Abstract: In the early 20th Century, with the rising of different new educational thoughts and ideas in Europe and America, Dalton plan, as the model of American progressive education reform, along with other western cultural patterns and educational ideas, was introduced to Japan. Japanese new educational scholars carried out thorough studies on Dalton plan and gradually combined it with the new educational movement in Japan, which not only promoted the development of the new educational reform movement, but also had a profound influence on the history of modern Japanese education.

Key words: Dalton plan, Japanese education, new education movement