Hidden Intention Requiring Japanese Language Proficiency for Staying in Japan

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to give advantageous treatment to foreigners who have higher knowledge of the Japanese language in their application for entry and stay in Japan. Regarding the governments aim of introducing this system, Hiragana Times CIA interviewed Professor OHURA Yuuzou, an expert in Japanese language education.

CIA: Will you explain more details about the aim of this system?

Prof.: In Japan, due to an aging society, the population of workers is rapidly decreasing. Therefore, it became clearer that foreign workers are necessary to fill the shortage of Japanese workers. The government is now creating a system for foreigners who want to stay and work in Japan. If they have a certain level of Japanese language proficiency, they will be given advantageous treatment in such matters as obtaining a visa, the extension of visa status, getting permanent resident status, and obtaining Japanese nationality. For judging Japanese language proficiency, they are now examining using the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

CIA: Has it already been decided to introduce it?

Prof.: There will be some amendments before its realization, since they need to make some adjustment with the related ministries including the Ministry of Welfare and Labour and Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, as well as the Ministry of Law. In the government some insist the system might help increase the number of foreign laborers who have no special skills except Japanese proficiency. Therefore, the government will probably begin with those who have technical skills.

CIA: But, it seems those who have technical skills don’t require Japanese proficiency.

Prof.: Language is just a means for communication. In fact it is their skills, not the language proficiency that companies want.

CIA: Well then, why does the government require them to have Japanese language proficiency in order to stay in Japan?

Prof.: To tell the truth, the language business is a hidden, huge industry. The scale of English-language related business in Japan is estimated at three trillion yen. The amount of people who go and spend money to learn English in the U.S.A. and the U.K. is some ten times that spent by students of Japanese in Japan. These countries made people learn their language and earned an enormous amount of money. This is an unknown national strategy and Japan is trying to imitate it.

CIA: However, I wonder if the Japanese language is more difficult to learn than English and people will fail to keep studying?

Prof.: Because of this, they provide them with a sweetener in that they give advantageous treatment to them when obtaining visa status according to their Japanese language proficiency, and encourage them to keep studying. In other words, it is a policy to let them spend lots of money on their studies.

Comment from CIA
You ask me if there is any reasonable and good method to learn Japanese? Well, you know the proverb “The lighthouse does not shine on its base,” don’t you? Yes, it is just best for you to keep reading Hiragana Times. That’s enough. However, as there are sometimes articles in which the government and the immigration office are criticized, you must be careful when interviewing with them for your visa.

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

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