how a class here works

I don`t know much about the whole Japan country, but in my university, it seems that classes aren`t as important as the research you do. This is very different with what we have in Indonesia, in Indonesia research is merely a formality after which you are allowed to graduate. In Indonesia the classes are what matters. This attitude I brought with me to Japan - or should I say to my new university in Japan?-, not knowing that things work differently here.

There are some key notes after which I declare that classes aren`t important here, these key notes would be :
1. The attendance of a class are less then 10 people
2. About 80 % of the class aren't paying attention to the class -or are asleep- during the lesson.
3. The participants can choose not to come to class

I am not entirely sure if my observations are correct, but this is as far as I have come. I hope that anyone who will come to Japan can benefit from my knowledge and hence not experience the same cultural shock about this country as I have.

Sukarno once said that he only needs ten young motivated people to change the world, I wonder where these young people are. Seems to me everywhere I go -whether Indonesia, Japan, or other places - the youth has lost their hope, what about the future then?