Guide
Book

Education forChildren Living AcrossNational Borders
What Parents
Should Know

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Niigata International Association

Table of Contents

Introduction
According to the Statistics on Foreign National Residents published by the Ministry of Justicein June 2020, there are 2,885,904 foreign residents in Japan. These foreign residents make up
2.3% of the general population, or in other words, approximately 2 in 100 residents are from othercountries.

1. For Children Moving to Japan（1）The Role of Parents ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 3（2）Language in Children ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 4（3）Home Language and School Language ・・・・・ 5（4）Adaptability in Children ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 6

There are 18,309 foreign residents in Niigata, or approximately 0.8% of the general populationof the prefecture (according to the Statistics on Foreign National Residents published by the
Ministry of Justice in June 2020). Additionally, there are 224 children in Niigata public schools

2．Education in Japan（1）The Japanese School System ・・・・・・・・・・・ 7（2）Nursery, Kindergarten, and Certified

requiring instruction in Japanese as a second language regardless of nationality per MEXT’s 2018Centers for Early Childhood Education“Report on Preparations to Receive Children Requiring Instruction in the Japanese Language.”

and Care (ECEC) ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 7This handbook contains resources on things we would like you to know about educating yourchild or children in Japan. The information is aimed at parents planning to bring their child over（3）Elementary School ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 8（4）Middle School ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 9（5）Children Not Attending Publicfrom their home country to live in Japan, or parents whose families already living in Japan andElementary or Middle Schools ・・・・・・・・・ 10

those who support them. If you ever feel lost or have questions, this book should prove to be a（6）High School Entrance Exams ・・・・・・・・・・ 11

valuable resource.

（7）High School ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 12This handbook also contains some detailed information about child language development and（8）Entering Japanese School
At 16 or Older ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 13

some of the problems likely to occur as your child grow older.
3．Enjoying Life in Japan
February 2021
Niigata International Association（1） Finding an International Association
or Volunteer Japanese Class inYour Area ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 14（2）Try to Move After Finding a School ・・・ 15（3）Disaster Preparedness ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 16（4）Putting Up Your“Antennae”inYour Community ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 16（5） The Foreign Resident Consultation
Center of Niigata ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 17（6）Other Contact Information ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 18

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For Children Moving to Japan
1（1）The Role of Parents
Even parents can struggle to adapt to living in another country. In many cases, children
feel anxious about separating from the environments and friends they know and living a newlife. One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to be aware that the anxiety
and loss that your child may feel is not due to a problem in themselves, but rather a resultof your decision. There are of course some parents who may choose to bring their child toJapan to help create a better environment for them. Some may also think that children would
be happier to be living with their parents. However, children may not understand on the samelevel as their parents why the environment is better. Even children transferring between
schools in their own country feel stressed – so please be understanding of how stressful it
can be for your child to move to another country where they may not even speak the local
language.
Children are more adaptable than adults, so if you createa safe space for your child in your home and give themadequate praise for their hard work in adjusting to Japan,
they will likely adapt to living in Japan quickly.
Please do your best to keep up your child’s nativelanguage. Books, including textbooks and dictionaries, will
help your child to understand the materials in their classes
while they learn Japanese.

For Children Moving to Japan（2）Language in Children
While this may come as a surprise, forcing
children to not use their native language
in order to make them learn Japanese may
have the opposite effect. Children in thelower grades of elementary school especially,
who still do not have mastery of their native
language, will need to learn words and concepts in their native language in order to support
their future study in Japanese. In other words, a second language must be developed on
the base of a first language. If you or your spouse speaks Japanese natively, you can havethe native Japanese speaker speak Japanese with your child and the speaker of their native
language speak only their native language with your child, which will help solidify their native
language and help the development and promotion of their second language. This will help
your child learn to communicate in both languages.
Some Japanese people may laugh upon hearing foreigners pronounce Japanese words. In
most cases, they do have not any ill-will, but may find the unusual differences funny. Thosebeing laughed at, on the other hand, may feel hurt or angry. It may be best to talk with yourchild’
s teachers in advance and have the teachers explain to their students what behaviors
are acceptable and unacceptable. For parents, before assigning blame, it is best to makesure your child is okay. Praise your child for doing their best, offer sympathy, and remind them
there are others who appreciate their effort to speak Japanese. Help your child to understandothers laughing may not intend to hurt them or bully them. It may be best to tell your child’steacher, with your child present, how your child felt. It is important for children to understandthat adults are there to help them.
Some children may be cautious, and sit silently and listen without speaking until they areable to speak clearly. They may first only speak with friends, but they slowly will learn how to
speak with anyone.
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For Children Moving to Japan

