The Activities of the Japan Foundation

Language: Japanese-Language Education Overseas
Enhancing Overseas Japanese-Language Teaching Methods and Proficiency Assessments of Japanese-Language Learners

To further spread Japanese-language learning, it will be important to promote the international standardization of teaching content that raises convenience for Japanese-language learners and to upgrade proficiency assessments to help encourage learning. Accordingly, we implemented the following programs.

Holding of Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

Launched in 1984, the JLPT is the world's most popular Japanese test. In FY2018, tests were held in five additional countries, including El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Qatar, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ghana, and six additional cities that include Taoyuan (Taiwan), Makassar (Indonesia), Palembang (Indonesia), Newark (U.S.), Yakutsk (Russia) and Istanbul (Turkey). This brings the total number of testing locations to 296 cities in 86 countries/regions, including Japan (47 prefectures). Also, the number of applicants reached 1,168,000 in FY2018 and 1,009,074 persons took the test as the number of applicants and examinees increases continually. In FY2017, the number of applicants exceeded one million for the first time since the JLPT's launch in 1984 and in FY2018 the number of examinees surpassed one million for the first time. A cumulative total of 13,035,636 people have applied for the test.

Development and Operation of e-Learning

We worked to upgrade content and raise convenience by adding Elementary 2 (A2) and a Starter (A1) French-language version to the Marugoto Japanese online course, which is the main course of the Japanese-language learning platform, JF Japanese e-learning Minato, as well as opened the Flower Arrangement and Kansai Dialect Introductory courses. As a result, the number of users has increased to 62,474 in 180 countries and regions. In November 2018, JF Japanese e-learning Minato won the "elJ Global Award" at the 15th Japan e-Learning Awards. Additionally, the Japan Foundation released the "Kanji Memory Hint 3 English Version" app for enjoyable learning of kanji through association illustrations and games.

Disseminating Information about Japanese-Language Teaching Methods and Providing Teaching Materials

To promote the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education, we disseminated information through seminars, workshops, websites and SNS in Japan and overseas. We also held seminars to promote the usage the Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture based on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education and provided supplementary materials for the books in multiple languages and supported local publishing. Furthermore, we also distributed information about the use of e-learning content developed by the Japan Foundation.

Implementing Surveys on Overseas Japanese-Language Education and Learning and Providing Related Information

To ascertain the current state of overseas Japanese-language education, every three years the Japan Foundation implements the Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad on a global basis with the cooperation of our overseas offices, Japan's overseas diplomatic missions and other related agencies. In FY2018, we implemented the survey worldwide and progressed with preparations for announcing the results of the survey in FY2019.