Cultural Exchange

Japanese language education overseas plays an important role in deepening the understanding of Japan overseas, cultivating individuals engaged in exchange with Japan and creating bases for friendship with other countries. According to the Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad FY2021 by the Japan Foundation, approximately 3.79 million people in 141 countries and regions study Japanese. It shows that more students learn Japanese, because of an interest in Japanese pop-culture, such as anime and manga, or due to a desire to understand a different culture while others study the language for practical purposes such as study abroad or employment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Japan Foundation (JF), works to promote the spread of the Japanese language overseas. Through JF, it dispatches Japanese-language education specialists, invites overseas Japanese instructors and students to training programs in Japan, develops Japanese language education materials and holds Japanese speech contests at overseas diplomatic establishments. In 268 cities within 91 countries and regions across the world, it holds the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (as of FY2023). Number of overseas applicants exceeds 1 million for the first time. In addition, the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) was launched in FY2019 as a test to measure the Japanese language proficiency required by the status of residence of “Specified Skilled Worker (i)” system, and in FY2023, the test was conducted in 11 out of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signatory countries and in Japan every month except April.

It also addresses the needs of those who don’t have chances to learn Japanese-language because of the lack of institutions offering Japanese language education nearby and the shortage of time to learn at such institutions by offering the Japanese language learning platform, “JF Japanese e-Learning Minato” from 2016. In 2021, JF conducted its first survey on the implementation status of online classes, as a part of the above-mentioned survey, and found that 63.1% (11,525 institutions) of all institutions are offering online classes.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through JF, develops the “JF Nihongo Network” (also known as the “Sakura Network”), a global network linking the core Japanese-language institutions and teacher associations in order to promote the spread of Japanese language efficiently. The “Sakura Network” consists of 355 members worldwide (as of January 2024).

In addition, Japanese citizens called “NIHONGO Partners” have been dispatched to local middle schools and high schools mainly in Southeast Asia by the Japan Foundation since FY2014. “NIHONGO Partners” assist local Japanese teachers in Japanese classes as well as introduce Japanese culture to students. 3,158 Japanese citizens have been sent as “NIHONGO Partners” until March of 2024. As part of the comprehensive people-to-people exchange program “Partnership to Co-create a Future with the Next Generation: WA Project 2.0” announced at the ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation 50th Anniversary Special Summit Meeting in December 2023, it was decided to continue and expand the “NIHONGO Partners” program over the next 10 years from FY2024. Under this “WA project 2.0”, the renewed program has started.

In June 23, 2020, “the Basic Policy for the Comprehensive and Effective Implementation of Measures to Promote Japanese Language Education” was decided by the Cabinet, based on “the Act on Promotion of Japanese Language Education” (promulgated and entered into force on June 28, 2019). The Ministry is working to implement measures concerning the promotion of Japanese language education abroad.