Children up to elementary school age will pick up somelanguage in their everyday environment without studying theway adults may need to in order to learn a language. It’s

For children to adapt to their community, theyneed a variety of relationships beyond thosewith their parents and teachers. We recommend
helping your child to build relationships with thelocal community by doing things like having them

important to remember that this will be limited to conversation

greet the neighbors when they see them or inviting(speaking and listening) in everyday environments. This istheir friends over to your home. Many areas“home language.”This language will be roughly comparable to the conversational language

have a children’s association or neighborhood

you might make with only the vocabulary and words covered in a beginning textbook.

association, where your child can enjoy not only

On the other hand, very few children learn to read and write without instruction, and of course,
even among adults, being able to read the letters or characters in words doesn’t necessarily
equate with being able to difficult books. The language necessary to do things such as study aschool textbook, fill out official documents, or have a logical discussion is“school language.”

fun activities such as walks, but also participate
in helpful activities such as cleaning up the routeto their school and get to know the people aroundthem in the neighborhood. In places without
one of these associations, your local community

In a child’s home country, they will study school language at their language courses at

center (kouminkan) may have volunteer Japanese

school, through activities such as reading sentences about a variety of topics or writing

courses, an association for people from a certain

reports on their own. Other school subjects also fulfill an important purpose in developing acountry, or an interest group for a hobby. Your

child’s school language by increasing their lexicon or having them read logical essays.

child may be able to make friends, and you will

When first living in a foreign country, adults have a comparatively larger mastery of theschool language in their native language than children do, so they can understand thegrammar of a second language and read it to some extent, and many are able to pick up the

be able to hear about local events or information
about nearby schools.
Parents can also show their desire for a positive
life to their children through their feelings andschool language in their second language in a short period of time with just a dictionary andattitude to encourage their children to proactively

a few other resources. Children, on the other hand, may not have completely mastered themake new friends in Japan. Attending your child’

school language in their native language, so helping them to develop school language in theirs school sports events and festivals will also havesecond language is very important. For this reason, there are some children who struggle

a positive effect.

with studying in school despite being able to have a conversation just fine. In many cases,
children who say they don’t understand the material of their classes really mean that theydon’t understand the words in their classes or studies or that they can’t follow the content
their teacher or textbook presents. These children are struggling with their school language.
Assuring your child develops school language in a way that works for them is important.
5（4）Adaptability in Children

For Children Moving to Japan（3）Home Language andSchool Language

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There is no reason for you as a parent to act
completely like a Japanese person. If you aremarried to someone from a different culture thanyou, do your best to help your child learn about
culture from both of their parents so they canlearn to be proud of all parts of their heritage.
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Education in Japan（1）The Japanese School System
The Japanese school system is composed of six years of elementary school, three years of
middle school, three years of high school or an equivalent school, and four years of college(or two-years of short-term college). Of these, elementary and middle school are considered
compulsory education in which all students must enroll and graduate. While the compulsory（3）Elementary SchoolChildren who will turn 7 years old between April 2nd of the year they enroll and April 1stof the next year are eligible to enroll in elementary school. A letter about the proceduresfor enrollment will arrive from the office of your municipality the year before your child canenroll. The procedures for enrollment will be in Japanese, so if there are sections you do notunderstand, please look over them with a Japanese speaker. You may also want to speak
to the Board of Education in your municipality. If you do not receive materials related torequirement only applies to citizens of Japan, any child of foreign nationality residing in Japanenrollment by the end of the year before your child can enroll, please contact your Board

between the ages of six and fifteen may enroll in an elementary or middle school for theof Education. In general, the public elementary school your child will attend is determinedsame cost as a Japanese citizen if they desire to do so. Additionally, while not compulsory,by where you live. If you have specific circumstances and want your child to attend anothermost Japanese children attend a nursery, kindergarten, or another Certified Center for Early

school instead (enrolling outside of your normal boundaries is called ekkyou nyugaku), please

Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) before beginning elementary school.
Most schools in Japan start in April and end in March. This period of one year beginning in
April is the school year (nendo).

child to go to school. There are some risks with having your child attend a different school, so

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please consider them in advance. In all cases, compulsory education classes and books areending in the afternoon. As a general rule, students are not permitted to leave school

free, but other materials such as school supplies and school lunch must be paid for by thecampuses during the day without permission.

