Assessment of the Needs of Online Japanese Language Education and Learning
Summary
October, 2023
Needs Assessment Survey Study Committee
Background of the Survey
The Council for the Creation of Future Education has declared that it aims to accept 400,000
international students by 2033 in their J-MIRAI initiative. Specific measures are creating
opportunities to study in Japan, promoting internationalization of education, and improving theretention rate of international students and highly skilled international workers. In order to execute
these measures, it is necessary to take comprehensive actions by uniting with everyone involved
in Japan.
In particular, Japanese language education is an indispensable element in promoting study
abroad to Japan and retaining international students. This survey was conducted not only tounderstand the needs of Japanese language learners and educators, which have changed with thedevelopment of online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to understand how
Japanese language education should progress from the viewpoint of promoting study abroad inJapan. We hope that this report will help institutions and universities involved in Japanese
language education and the promotion of study abroad to cooperate in accepting and retaining
international students.
Purpose of the Survey and Summary
This survey is intended to gauge the current status, issues, and needs of Japanese language
education for international students. The survey results will add to the existing Japanese language
education content at universities and other institutions, and aid the development of new content.
The goal is to effectively use future content and to increase the number of students studying inJapan in the future.
This survey was focused on education related to studying abroad in Japan at universities andgraduate schools among the diverse facets of Japanese language education.
The survey was carried out online in August-September 2023. The questionnaire included 16
questions for instructors in charge of Japanese language education at overseas institutions ofhigher education (“overseas Japanese language instructors”) and students at Japanese institutionsof higher education (“international students”), and 15 questions for students affiliated withoverseas institutions of higher education (“overseas students”). Respondents included 90 overseas
Japanese language instructors, 341 overseas students, and 109 international students. In parallelwith the questionnaire, an interview was conducted in July-September 2023. The target
institutions were: (1) 13 domestic institutions and overseas offices of the Japan Foundation (JF)and the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), (2) seven overseas higher education
institutions where Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) has Global Japan Offices and
Desks as a base for Japanese language education overseas, and (3) representatives from the TUFS
Japanese Language Center for International Students.
The target institutions for the interview were selected from regions where the importance ofthe regional strategies was mentioned in the “Summary of Strategic Promotion of International
Student Exchange,” announced by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and1Technology (MEXT) in May 2023. Each institution’s business, the use and diffusion of online
Japanese language education and learning materials in each country, and regional balances werealso taken into consideration. The same criteria were used for the online survey. A wide range of
responses were obtained from regions where Japan is willing to accept more international students
in the future. Europe was the most common region where respondents were located.
Survey Results
1. Needs and Challenges of Studying in Japan⬧⬧⬧⬧

Students who wish to study abroad in Japan need to be provided with detailed
information on Japanese language, daily life, and career information in the earlystages of their study.
Specific information and support is necessary, such as how to learn kanji andvocabulary efficiently, career guidance, and how to approach academic advisors
to enter graduate schools are necessary.
Students studying Japanese at universities in any country or region generally
have a high motivation to study abroad in Japan.
The lack of an environment and opportunities to interact with Japanese speakers(Japanese people) outside of Japanese language studies is a major issue.

Interest in Japanese culture is a common motivation for studying abroad, but “wanting todevelop Japanese language skills” and “wanting to experience life abroad and cross-cultural
exchange” were more popular answers. It is said that many students who wish to study abroadfind value in the experience itself. Few have a pragmatic interest such as study, research, or
employment that is unique to Japan. Yet, according to interviews with persons in overseas bases,
students studying Japanese at universities from any country or region generally have a higher
motivation to study in Japan, and are interested in pursuing higher education and building a careerin the country.
Some international students had opinions on how to learn kanji and vocabulary efficiently,
information on careers, and how to approach academic advisors to enter graduate school. Manyinternational students stated that they should have studied kanji more before coming to Japan.
Some also commented that they wanted to learn about the Japanese language or have basic
knowledge relevant to the early stages of studying abroad in advance.
One of the challenges in Japanese language education in Japan and abroad is that many people
who intend to study abroad as regular undergraduate international students have difficulty inpreparing for and taking the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International
Students (EJU). It is very difficult to learn both the Japanese language and basic subjects in ashort period of time, and there isn’t a wide range of content to support the preparation, making it
difficult to prepare for the EJU before leaving for Japan. Moreover, there are difficulties inunderstanding the complex Japanese used in application procedures. In addition, university
students outside of Japan lack a suitable environment to apply the knowledge learned in Japaneseclasses, or opportunities to interact with Japanese people outside of school. Many teachers also
pointed out the lack of learning materials and the fact that paper-based materials are expensive
and difficult to obtain.

