important element in education -- is declining among children. It urged schools, parents and communities to cooperate in offering children a wide variety of life experiences, as well as opportunities to perform community services.

Citing an example of the traditional arts' world, the educational experts emphasized the importance of mastering what is called "basic patterns" and then transcending them.

They also said the report's emphasis on fundamental academic subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic stems from concerns that children's academic abilities have been compromised by 1980s education reforms that emphasized individuality and pressure-free education.