Reading disabilities in Japan: evidence against the myth of rarity

The incidence of the reading disabilities among 250 Japanese children (8.5-13.4 years old) was measured by a standardized reading ability test which had recently been developed. It was found that 16.4% of the children tested have a one year delay, and 15.2% of the children have a two year delay. The results show that Makita's (1968) claim concerning the rarity of the incidence of reading disabilities in Japan is incorrect.