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2. Online Learning Abroad⬧⬧⬧⬧

University students studying abroad have some experience with online classes.
It is not common to have free online Japanese Language Education outside ofschool.
Learning materials and tools used by overseas Japanese language instructors areused as a supplement for face-to-face classes.
Reliable learning materials from sources such as NHK and JF are the mainmaterials used by overseas Japanese language instructors, and game-likeapplications are used as tools.

The survey found that most foreign universities have some experience in conducting online
classes. The most common online learning materials and tools used by overseas Japanese
language instructors are “learning support websites” and “video sites such as YouTube channels.”
However, they also use a wide range of other materials. In particular, reliable teaching materials
from sources such as NHK and JF are very popular, and some institutions also use game-likeapplications. The most common purpose for using these materials is to supplement face-to-faceclasses. In some cases, they were introduced for independent learning or assigned for classpreparation and revision, indicating that they are used for a variety of purposes.
Regarding students’ experiences with online learning, more than 70% of both internationaland overseas students have used free online content. However, only about 20% used paid content.
Many students use apps for dictionaries and YouTube videos for grammar study, and in someregions, videos created by local YouTubers are also influential. Overseas Japanese language
instructors also feel that the number of students who prefer to learn Japanese through videos rather
than text is increasing, especially among the younger generation, regardless of which country they
are from. However, many students have never experienced online Japanese language classes
outside of university classes. Even though taking online classes outside of university classes isfree of charge, it is still uncommon.
Regarding the future of online classes, more than 70% of overseas Japanese language
instructors answered that they would adopt online classes as needed. While many overseas
universities are returning to face-to-face classes, some are partially incorporating online classes
or continuing to utilize the Learning Management System (LMS). Of both international andoverseas students, 50% answered that the most effective way of learning Japanese is by mainly
face-to-face classes with some online classes. At just under 40%, the second most common
answer in both groups was face-to-face classes only. Most students believe that language classes
should mainly be conducted face to face, and that interactions with instructors and classmates in
the classroom are important. Nevertheless, there were many references to the advantages of online
classes, and many students believe that online classes are effective enough, depending on thecontent and how they are taught. It is expected that online classes, and online learning materials
and tools will become even more common in the future.

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Suggestions for the Future
1． Considerations and Reference Information for the Development of Online Learning
Materials and Tools
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Elementary to intermediate Japanese language levels are mainly needed.
Instructors and students have a high need for kanji educational materials.
Video materials should be less than 10 minutes long.
Students are interested in topics related to Japanese people from the samegeneration, current trends of Japan, and cooperative learning with native
Japanese speakers.
There is high demand among Japanese language instructors for online learningmaterials, tools, and up-to-date information on new teaching methods.

According to the results of the survey for overseas Japanese language instructors, the Japanese
language levels needed are mostly “Elementary,” “Pre-intermediate,” and “Intermediate,” andless so for levels higher than “Upper-Intermediate.” In Europe, demand ranges from “Elementary”
to “Intermediate,” while in Southeast Asia, demand for “Intermediate” to “Upper-Intermediate”
is relatively high.
Regarding content (by skill), many overseas Japanese language instructors demand “Listening”
and “Speaking,” while students demand “Vocabulary” and “Listening.” As for specific examples
of desired content, both Japanese language instructors and students were likely to request kanji
learning materials and tools. Japanese language instructors also have many requests for content
that introduces Japanese culture and trends. However, many students focus on the format oflearning materials and tools such as videos, apps, etc. At the same time, there are many requests
for reading materials in the form of e-books. Some students want tools that serve as learning
supplements, such as various types of tests, and tools that allow them to create their own learningmaterials. From the functional aspect, some students request interactive features such as roleplaying and chatting, as well as game-like features.
For the requirements for online learning materials and tools, the most desired length for video
materials is up to 10 minutes long. Regarding cost, the most common answer was “Will not pay
for online learning materials and tools,” but even if the number of students who selected “Outrightpurchase (download)” and “Flat rate” were combined, still more respondents chose “Will not pay
for online learning materials and tools.” When comparing paid content, more respondents prefer“Outright purchase (download)” over “Flat rate.” When offering paid content, it may be necessary
to consider a free-trial system, etc. Other than the cost aspect, many overseas Japanese language
instructors prefer having quizzes, assignments, and final exams when using online teachingmaterials.
Although the topics of interest are diverse among overseas students, it can be said that they
are highly interested in current Japan such as meeting Japanese university students of the samegeneration. Although there are various learning styles, many students insist on the importance ofinteraction when learning Japanese, and a relatively large number of students seems to prefercollaborative learning.
Moreover, demand is high for online Japanese language learning materials and tools among
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Japanese language instructors. Many respondents want up-to-date information on new teaching
methods and classroom practices.
2． New Online Japanese Language Education Content that Universities Should Create⬧⬧⬧

