Japan language teacher calls for support system that does not rely on volunteers

KASHIHARA, Nara — A woman who runs an online Japanese language class for foreigners living in western Japan’s Nara Prefecture on a volunteer basis suggests that a system not volunteer-driven may be needed, as the number of foreigners is expected to increase.

Japanese language proficiency is a challenge for foreigners in Japan to fit in with their local communities. The “Machiya Japanese Class” run by Miya Kaizaki, 48, a resident of the prefecture’s city of Katsuragi, provides support for foreigners struggling with language barriers.

According to the national government and other sources, approximately 3.41 million foreigners were living in Japan as of the end of 2023, of which approximately 17,600 were in Nara Prefecture. The prefectural government expects that number to continue to rise, but according to an online survey conducted in 2024, only about 40% of foreigners living in the prefecture could “generally speak what they want to say” or “speak without problems” in Japanese.

It is not easy to master a language other than one’s native tongue. For example, when they have a question at work and try to ask a busy co-worker, some may not know how to say in Japanese, “May I have a minute?”

Participants in the classes are mainly technical intern trainees, but also include assistant language teachers. Twice a month, they study “natural Japanese” for various daily situations through one-on-one and group conversations with volunteer staff members, learning more appropriate phrases and correcting their language usage. The class has been well received by participants, with one saying, “It’s nice that the staff take the time to give me advice on how to make my Japanese more natural.”

The class was started in 2019 by several members who had originally attended an English class, but they have recently felt limited about continuing their activities.

The annual membership fee is 3,000 yen (about $20) per person. Many of the participants send money to family in their home countries, and the fee was set at a minimum to keep them motivated to learn Japanese. The fees collected cover use of the web conferencing system, and the six to seven staffers are completely unpaid. Since April, the weekly classes have been reduced to twice a month. Kaizaki hopes that the government will subsidize the class, even if only a little.

Still, she says, “They are all hardworking students. I developed a sense of parental love for them and try too hard as if I have to push myself.”

(Japanese original by Takeshi Kawabata, Nara Bureau)