child’s guardian. There will also be costs for field trips and other school trips. Some schools

Education in Japan

School classes are generally held from Monday to Friday, starting in the morning andspeak to the Board of Education both where you live and in the area you would like your

may also require your child to buy a specific gym uniform, shoes and hat. If your income is（2）Kindergarten, Nursery, and Certified Centers for
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)Children can learn skills necessary to work in groups and about Japanese culture andcustoms, such as the festivals in each season at a nursery, kindergarten, or ECEC. They
can also learn Japanese more quickly and more enjoyably by playing with other children of

speak with your child’s teacher.
The school will determine which class your child is in and who their teacher will be. If yourchild has any type of disability and needs special support, there are schools with special
education programs. Please check with the Board of Education in your local municipality if
you have questions about these programs.

their own age. In general, instructions given to children and communications to parents are in

Elementary school is six years. There is almost no grade repetition in Japan — in otherJapanese. While not compulsory, most children in Japan attend one of these before beginningwords, students are almost never“held back a year”in school. There is also no skipping ofelementary school.

grades (jumping from Grade 1 to Grade 3 for example, or from Grade 4 to Grade 6). If yourNurseries and ECECs can watch children who have not yet entered elementary schoolfrom morning until evening in the case that a parent gets sick, for example. Some places will
accept children as young as two months old. That said, most will have conditions for entry
and paperwork to complete. The cost will also be different depending on the parents’income,so please ask when completing the necessary procedures.
Children may attend kindergarten for 2-3 years before entering elementary school. These
are generally from morning until afternoon. Some will have buses to pick up and drop offchildren. Since these are childcare facilities, the curriculum and cost may vary. There areboth public and private facilities.
Among private nurseries, kindergartens, and ECECs, there are many operated by
Christian churches and Buddhist temples. When you go to observe a facility before enrollingyour child, please confirm what types of religious activities will be held, if any.
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within a certain range, you may be able to receive some educational subsidies, so pleasechild does not understand Japanese, they may be able to start with students younger thanthem. If this is the case, please consult with the Board of Education in your local municipality.
●The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is a volunteer organization for parents and guardiansof children that exists for most schools. Parents and guardians volunteer to help theirchildren have a more fulfilling and positive experience at school.
●Most schools serve school lunch. Please look at the menu if your child has allergies orcannot eat certain foods for religious reasons. Children may bring boxed lunches from
home.
●There is a time at schools almost every day where students assist with cleaning the school.
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Education in Japan（4）Middle SchoolChildren who will turn 13 between April 2nd of the year they enroll and April 1st of thenext year are eligible to enroll in middle school. There is no exam to enter a middle school
operated by and determined by the municipality you live in. However, there may be some（5）Children Not Attending Public Elementaryor Middle Schools
In Japan, six years of elementary school and three years of middle school are compulsory

other middle schools in your area that do require passing an entrance exam. Middle school

education, and many other countries around the world have around 10 years of compulsory

education is also compulsory, so classes and schoolbooks are free, but other school supplies,

education. It is believed around the world that children have the right to an education. As a

workbooks, mock high school entrance exams, school trips, and field trips are paid for by theparent, you should make sure your child also learns whatever curriculum would be covered inparent or guardian of the student. You child may also need to buy a school uniform, schoolbag, and gym clothes before beginning school. If your income is within a certain range,

compulsory education in your home county. Parents who do not send their children to school

you may be able to receive some educational subsidies, so please speak with your child’sand opt to homeschool or have a home tutor must ensure their children receive a complete

teacher. In addition to this, if your child joins a school club or sport, there may be charges foreducation in their home.

uniforms or other equipment.
Studies will become more difficult in middle school, so students will need to study hardfor high school entrance exams. Children who have difficulty with Japanese will not be able

Because almost all children in Japan go to school, children who become adults without
attending school often feel like they have been put into a problematic situation. Unfortunately,some young children end up not attending school due to a variety of issues, such as bullying.

Please take into consideration how difficult it can be to take a test in a language you do not

Do your best to create an environment for your child to ensure they can continue to study,

know or study curriculum you have never seen before.

even if it is difficult.

