Foreign residents proficient in Japanese to be allowed to stay longer

Friday 02nd May, 06:18 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 64 Total Comments Show All

European1 at 08:00 PM JST - 2nd May

It's a good idea. Other countries should follow.

with exception for "Us" Japanese as in case of UK when J Gov and Embassy "cried" because we 日本人du notu spiku engriszu, please make exception for us who comes to UK and do business or we will move somewhere else. HaHaHa...Yes,lets give up english as intl language and study japanese instead. It make GoJ happier with more propaganda running around how many foreigners study our language. Besides, I agree that living in cetain country we should speak its language at least to be able to communicate and find way home.
umbrella at 08:40 PM JST - 2nd May

Huh big deal! It's just a sop to the foreigners for treating them as criminals at the airports. Scrap fingerprinting for at least PRs and scrap the damned gaijin tax, this re-entry visa lark. Do something worthwhile for once.

I can only agree with all the others. The JLPT is useless as a test of japanese ability. I took and passed grade 1 some years ago and it was just full of obscure grammatical terms and expressions which never see the light of day in everyday life. And there was a fairly easy enjoyable listening section but NO conversation with a native speaker at all. What use is that?? Has anything changed in the JLPT test of late??

Why can't they make a simple test on the lines of the English STEP test. It's my understanding that, at least they have to indulge in minimum conversation.
1keiron at 09:25 PM JST - 2nd May

I studying for a BA Japanese in the UK and i think its the most amazing thing i've come across so far. I think its ignorant to just not bother trying to pick up the language r culture over in JP just because the job says that "little nihongo is needed but some experience preferred". The problem with alot of native english speakers is that they expect everything to be handed out on a platter in ENGLISH just becuause its widly spoken across the globe. SO what!... if the JP government require people to do the "silly easy peasy" tests then just do them..I mean after all you'll pass it with flying colours wont you because they're easy? I'd be more than happy to take a day off and complete a JPLT level 1 for a Visa. Yes I believe the UK government should do something like that but they're too weak and to be fair alot of the current younger generation who are expected to work over here will not get off their backsides and do something. So thats why the UK government make it piss easy for foreigners to come here..because these guys actually want to work!
gamecat at 12:31 AM JST - 3rd May

Ahhhh, the old idea of nation and nationality. So quaint!

I think back to my childhood in England, and it seems like an impossible dream.
gamecat at 12:38 AM JST - 3rd May

1keiron; Welfare State...

And, English is the World Language. Horrible for me to say so, because it conjures up horrid images of invasion and oppression, but it is fact.

If you take a step back, it is really f-ng odd that Japan does not have advanced bi-lingualism on a mass scale, considering its global investment potential.
hato4649 at 03:33 PM JST - 3rd May

It is a sad state of affairs when the Japanese government must bribe foreigners into learning Japanese. I have lived in Japan for 8 years, work in a Japanese office and speak the language fluently. I admit that a lot of foreigners here are lazy and don't learn the language, but the problem isn't really with them, but more with the Japanese people themselves.

I actually teach Japanese, but the problem is that a lot of my students get disillusioned because even when they try to speak Japanese, people ignore them and reply to them in English (usually very poor, and difficult to understand English). I also have the same experience, even though I am completely fluent. Some people even seem not to understand me because they don't expect to hear Japanese coming from someone who doesn't look Japanese. I even wonder why I bother sometimes. Unless you live in Japan, or have lived here, it's very difficult to understand that.

Educating people to accept foreigners into Japanese society, to teach Japanese people to encourage foreigners to speak Japanese instead of talking over them in English would be a much better way to encourage foreigners to speak Japanese. On the other hand, I am happy at possibility of getting a longer visa, just by taking some test.
umbrella at 04:05 PM JST - 3rd May

Yes hato4649 hits the proverbial nail on its head. I think it can legitimately be said that some japanese don't like foreigners to have good japanese speaking skills. They want the cute gaijin helpless puppy who can hardly put two words of japanese together. Makes them feel secure and superior about their oh so difficult and elusive language and culture. When a foreigners comes along who is a fluent speaker, they don't like it and sometimes pretend not to understand. Is this pathetic or what????????????

How can the government change this attitude? Japanese is fairly easy to become fluent in, at least as far as speaking/listening is concerned. But it seems this hasn't filtered down to certain sections of the population yet!
umbrella at 04:09 PM JST - 3rd May

hato mate, get a PR then you don't have to bother with visas. Still have to get the criminal fingerprints at airports and pay gaijin tax re-entry visa though.
hato4649 at 09:37 AM JST - 4th May

Thanks Umbrella, permanent residency is definitely a good idea, but I'm actually changing career at the moment, so I'm going to wait a couple more years until my life has calmed down to improve the chances of my application.

By the way, it's interesting that you mention the fingerprints. Just like the "foreign residents proficient in Japanese allowed to stay longer" campaign, it's just another publicity stunt to make the Japanese public feel more secure about the increasing foreign population in Japan, isn't it!

However, with the decreasing population and skill shortages in Japan, we can expect to see more and more foreigners working here. Japanese society will change. It must. I'm really looking forward to seeing Japan in another 20 or 30 years (if I'm still here, that is).
PuffinMuffin at 03:50 PM JST - 4th May

Due to budget constraints, it is unlikely that the government will develop a completely new proficiency test. Rather, the ministry plans to utilize the current tests offered by the Japan Foundation and the Japan External Trade Organization, better known as JETRO, the official said. But such tests are currently offered only once a year and at a limited number of locations, according to the official.

Surely more tests could be offered throughout the year? Globally as well? The Japanese language would then be promoted internationally, think about it Nippon.
WMD at 03:01 PM JST - 5th May

Are foreigners in japan supposed to be grateful for this "crumb" pushed their way??
electric2004 at 12:12 AM JST - 8th May

To hato4649: Today I returned with my wife and our 2 little kids back to Japan at Narita. There is a line for re-entry permit holders. Almost empty - only one person before us. Most of the over 300 persons on the plane where either waiting in the line for Japanese only or in the line for tourists.

And there is no problem, that my Japanese wife and our kids can use the line for re-entry permit holders together. So, there is no family separation. Well, I had to give the fingerprints and the photo, but this is not a problem.

Anyhow, later in the car, the GPS of the carnavigation led us back to the airport. Well, a little japanese language ability was helpful: Sumimasen - machigaechatta. And so they showed us the path and opened a special gate for us so that we were able to go into the right direction. Nihon yokoso. Yes. And tomorrow back at work I hope to find the documents to extend my Visa and re-entry permit. => Perfectly on topic. Let's see if it will be 3 or 5 years (probably 3).
Princeska at 09:59 PM JST - 8th May

All English teachers in Japan must pass the Nihongo Kentei. It is fare.
Princeska at 10:00 PM JST - 8th May

fair
highvoltage at 12:33 AM JST - 9th May

it's so pathetic people who complain it's "unfair" that chinese/korean students sitting the JLPT test can read kanji. SO WHAT? That's their advantage.

That would be like a Chinese/korean student in the UK complaining that it's "unfair" that french/spanish students have a natural advantage in English just because their languages are similar...

Just knuckle down and study if you want to succeed. The main thing i see inhibiting people from succeeding is that theyre half-assed when it comes to study.