Animation, job hunting drive popularity of Japanese-language study

Monday 09th November, 04:21 AM JST

By Shigemi Kotaka

TOKYO —

Japanese-language study is growing in popularity every year, especially in East Asian countries, driven by the interest in Japanese animation and the desire to find better jobs in Japan.

According to a 2006 survey by the Japan Foundation, Japanese-language education was carried out in 133 countries and territories throughout the world, and Japanese-language learners numbered about 2.98 million, up 26.4 percent over three years before.

Since 1984, when the foundation started the Japanese-language proficiency test for non-native speakers, the number of examinees has been increasing year after year. At first, the number was 7,000, but it reached some 560,000 in 2008, half of them being Chinese and 20% being South Koreans.

An official at ALC Press Inc, a Tokyo publisher of Japanese-language learning materials, said, ‘‘Japanese enterprises contracting out data input and other jobs to China are increasing in light of inexpensive labor costs, and even limited Japanese-language skills can become an advantage at the workplace.’‘

Andi Lukito, 24, from Indonesia, decided to study in Japan because he liked such Japanese animated cartoons as ‘‘Sazae-san’’ and ‘‘Doraemon’’ when he was a junior high school student.

An education ministry official said, ‘‘The popularity of Japan’s pop culture, such as comics and animation, is contributing to increases in the number of Japanese-language learners.’‘

However, foreign university students in Japan account only for 3.3% of the total, compared with 25% in Britain and Australia, and 10% in Germany and France.

The Chinese and South Korean governments have been making strenuous efforts in other Asian countries to increase the number of learners of their languages. The Japanese government has been trying to do the same, but has not been as successful.

At present, there are 120,000 international students in Japan, and the government is trying to boost the number to 300,000 in 2020.

A major bottleneck for foreign students in Japan is career options after graduation. Of the total, 56% hope to work in Japan, but actually, only 29%, or 9,411, could find jobs in the country.

Many foreign students want to be employed by such famous enterprises as Sony Corp and Toyota Motor Corp, but more than 90% of them have actually been employed by mid- and small-sized companies.

Some companies are turning their eyes to foreign students, though Lukito was recruited in April by Lawson Inc, a major convenience store chain operator, as a full-time employee.

The company started actively recruiting foreign students in 2008, and of 122 university graduates recruited in 2009, there were 39 from other Asian countries.

A Lawson public relations official said, ‘‘In the convenience store industry, the advantage is how many people with new ideas there are.’‘

Fujitsu Ltd, a major computer manufacturer, hired some 50 non-Japanese as regular employees this year, accounting for 10 percent of new permanent employees. ‘‘Japanese students are decreasing amid the falling birthrate and there is no need to limit ourselves only to Japanese to secure excellent personnel,’’ a Fujitsu official said.

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Latest 15 of 24 Total Comments Show All

combinibento at 11:35 AM JST - 9th November

Japan needs the equivalent of the US's H1-B visa. That is the reason MSFT, APPL and GOOG are what they are today.
Makun at 01:03 PM JST - 9th November

Japan is on it's way to completely dying out. With the already declining birthrate, there is a less demand for production. With that, studios close down. The industry is lacking any sense of inspiration and innovation, just this dying corporate machine, unwilling to notice, or care. A client of mine owns a store called "Tokyo Kid" in the States. Even there, the uniqueness and specialties of the merchandise dont exist anymore. He told me the customers seem to get thinner each week. With animation freely available on the net, there is no need to go into a store and spend 5000yen on a series you already watched in 1995 with different characters.
as_the_crow_flies at 02:04 PM JST - 9th November

Just my hunch here, but I also have a suspicion that for many Asian students, Japan is not their preferred destination, but realistically, they feel that it's closer and therefore cheaper to reach, there are networks, albeit exploitative, that can get them here, and as I mentioned earlier, the similarities of the writing system mean that reaching the level to do a course in Japanese is less of a hurdle than reaching a similar level to do an equivalent course in English, or another language. I don't know how the cost of study here compares, but I imagine that it is actually cheaper than somewhere like the UK, specially if the working rules allow "students" to put in quite long hours in casual work while they study. anyway, kudos to these students: they seem to make an effort that some domestic students don't, and achieving academically in a language other than your own is a big achievement.

I just hope Japan becomes less mealy-mouthed about giving international graduates equal chances in the job market.
Sarge at 03:34 PM JST - 9th November

I study Japanese so I can understand Crayon Shinchan:

Shinchan ( upon returning home ): Okaeri!

Misae: Tadaima deshou.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Yelnats at 03:37 PM JST - 9th November

Hello Kitty created a decision to come here? Pathetic.
JonSnow at 05:13 PM JST - 9th November

reminds me of my language school. more than half of my classmates were chinese/taiwanese/korean as per normal. but when asked why they were studying japanese, a few said it was for work - back at home, not in japan - but there were lots of them [women mostly] who were studying japanese so they can understand j-dramas... go figure.
Nessie at 05:18 PM JST - 9th November

there were lots of them [women mostly] who were studying japanese so they can understand j-dramas... go figure.

Just being here is a j-drama if you're Chinese.
nightvision at 07:11 PM JST - 9th November

This realization is kind of late.

The Koreans are well aware that for their economy to succeed, they need to reach out rather than shut themselves in, so they send out their drones all over the world to learn English.

Soon they'll make better cars, better anime, and better Pop music, and Japan will just watch and weep for not taking action, which I wouldn't want to happen.
WMD at 07:45 PM JST - 9th November

desire to find better jobs in japan

Ha ha ha!! Foreigners are only allowed to have rubbish 1 year contract "jobs" in the main.
chuckers at 09:15 AM JST - 10th November

Foreigners are only allowed to have rubbish 1 year contract "jobs" in the main.

Maybe in your line of work. I have never yet had a job that was 1 year contract limited while here in Japan.
nylex4 at 10:52 AM JST - 10th November

by all means study japanese as a 'hobby' but dont rely on it to get you a real job in japan....
sf2k at 02:42 PM JST - 10th November

I don't know, I suspect many leave because of the poor working conditions and lack of entrepreneurial conditions
Goodguy at 02:30 PM JST - 11th November

Having lived in Japan for over 6 years, one notices alot about the Japanese psyche, which comprise of elitism and closed mindness. Japan has this superior complex that its culture and its way of doing things is always the best way. Thus explains its attitude towards foreigners. While the rest of the world, people are realizing the need to branch out in studying other languages and culture, Japan is a few steps behind.
chuckers at 09:49 AM JST - 12th November

America has this superiority complex that its culture and its way of doing things is always the best way. Thus explains its attitude towards foreigners. While the rest of the world, people are realizing the need to branch out in studying other languages and culture, America is a few steps behind.

There, fixed your post for you.

Your statements can be said about just about anywhere.
McWild at 11:00 AM JST - 13th November

I returned to visit the university I attended back in '99 -- the student body was now equally divided. Half fratboys here to party, the other half anime nerds. Sigh.