Moral education is a special subject in Japanese elementary schools. Its national curriculum includes an item on kindness and consideration. In grades one and two, pupils should treat people close to them, such as young children and the elderly, with a warm heart and be kind to them.
In grades three and four, they should be considerate of others and kind of their own accord. In grades five and six, they should have omoiyari no kokoro, a considerate heart, toward everyone and be kind from the other person’s standpoint.