In order to strengthen the leadership and management of education, in187/kloc-0, the Meiji government established the Ministry of Education in the central government, which was responsible for cultural and educational undertakings and religious affairs throughout the country. The educational system order issued in 1872 further established the centralized educational management system in modern Japan characterized by the "university district system": under the Ministry of Education, the whole country is divided into eight university districts, and each university district has 1 university; Each university is divided into 32 middle school districts, and each middle school district has 1 middle school; Each middle school district is divided into 2 10 primary schools, and each primary school district has 1 primary schools.

The education management system characterized by "university district system" was weakened by the implementation of the Education Order (1879), but it was re-strengthened after the Japanese government revised the Education Order in 1880, and it continued until the end of World War II.