Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Japanese government established its first modern public library in 1872. This institution eventually evolved into the National Diet Library and emerged during the Meiji Restoration to redefine the nation after centuries of hereditary privilege.
Literacy rates reached approximately 50% of men and 20% of women by the end of the Edo period. This widespread literacy occurred despite the country's isolationist policies known as sakoku which limited contact with foreign nations.
The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 by merging Edo-era institutions including the Yushima Seidō. The university hired foreign scholars known as o-yatoi gaikokujin to teach at the newly founded university and military academies before they were gradually replaced by Japanese scholars.
The Fundamental Law of Education and the School Education Law were enacted in 1947 to lay the foundation for a new system modeled after the American model. These laws extended compulsory education to nine years and made coeducation more common to break down class barriers.
There are over 48,000 active juku schools in Japan today. The cost of juku can range from 600,000 to 1.5 million yen depending on the age of the student and the financial capacity of the guardian.
The government began to focus on giving equal rights to children with disabilities in the 1990s. A greater educational reform took place in 2006 to promote inclusive education and integrate special need education with the traditional education system.