While there are right-wing parties in Japan, their focus tends to be a noisy brand of nationalism, rather than the emphasis on religious values embraced by Republican candidates like Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

CNN: Can Tokyo learn from the American political 'matsuri'?

This is due partly to the weight put on religious instruction and partly to the emphasis on rote learning.

ECONOMIST: Ever so slowly, Saudi society is moving forward

But the emphasis on Christianity in religious education (RE) lessons does not mean that teaching is always "challenging and vibrant" say the researchers.

BBC: Education & Family

His emphasis on faith-based reforms could set the party's heavily black religious wing against its college-educated secular wing.

ECONOMIST: Lexington