With the increasing number of foreign residents, the importance of Japanese language education is on the rise. Starting from the academic year 2024, Kobe University has been designated as the Kinki regional hub school for MEXT’s “Japanese language teacher training and development promotion hub project.” This comes at a time when the landscape of teacher training is undergoing significant changes, such as the establishment of a national qualification for Japanese language teachers, which allows for “registered Japanese language teachers,” starting this year. What role will Kobe University play as a hub school in this evolving environment? We spoke with Professor ISHIKAWA Shin’ichiro of the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, who is in charge of the project, about specific initiatives and future prospects.

Half of Japanese language teachers are volunteers

First, could you tell us about the current situation of people in need of Japanese language education within Japan?

Ishikawa:

There are currently about 3.4 million foreign residents in Japan (as of 2023). This accounts for approximately 2.7% of the total population, which is more than twice the population of Kobe City. The number of foreign residents has been increasing year by year, with particularly notable increases in nationals from Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Some of these people come to Japan with residence statuses such as “technical intern trainee” or “specified skilled worker,” while others come as international students to learn Japanese.

Additionally, there are about 220,000 people (as of 2022) learning Japanese within Japan. However, this figure only includes those studying at educational institutions like Japanese language schools. It does not account for those who are learning Japanese while working and living their daily lives, or those who are self-studying. Therefore, the actual number of learners in a broader sense is likely much higher.

On the other hand, there are approximately 44,000 Japanese language teachers in Japan (as of 2022). Until the system changed in the academic year 2024, one could become a Japanese language teacher by completing a training course offered by a university or private institution or by passing a private certification exam. The treatment and conditions for Japanese language teachers are not satisfactory, with 49% of those teaching in the field being volunteers and only 15% holding full-time positions.

The mismatch between training and employment is a challenge

Isn’t there a concern that the creation of a national qualification could become a hurdle, leading to a shortage of Japanese language teachers?

Ishikawa:

As you pointed out, starting from the academic year 2024, a new national qualification called the “registered Japanese language teacher” has been established. Unlike before, where completing a training course was sufficient, this new qualification requires candidates to also complete a specified teaching practicum and pass the Japanese-Language Teacher Examination (an applied competence exam) conducted by the government. Since the barriers to obtaining this qualification have been raised, the number of registered Japanese language teachers may not increase as much as it has in the past.

On the other hand, this qualification is required for working at certified Japanese language schools within Japan. It is not mandatory for teaching abroad or for teaching as a volunteer in Japanese language instruction at domestic universities or in local communities. Of course, having the qualification is preferable. Therefore, I don’t think that the total number of Japanese language teachers in a broad sense will suddenly decrease.

However, we can expect a significant shortage of Japanese language teachers in the near future as the middle-aged and older people who are currently teaching part-time or as volunteers begin to retire. Although it depends on the region, I have heard that some Japanese language schools are already facing a shortage of teachers.

The creation of the national qualification aims to ensure the quality of education delivered by Japanese language teachers. What are the challenges in terms of improving the skills and expertise of teachers?

Ishikawa:

As you mentioned, under the new system, the training of Japanese language teachers will be managed through more rigorous programs than before, and the knowledge and expertise of qualified individuals is expected to improve. However, what we need to consider is whether the registered Japanese language teachers, who have passed through this narrow gate, can smoothly transition into the field of Japanese language education.

Although this pertains to the old system, a survey conducted in the academic year 2022 showed that there were about 28,000 people enrolled in Japanese language teacher training courses at universities and private institutions. However, only about 5% of those who complete university training courses become or are able to become Japanese language teachers immediately.

This is because it is still rare for new graduates to be hired as full-time teachers. Typically, individuals accumulate several years of experience as part-time teachers and may have a chance to become full-time in their 30s or 40s. For young people, the career path is difficult to foresee and many are reluctant to enter this field despite having studied Japanese language education.

