Viral hit: 'Sanmitsu' — the 'Three Cs' — declared Japan's buzzword of 2020
The "Three Cs” approach to the pandemic, popularized by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, refers to avoiding closed spaces, crowds and close-contact situations.
How much Japanese-language skill do you need to work in Japan?
Back in the bubble period, I was able to get a job at a Japanese bank in Tokyo with language skills that were intermediate at best. With a lot of intensive effort (and classes kindly paid for by my employer) I was able to ...
How to carefully express carelessness in Japanese
You might be surprised how often you will use the Japanese expressions for 'carelessness' and 'without intention' once you've learned them
Japan's 2018 plastic waste shipments fall 30% after China's import ban
Following China implementing a restriction on the import of plastic waste, Japan has looked to Southeast Asia as a possible destination for its plastic rubbish.
Navigating the tricky world of permission when speaking Japanese
When speaking Japanese, getting the basics of language relating to permission can be helpful, from asking a colleague to pick up your slack to requesting a photo with a celebrity.
Japan sees high demand for coins in final year of Heisei Era
A set of commemorative coins, released to mark the final year of the Heisei era, has seen high demand from buyers, leading to a lottery for those who wish to purchase a set.
Dogen: Humor that's not lost in translation
Living in Japan can, from time to time, present a fair amount of frustration for non-Japanese, especially if they can't speak the language well. Long-term resident Kevin O'Donnell, who creates YouTube videos about Japan under the name "Dogen," isn't afraid to vent but avoids ...
Foreign caregiver trainees to receive financial aid for Japanese lessons
The labor ministry will set up a financial aid system to help foreign caregiver trainees learn Japanese and acquire technical knowledge.
The measure is intended to ensure that students who enter Japan to learn the language do not spend the majority of their stay working.
India opens first training center for Japanese-language teachers
India's first training center for teachers of Japanese was officially opened Monday in the capital, New Delhi. The inauguration ceremony for the center, which is a joint project involving the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Japanese Embassy with the support of the Japan ...
Diet group drafts bill that aims to promote Japanese language learning at home and abroad
A bipartisan group of lawmakers unveils a draft version of what might become Japan’s first-ever law defining the government’s responsibility to systematically promote Japanese language education.
Tokyo aid helps Malaysia solve Japanese-language teacher shortage
Japan has granted a Malaysian school $68,985 in financial aid for teacher training to ease a shortage of Japanese-language instructors in the nation. The funding via the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia will be used to upgrade laboratories and training rooms as well as to ...