If your child has come recently from abroad, you may wish to have them step down one
year and enter school from 6th grade. Please consider this decision carefully, consult withyour local Board of Education, and seek feedback from your child and from those who havedone it before.
There are two school exams each school session in Japan (midterm exams and final
exams). Students grades in each subject are determined by their classroom behavior (suchas their attitude and how consistently they have turned in homework), quizzes and tests, and2
Education in Japan

to score as high as they might like, which can have a great impact on their self-confidence.

If you choose to homeschool your child, make sure your child learns conversation, reading,
and writing in Japanese, as well as appropriate materials in their native language.
Studying is not the only important part of school – children must also learn how to interact
with each other. Your child may attend a public elementary or middle school even if they do
not speak Japanese. Even if your child cannot attend every day, consult with the school andthese exams. Report cards (tsuchihyo) issued at the end of each school session become theyour local Board of Education. Your child may be able to attend once a week, or study in abasis of a student’s school report (chosasho). During entrance exams, students will haveseparate classroom in the school.

pencil-and-paper tests and interviews, but their school report will also be viewed. Students
intending to continue to high school should work hard throughout the exam period in as
many subjects as they can. If your child can read but not write, talk to their teacher aboutaccommodations such as having a teacher read the problems aloud in a separate room where
the student can answer out loud or having the teacher add furigana to the kanji on the test.
●Many students have club activities after school or attend cram schools (juku).
●Students will have a different teacher for each subject and will be required to study morethan in middle school.
●There will be uniforms and school rules. If students must wear something in violation of thenormal dress code for religious reasons, please speak with the school about what to do.
●There are schools with school lunch and schools where students must bring their own
lunch.
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Education in Japan（6）High School Entrance Exams
In Japan, 98% of students continue toAttending high school in Japan is not compulsory, but almost all students enter highhigh school after graduating middle school.

school. It is very difficult to find a job with only a middle school education, and most of the

Public schools – schools operated by theprefecture (kenritsu) and schools operated by
the city (shiritsu) – generally have entrance
exams covering five topics: Japanese (notonly modern Japanese reading and kanji, butjobs available will have low wages. For those who would like to continue on to a college ortrade school, graduating from high school (12 years of school total in Japan and/or anothercountry) is the best plan.
Currently, there is little instruction for students learning Japanese, and students learning
Japanese take the same exams as their classmates. This can result in low grades, which canpotentially result in repeating a year in school.

also historical texts), English, mathematics,

Some children in this situation react to not being able to follow their class’s curriculum byscience, and social studies. As a rule, youracting out or misbehaving in other ways. This can result in other disciplinary action, or in thechild cannot take the entrance exam for more

worst cases, expulsion. It is very difficult to enter any higher education institute (including athan one public high school. (In the case that

trade school) in Japan without graduating from high school.

a public high school does not have enoughstudents after the exam, students who wereapply a second time. However, your child’s desired school may not have room for any more
students this way.)

Most schools have multiple“courses,”or sets of curriculum that students choose to study
when enrolling. In addition to a regular course (which contains more advanced versions
students can gain knowledge and skills for specialized careers. There are also schools calledsougougakkou, where students can pick their own courses and schedule.
High schools also have a variety of school schedules, such as full-time schools from 8a.m.

Even if your child can speak Japanese in daily conversation, the questions about social

to 4p.m. every day, and part-time schools with classes only in the morning or only in thescience and Japanese on the entrance exam will be difficult if they don’t have around theevening so students can work in their off hours. Part-time schools have fewer classes per day,level of Japanese necessary to read a newspaper. There are also written problems that will

so it may take more than 3 years to graduate. There are also correspondence and individual

need to be answered in written Japanese, and students are not allowed dictionaries for theschools, where students can cover material at their own pace until they graduate.

exam. Even the questions about English are written in Japanese, and they include translationquestions. Even if your child is a native English speaker, they will find it difficult to get a highscore on this test without understanding Japanese.
Niigata’s public schools have a system (the Overseas Returnee Student Special Selection
or kaigai kikokuseitotou tokubetsu senbatsu) where students who have arrived from another

Students transferring from one high school to another take a“transfer entrance exam.”Forpublic high schools, please talk to the Board of Education where the school is located to findout whether or not this exam is available, when it will be held, what subjects it covers, andany other important details. For private high schools, please contact the school directly forthis information.
It may be difficult to contact a Japanese high school or Board of Education from outside

country or returned home to Japan in the last two years may take a simplified exam in math,of Japan. If you are currently outside of Japan, it may be easier to have someone you know

English, and Japanese composition and have an interview. If you would like your child to takein Japan do this for you. Please make sure you have information such as how long it will

this exam, please speak with their middle school teacher in advance.

take your child to get from home to school and how much the tuition is. International schools

Private schools may also have different or unique exams. Japanese, math, and English tests
and an interview is the most common set of exams. Some schools’base acceptance on only
a student’s grades in middle school and an interview. Some determine it based only on aninterview and an essay. Some schools will give priority to students who do not take entrance
exams at any other schools (many schools call this sengan or tangan). Some schools offer
priority to students who performed well in sports or other categories. The tuition at theseschools will vary, but in general it is higher than public schools.

