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July 04, 2025
 

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LANGUAGE TEACHERS

One-third of elementary school students in Japan do not like learning English, according to a 2021 poll, an 8% rise since 2013. The pressure of taking proficiency tests is eroding children's engagement with studying English and its benefits.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 17, 2025
Japan’s English-language education doesn’t pass the test
An excessive focus on testing students' English ability is turning language learning into a chore, depriving children of the joy and opportunities of intercultural communication.
Incorporating modern technologies into your Japanese classes might be a way to connect with younger students.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 3, 2025
Start the new year with a fresh approach to teaching Japanese
It’s important for language instructors to update their methods to best appeal to their younger students.
Hyappu Ishikawa (left) attends to children at the "Karafuru" Japanese language school in Nishio, Aichi Prefecture, in April.
JAPAN
Jun 3, 2024
How one Japanese city supports foreign students through community education
In the city of Nishio, public and private sectors collaborate with schools to support foreign students in Japanese language education and raise their school enrollment rates.
Language support groups in Fukushima Prefecture are calling for the creation of a better environment for foreign children to learn Japanese.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Fukushima
May 27, 2024
With more foreign children, Fukushima struggles with language support
A number of children attending schools in the prefecture in fiscal 2023 were unable to fully understand Japanese.
Randolph-Macon College students pose with a monument to Taylor Anderson in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on Jan. 23.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2024
Tsunami victim's dream of becoming Japan-U.S. bridge realized
Taylor Anderson was one of the 33 foreign nationals killed in the March 2011 disaster.
The logo of language-learning app, Duolingo, on a smartphone
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 9, 2024
Duolingo cuts contractors by 10% amid AI content shift
The company said no full-time employees were affected by the cutback.
Diane Hawley Nagatomo at her home office in Chiba. Born in the U.K., Diane has called Japan “home” for more than 40 years.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 23, 2023
Diane Hawley Nagatomo: ‘The only way to improve writing is to write’
After retiring from her position as a professor in 2022, Diane Hawley Nagatomo has just released her first novel, “The Butterfly Cafe.”
A major bonus of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme is the time it offers you to be able to plan for long-term goals. Writer Erik M. Jacobs was able to map out what he needed to pursue a career in U.S.-Japan relations, for example.
COMMUNITY / Issues / Learning Curve
Aug 8, 2023
Every situation is different on JET, but they're all similarly rewarding
As a new wave of JET Program participants arrives in the country, a program alumni shares tips on getting the most out of the experience.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 6, 2023
Round 2 at your teaching job: New confidence, new opportunities
We're coming up on a new school year. Aim to improve your language skills and travel the country more with your newfound confidence.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 4, 2022
What's next for English-language education in Japan?
English has been at the heart of discussions over nationwide university entrance exams amid growing frustrations that few Japanese students learn to speak the language fluently.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Sep 6, 2021
What to expect as a 'teacher of color' in Japan
Every situation is different. As a nonwhite instructor in Japan, it helps to know others facing the same challenges you are.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 9, 2020
Stockpiling food and keeping up appearances in Hokkaido's schools
English teachers in Hokkaido, which apart from the Diamond Princess cruise ship has been hit hardest with coronavirus cases in Japan, struggle to make sense of measures taken at their schools.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 3, 2020
With the coronavirus canceling classes, what are English teachers to do?
ALTs and English-language school employees are reporting confusion over what role their employers should play in a possible pandemic.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 9, 2020
Japan-run language school that saw stock surge 1,093% last year eyes expansion
A Japan-run language school that saw its stock soar almost 12-fold last year is planning to expand into new business areas as its chief executive officer tries to keep the rally alive.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 18, 2019
A better way to teach kids foreign languages
To get results, language learning should be fun, eye-opening and meaningful.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Aug 13, 2019
Surge in arrests of foreign teachers reported as China pushes to clean up education system
Arrests and deportations of foreign teachers in China have soared this year, lawyers, schools and teachers say, amid a broad crackdown defined by new police tactics and Beijing's push for a "cleaner," more patriotic education system.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Aug 4, 2019
What makes a good teacher? It depends on who you ask
When considering your role as a teacher it is best to think about what your students and employer want, and don't forget to take cultural differences into account.
JAPAN
Aug 1, 2019
Nationwide test results highlight Japanese students' poor English speaking and writing skills
In the speaking section, many students struggled with improvised speech on randomly chosen topics.
Japan Times
EDITORIALS
Jun 27, 2019
Helping foreign residents learn Japanese
The enactment of a new law that spells out the government's responsibility to ensure adequate Japanese language education for residents from overseas is a step forward. Policy actions and funding to back it up must now follow.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / BLACK EYE
May 15, 2019
A tale of two ads (and two different sets of eyes)
Since many Japanese people don't have the opportunity to interact with black people in their daily lives, how the community is represented in the national media is important.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Onosato's yokozuna promotion causes rare quirk in new sumo rankings
Newly promoted yokozuna Onosato holds a copy of the latest banzuke ranking in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture, on Monday.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Over 900 earthquakes strike Tokara islands in space of two weeks
A screenshot shows many quakes occurring in the Tokara islands over the past 30 days, in this image taken from the U.S. Geological Survey website.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

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