Content focused on academic, business, and other fields is desired, and for
language levels, intermediate level or above is preferred.
Learning materials are desired that include videos of specialized lectures in easy
Japanese, materials that include vocabulary unique to universities, and content
that incorporates the opinions of current university and international students.
When developing and promoting educational materials and tools, it is important
to ensure that content can be easily updated, devices can be selected based on thecharacteristics of each country, and to have an image of a sufficient postdevelopment operation and maintenance system.

As for Japanese language levels, the elementary to intermediate level is popular, but since
existing learning materials are sufficient for introductory to elementary level, universities should
create materials for intermediate level and above. As for content, materials focused on academic,
business, and other fields that deeply study a specific field are in demand. Moreover, self-study
content with challenging questions, and content that has a certain number of questions being
posted on a regular basis is preferred. According to overseas Japanese language instructors,
content on literature, linguistics, and culture is lacking in both online and print media, so
educational materials that allow students to study these topics in easy Japanese are also an option
to consider.
As for educational materials that only universities can produce, videos of specialized lecturesin easy Japanese, teaching materials dealing with university-specific vocabularies such as course
registration, compulsory and elective courses, etc., and content including opinions of current
university and international students would be helpful for students. In particular, videos
introducing current university life and video messages from students in school could be a tool for
promoting study abroad to Japan.
Finally, for the dissemination of educational materials and tools, points to keep in mind are tohave an image of a sufficient post-development operation and a maintenance system. At the sametime, it will be necessary to set up a system that enables real-time updating of content. In order topromote content to areas where Internet access is limited, preparation of downloadable educationmaterials and deciding whether it should be provided via a browser or apps should be consideredfrom the development stage.

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3． Promotion to Overseas Students and Institutions⬧⬧⬧

It is important to reflect on the perspectives of both instructors and students.
It is important to utilize social media for promotion and to disseminate
information by word of mouth in local languages.
It is necessary to distinguish the characteristics of existing learning materials andtools, and to coordinate learning materials within Japan.

First, it is necessary to devise ways to present learning materials from both instructors’ andstudents’ perspectives. In terms of PR tools, word-of-mouth and active social media promotion
using local languages is important. Also, disseminating information by word of mouth between
students or from senior students, and through instructors’ associations, mailing lists, as well as
through face-to-face events are effective.
One of the most common comments from overseas was that it is difficult to distinguish thecharacteristics of each of the many existing online learning materials and tools. Therefore, it isimportant to develop individual content and to coordinate educational materials within Japan. It
is also necessary to organize the characteristics of each material in an easy to understand way,
and then to promote them to the world.
4． Possibilities for Collaboration to Promote Study Abroad to Japan⬧⬧

Financial and Educational support is necessary, before and after arriving inJapan.
In-depth cooperation and collaboration among relevant ministries, universities,
and institutions is important.

In order to promote study abroad in Japan, requests for financial support are particularly highfrom overseas. There are also other opinions that support for learning terminologies of students’majors is necessary. In some overseas areas where JASSO offices are not located, students did
not have access to basic information about studying abroad.
To be in line with J-MIRAI measures, the following five main categories should be
implemented: (1) Creation of opportunities to study abroad to Japan, (2) Publicity and information
dissemination (websites and other media) (3) Publicity and information dissemination (local
activities) (4) Flexibility in requirements and procedures at the admission stage (5) Support during
study abroad and cooperation among universities. In order to implement the above, in-depth
cooperation and collaboration among relevant ministries, JF, JASSO, and their respective
overseas offices as well as universities is important. Also, if we can further provide content thatmeets the needs of overseas applicants for studying Japanese and the institutions of Japanese
language education throughout Japan, we can expect an increase in the number of applicants forstudying in Japan in the future, as well as more effective use of content.
Due to the timing of the survey, the results only cover prioritized countries. We hope that thissurvey will provide an opportunity to identify the needs in specific countries, and to raise the issueof how to further identify specific needs individually.

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