From this perspective, while it is certainly important to make training programs more rigorous and to improve the quality of education the teachers provide, it is equally important to better promote the attractiveness of being a Japanese language teacher and ensure that trained individuals can find appropriate employment. If we consider the training courses as the entry point, then it is crucial to effectively align them with the exit point, which is employment.

Promoting broad cooperation among universities, Japanese language schools and government agencies

Given the current situation, please tell us more about the recently launched Japanese language teacher training and development promotion hub project.

Ishikawa:

There are numerous challenges surrounding Japanese language education, but in light of the introduction of the “registered Japanese language teacher” system, this project aims to first establish the necessary social infrastructure for the new system. The objectives include developing specialized personnel (teacher trainers) responsible for training Japanese language teachers and creating hubs that can cultivate and train teachers to meet regional needs.

The country has been divided into six blocks, with one or two hub schools designated in each block. Eight universities, including Tohoku University, Tsukuba University, and Hiroshima University, have been selected as hub schools nationwide. Kobe University has been designated as the hub school for the Kinki block (“Kinki” being the Japanese name for the area around the historical center of Japan, including Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo with its capital Kobe, Shiga, Nara and Wakayama). The project will run through the academic year 2027.

Many universities have Japanese language teacher training courses at the undergraduate level. However, Kobe University has established a Japanese language teacher training program within the master’s program at the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies. This course aims to train Japanese language teachers with advanced research capabilities and a broad range of knowledge. Graduate students acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to become Japanese language teachers in addition to their own fields of specialization. Individuals who have gained a multifaceted perspective through such a program are active in various areas of Japanese language education, which is a significant strength of Kobe University.

A major feature of the Kinki block, for which Kobe University serves as the hub school, is its broad collaboration among universities, Japanese language schools, and government agencies. There are currently 24 participating institutions.

To advance specific initiatives, the Kinki block has established four subcommittees. The division for promoting institutional collaboration focuses on strengthening ties between related institutions and planning joint projects. The division for seminar planning discusses and implements training for teacher trainers responsible for the training of Japanese language teachers. The division for fact-finding survey planning plans to conduct surveys on the current state of Japanese language education and teacher training in the Kinki region. And the division for language support planning plans to investigate the current status of Japanese language support for children and students with foreign origin.

Creating a system to establish Japanese language teaching as a profession

How do you see this project contributing to the future of Japanese language education and training of Japanese language teachers?

Ishikawa:

The aim of this project is to develop professionals involved in the training of Japanese language teachers. However, as a prerequisite, I believe it is crucial to first establish a network that transcends prefectures and organizations. Up until now, there have been connections between universities and between Japanese language schools, but there have been few connections beyond those frameworks. In addition, networks that cross prefectural boundaries have been limited.

A network of personnel across organizations and regions will serve as a foundation for promoting Japanese language education in the community, even after this project ends. By developing and accumulating training methods for highly qualified individuals responsible for training Japanese language teachers, these resources will become shared assets for the entire Kinki region.

In the future, it is important to move away from the current state of Japanese language education, which relies too heavily on volunteers and part-time teachers, and work toward creating a system that establishes Japanese language teaching as a professional career. It is not enough to simply provide certification; we must consider both the entry point of training and the exit point of employment together.

The number of children in Japan who need to learn Japanese is increasing year by year, with approximately 70,000 children in public elementary, middle, and high schools alone (as of 2023). If they do not have sufficient understanding of Japanese, it can affect their future education and employment opportunities. Although there are financial challenges, measures such as placing Japanese language specialists in schools across the country could be considered. If such measures were implemented, they would also help to ensure stable employment opportunities for Japanese language teachers, too.

Japanese language teachers also need to change their mindset. Traditionally, Japanese language education has focused on teaching grammatical patterns thoroughly, but there is a growing demand to learn the so-called “Japanese for everyday life,” which is the minimum necessary for daily life. In the hub project, we need to consider the future of Japanese language education from multiple perspectives, including the needs of society, learners, and teachers.

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