Kumamoto –

Public schools in the city of Kumamoto are adapting to a surge in international students, many from Taiwan, following the arrival of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and other semiconductor-related businesses in Kumamoto Prefecture.

TSMC opened its first Japanese chip factory, known as a fab, in the town of Kikuyo in February 2024 and is about to start construction on a second nearby. As a result, the prefecture’s Taiwanese population grew from 1,549 in December 2023 to 1,753 by June 2024.

The city of Kumamoto, where many new residents and families now live, has welcomed about 20 Taiwanese students into its public schools since April 2024. This marks a sharp increase from two or three students seen in the previous year, according to the city’s education board.

Many Taiwanese families view public schools as a good opportunity for their children to experience school life and learn Japanese during their time in Japan, education board official Miyuki Matsuoka said, noting that she expects the need to assist such students to grow in the future.

The board interviews each new foreign student, as well as Japanese students returning from abroad, and provides tailored assistance if necessary. Support staff guide students individually during a two-week orientation period, helping them adapt both academically and socially.

This includes instruction on school customs, such as washing hands before lunch and cleaning school premises. Schools also provide interpreters for parents, and offer the new students Japanese lessons — either one on one or in small groups — two or three times a week for up to two years. These lessons sometimes incorporate subject material, such as math, to help students cover the coursework and language learning at the same time, officials say.

Thanks to the Japanese government’s GIGA school program, launched in 2020, every student in Japan now has access to an internet-connected tablet or PC. This has helped with the adjustment process for international students.

At Kurokami Elementary School, one of four public schools in the city of Kumamoto offering language support for students with foreign roots, many international students use their tablet’s camera and Google Translate to convert blackboard notes into their native languages instantly, said Hitomi Razafimanantena, a Japanese language teacher.

Challenges remain, however, particularly when students express themselves in Japanese. This is where one-on-one instruction proves helpful.

During a recent lesson, sixth-grader Sotetsu Ryu, a Taiwanese student who transferred from an international school in April, learned Japanese verbs in a game-like format. Everyday items such as a backpack, gloves and a school cap were laid on a table, along with cards displaying various Japanese verbs used for wearing different types of items, such as kimasu, kakemasu, and kaburimasu.

Ryu was asked to find a card that describes the right verb for each item. He made the right guesses for more than half of them.

“In six months, he’s made significant progress,” Razafimanantena said after the class. “Initially, we communicated in English since he knew little Japanese. But as his Japanese improved, I switched to using entirely Japanese.”

Parents, too, are eager to learn Japanese, says Akimi Jo, a long-time Taiwanese resident of Kumamoto and founder of Taiyuu, a Taiwan-Kumamoto friendship association.

“Many mothers are studying Japanese diligently,” Jo said, noting that they attend in-person classes provided by local organizations such as the Kumamoto International Foundation.

Jo’s group frequently organizes events to make life easier for new residents and help them make new friends in Kumamoto. Some residents are also actively communicating among themselves through a Line messenger group, where tips for daily issues such as finding groceries or garbage disposal rules are exchanged, she said.

Yukiyo Saito, a researcher at Nagoya City University who studies Taiwanese cultures, says that Japan has a lot to improve when it comes to embracing multiculturalism. She recalls an incident from a few years ago, when elementary school students in Kikuyo prepared multilingual welcome signs for international visitors. The Chinese signs featured simplified characters, commonly used in mainland China, but not the traditional characters used in Taiwan.

“This is a very sensitive issue, and for the people concerned, it could have turned into an explosive situation,” Saito said. “Even if the Taiwanese people are told they are welcome, it wouldn’t resonate with them at all.”

Despite these challenges, the newcomers are settling in well overall, thanks to the efforts of local officials and volunteers, Jo said. She pointed to the Kumamoto International Foundation, which provides free language lessons and other services for international residents.

During a recent visit to the city, most public signs, from a destination guide on the trams to panels explaining landmarks at Kumamoto Castle, were available in Japanese, traditional and simplified Chinese, English and Korean.

“Now, brochures feature traditional Chinese, too,” Jo said, gesturing to a section in the lobby of the foundation’s building in central Kumamoto, where foreign language brochures on tourism information are displayed. “This wasn’t the case before.”