2of subjects from the middle school curriculum), many schools have other courses where

Education in Japan

not accepted to another high school may

11（7）High School

tend to be expensive and generally are only in large cities. Ethnic schools are only available
in a few cities. If you already live in Japan or have determined where you will be living, you
can call the Board of Education for your area to get information about what high schools areavailable and what procedures would be required for your child to enter.
●Only a few schools in Japan offer instruction for Japanese learners.
●There are full-time, part-time, and correspondence schools.
●Repeating a year and expulsion are disciplinary measures that exist in Japan.
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Education in Japan3

Enjoying Life in Japan（8）Entering Japanese School At 16 or Older
Some children come to Japan partway through high school in their home country, or
alternatively do not enter high school in their home country and come to Japan at age 16 or 17(a few years after graduating middle school). In either of these cases, it may be difficult to enterschool immediately after arriving in Japan. A student may not transfer into a Japanese highschool until they have taken the transfer entrance exam or the traditional high school entrance
exam between January and March. In general, students who have graduated middle school inanother country may not enroll in a Japanese middle school, so until your child has passed
one of these exams, they may not enroll in any Japanese school. In the case where your childcannot attend school, they can prepare for the exams by attending Japanese classes (manyof which are organized by volunteers) or participating in local study groups. Some students
study Japanese at a language school or take Japanese courses online from home. If the period
between when a student arrives in Japan and must take entrance exams is short, they willneed to study as much Japanese as they can before arriving and confirm they have a goodunderstanding of the math and English taught in Japanese middle schools.

（１）Finding an International Association orVolunteer Japanese Class in Your Area
Many municipalities have an international association. These associations help to connect
people from other countries with locals. They may have information about local Japaneseclasses or help parents enroll their children in school. They often consult with foreign
residents about life in Japan. Your local international association is a great place to ask
questions.
If there is a Japanese class in your area, you may be able to contact them and attend once
as a trial. Because many of these classes are run by volunteers, the times, dates, and places
will change depending on where you live. It is best to contact them in advance to make sure
you have current information.
Attending local international exchange events is another good way to get involved in yourcommunity. You will find people not only from Japan, but from countries all over the world.

Students who had good grades in high school might also be able to enroll in a

3

Japanese school as a foreign exchange student on a student visa. There are also entrance

Enjoying Life in Japan

exams for college in Japan, but foreign exchange students and returnees (Japanese children
who have spent extended amounts of time abroad) often have different exams, and many
schools have programs specifically designed for exchange students.
In any case, if it has already been determined that your child will be coming to Japan,
please make sure they can read basic hiragana and katakana before arriving. If they would liketo return to your home country for university, they will need to prove they have graduated highschool in some country (in most countries this means finishing 12 years of school).

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Enjoying Life in Japan（2）Try to Move After Finding a School
If you are still deciding where to live in Japan, please take into account what you would
like to do for your child’s schooling.
Niigata compared to larger cities like Osaka or Tokyo has weaker public transportation（3）Disaster Preparedness
Japan experiences a relatively high number of earthquakes. Sometimes, there are large
earthquakes that seem like they could demolish houses. Earthquakes also can cause
tsunamis.

infrastructure, and the snow in the winter makes moving around the city difficult. Schools

Japanese schools have a number of emergency drills each year. Because practicing what

continue in the winter as normal except in blizzard or typhoon conditions, so please consider

to do in the case of a disaster like an earthquake or fire is important, your child will also beliving somewhere that will make it easy for your child to get to school.

required to participate in these drills. There may also be disaster drills for your area that you

There are some schools in less populated areas with only around 10 students total, andcan attend as a family.

in these cases, students of different school years will all study in one class (this system iscalled fukushiki-gakkyuu). Students wishing to study something else outside of school may
not have access to somewhere to study locally. In large cities, on the other hand, there are（4）Putting Up Your “Antennae” in Your Community

many students and crowded classrooms. Many of these schools are highly competitive or
have strict rules.

