As a goalkeeper for the national team, Eiji Kawashima doesn't want to make a single error during a game.
But off the pitch, he doesn't think that making mistakes is as costly, like in learning a foreign language. In fact, he believes failure is actually a stepping stone to succeed in mastering a foreign tongue.
Speaking at an event for a Rosetta Stone language support program for Japanese athletes in Tokyo on Friday, Kawashima noted how vital it is to be able to communicate with teammates and coaches in their native languages for athletes that are playing overseas.