The Activities of the Japan Foundation

The Asia Center
Japanese-Language Learning Assistance

The "NIHONGO Partners" program sends native Japanese speakers to educational institutions throughout Asia to serve as partners to local Japanese teachers and their students by providing in-class assistance and introducing Japanese culture. In FY2017, 591 partners were deployed to 492 junior high schools, high schools, universities, and other learning institutes in the 10 ASEAN countries, China, and Taiwan. The "NIHONGO Partners" who returned to Japan in FY2017 fostered connections with around 140,000 students through Japanese-language lessons and introduced Japanese culture to around 280,000 students through extracurricular activities and events.

Messages from Past Participants

Mutual Communication and Learning

As a "NIHONGO Partners," I had the chance to live close to the local community and the school, which allowed me to meet a variety of people and have different discoveries. The local teachers were constantly checking to see if I had any concerns and often invited me to join them for lunch or to socialize together. The students always greeted me with a smile, no matter where it was. What they all had in common was not just their strong interest in learning about Japan and me, but that they shared a sense of hospitality that taught me so many things. Being dispatched to the school in Thailand has given me a great insight into how interested the students are in Japanese culture and food, and just how established their culture is in terms of their respect for teachers and the elderly. It was truly a wonderful 10-month experience in which I got to impart a little knowledge about Japan while also learning a great deal about Thailand.

Masahiro Fujihara
Thailand Group 5, May 2017 – March 2018

Conveying the Appeal of Japan to Make It Feel More Familiar

The thing I felt most after being dispatched to the local university was that for the students having a Japanese person on campus really brought familiarity to Japan and the Japanese language. The students were a little reserved at first and reluctant to use their Japanese, but gradually learned to greet me in Japanese. At the Japanese Club I set up at the university, the teachers as well as the students were all extremely pleased when I made sushi and rice flour dumplings, and wrote their names or the words they liked in kanji using a writing brush. The "NIHONGO Partners" project provided the opportunity for us to learn from each other, especially regarding the culture and customs of Japan and Cambodia. This helped me understand the joy of communicating Japanese culture to people from other countries. I hope to continue conveying the appeal of Japan overseas while placing an emphasis on learning.

Kaori Matsuoka
Cambodia Group 1, September 2016 – August 2017

The Joy of Becoming Immersed in the Local Community and Imparting Knowledge about Japan

As a "NIHONGO Partners," I got the chance to conduct practical activities at educational sites such as junior high and high schools in Vietnam. Once I started to communicate a little in Vietnamese I was picking up from teachers and students, the feeling of distance started to give way. When I showed them a sanshin, a traditional musical instrument from my birthplace of Okinawa, to hold and explained its commonalities with Vietnamese instruments, it really stimulated their interest. I'll never forget the time I played the sanshin in tune with the students' singing. The entire experience helped me understand the importance of Japanese-language education and set me along my journey as a Japanese instructor with memories that I'll hold dear forever.

Hiroko Kamiunten
Vietnam Group 4, August 2017 – June 2018

Using My Experience as a "NIHONGO Partners" to Provide Support

After returning to Japan, I have been supporting candidates from Indonesia aspiring to attain national qualification to become a registered nurse in Japan by providing assistance for Japanese-language learning and preparations for the state examination based on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). I myself have worked as a registered nurse and a health information manager, so I have always been interested in projects that accept candidates for foreign registered nurses and certified care workers based on EPAs. After interacting with people in Indonesia and experiencing local life as a "NIHONGO Partners," I can better provide guidance while deepening friendships with Indonesian nurses. I hope to use the experiences I gained through this program to continue offering support and be an understanding mentor for them.

Tomiko Shimada
Indonesia Group 4, October 2015 – March 2016