Adults can help to build their community regardless of where they are from or where they

School curriculum in Japan is determined by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,

live. Working in the community or helping to raise your child are only some of the important

Science and Technology (MEXT), and schools in the same municipality will have the sameways you can help your local community. You may find people who have different opinions

textbooks, regardless of size. Teachers also transfer between schools every few years.

than you, but remember that a variety of opinions is a result of a vibrant and open society.

The lifestyles of children will also change with their environment. There are some areas

Enjoying Life in Japan

where parents feel students should be attending cram schools after school to study, and3

Meeting others outside of your home and workplace will help you to learn more about
yourself.

some areas where parents feel their students should be hanging out with their friends. This

Foreign residents of Japan do not have the right to vote or hold elected office, and there

will also change with the age of children. If your child is younger, it may be a priority thatare some types of jobs they may not have, but they are still required to pay taxes and are still

your child can play safely, but in middle school your child’s path to high school may also be

important residents of the areas they live in. Actively participating in your local municipalities.

on your mind.
Your child’s public elementary and middle school will be determined by where you live, so
it may be best to figure out which school would be most suited to your child and then moveto an address within that school’s boundaries.

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Enjoying Life in Japan（5）The Foreign Resident Consultation Center of Niigata
The Niigata Prefectural Government operates the Foreign Resident Consultation Centerof Niigata, where you can consult about a variety of topics for free. Seven languages（6）Other Contact Information◆For inquiries about Niigata’s public elementary and middle schools, please contact theBoard of Education in your municipality.

are handled by interpreters, and a total of 74 languages are available with the help of atranslation application. There is no need to struggle alone, the Center is here to help.
●Consultation Topics: All types of basic living questions and information related to visa
types (zairyu shikaku), jobs, education, healthcare, welfare(Please note that the Center does not do translation or interpretation of official documentsfor personal or business purposes.)●Consultation Method: In person, by phone, or by email (Appointments are not necessary
and consultations are free)
Address: Niigata-shi, Chuo-ku, Bandaijima 5-1 Bandaijima Bldg. 2nd Floor
Telephone: 025-241-1881◆For inquiries about Niigata’s public high schools:
Niigata Prefectural Board of Education, High School Education Division
Telephone: 025-280-5611

Fax: 025-285-7998◆For questions about private high schools, please contact the school directly.

◆For information about Japanese classes, please contact your local international association:●Niigata City International Exchange Foundation

Email: nia10@mniigata-ia.or.jp

Telephone: 025-225-2727●Consultation Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00-17:00 (Reception for consultations closes at 16:30)●Kashiwazaki Area International Association●Interpretation Hours
MondayTuesday

WednesdayThursdayFridayJapanese

10:00～17:00 10:00～17:00 10:00～17:00 10:00～17:00 10:00～17:00

Chinese10:00～17:00

English

10:00～14:00

Tagalog

10:00～14:00●Nagaoka International Affairs Center Chikyu Hiroba
10:00～14:00 10:00～17:00

10:00～17:00

Vietnamese

10:00～16:00
10:00～14:00

Portuguese

10:00～14:00
10:00～17:00

3●Joetsu International Network

SpanishOther
Languages

Telephone: 0258-39-2714

Enjoying Life in Japan

Thai

Telephone: 0257-32-1477

Telephone: 025-527-3615

through use of interpretation software●A specialist in each of the following fields will be available on the following days:◦Education Consultations: Every Tuesday 10:00-17:00 (Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese)◦Administrative Scrivener (Gyousei-shoshi) Consultations: 4th Wednesday of the month
10:00-17:00 (Japanese, Chinese)◦Immigration Consultations: 2nd Tuesday of the Month 13:00-17:00 (Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese)◦Legal Consultations: 3rd Thursday of Odd-Numbered Months 13:00-17:00(Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese)(All dates subject to change)
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Niigata International Association〒950-0078
Niigata-shi, Chuo-ku, Bandaijima 5-1
Bandaijima Bldg. 2nd Floor
Telephone: 025-290-5650
Fax: 025-249-8122
E-mail: nia21c@niigata-ia.or.jp
Homepage: httpｓ://www.niigata-ia.or.jp

This book was made through cooperation by CLAIR (Council of Local Authorities for International
Relations) and the Niigata Municipality Promotion Association.
Translated by Brendan Murphy, Coordinator for International Relations, Niigata Prefectural
Government