Animation, job hunting drive popularity of Japanese-language study

By Shigemi Kotaka

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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.