A Foreign Ministry official. The Japanese government will expand facilities for Japanese-language education overseas from 10 places at present to about 100 in three years to cope with increases in Japanese-language learners as well as to counter China, which is trying to popularize its language and culture abroad as a national policy.

3 Comments

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  smartacus at 02:54 PM JST - 20th April

  I think Chinese, Russian and Arabic are going to be the most in-demand languages in the near future (if not already). The Japanese boom is long over.

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  bushlover at 10:35 AM JST - 21st April

  How do they think teaching japanese will increase "international understanding"? People understand that japanese products are of good quality but that they are still more expensive. If Japan doesn't understand that then they will find that the "international understanding" will be that Korean products are cheaper and almost as good quality. When will they understand that?

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  JohnPhilips at 01:17 PM JST - 21st April

  I thought he was going to reform foreign language education in Japan. It is only useful for passing Japanese college entrance exams. Silly me! I forgot that "international understanding" (kokusai rikai) meant other countries promoting the national interests of Japan. Sort of like how "proletarian internationalism" meant supporting the national interests of the Soviet Union.

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