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Dramatically Enhance Productivity at Manufacturing Site―Acquiring Common Language and Handing Down Wisdom
Isao IDOTA, Executive Director, MNKK
(Monozukuri Nihongo Kentei Kyokai)-What is MOK, Japanese-style Manufacturing
Online Certification, and Its Aim?
The root of “manufacturing site” is the same inany country or region worldwide. How toaccomplish the level of quality, cost and delivery
time that are required by customers. What isneeded for this is the common language at a
manufacturing site. You must learn a language
and hand down the wisdom of manufacturing.
Major target of MOK is the local people orstudent working or wishing to work in a
Japanese overseas company whose Japanese
proficiency is above N3 of JLPT. MOK is thecomprehensive service, with the intention toenhance the person’s ability of Japanesecommunication required at work and theknowledge of Japanese style manufacturing,consisting of e-learning and online certification
tests. Adopting many videos, it is made easier toremember what should belearned. Whenstudied up to a certain level, a certification test
is to be taken. The test fee is JPY 2,400 perperson per test. It is so designed that acertificate is issued to the examinee, with theacquired test score printed on it. Register forattending lectures, then view video lectures andtake a certification test after learning. Check thetest result and study again by viewing lectures.
Then take the test again. By repeating suchlearning cycles, it is designed to enhance one’s
Japanese communication capability.
-Are there any levels in certification tests?
There are two courses, namely Fundamental andAdvanced.
The criterion for Fundamental Course is toacquirethesufficientcapabilityofcommunication at a manufacturing site and topossess the capability of safety control inaddition to understanding the content of work.
In the case of Advanced Curse, it is to acquire
the knowledge required for the management
related to manufacturing. Its target is those withmore than 5 years of employment at thecompany and up to those in the managementlevel.

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2021年4月号

They are in the level, not only capable to work in
a manufacturing site, but also capable tosupervise the junior staff, to make a proposal toimprove the work environment or additionally toinvolve with management. Since 2019, English
version has started in addition to Japaneseversion. So far, when Japanese and English
version combined, the total cumulative numberof examinees is more than 8,000.
The actual number of Japanese companies utilizing
MOK is more than 250, including Toyota Motor
Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors
Corporation, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company,Limited, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., and Brother Industries,
LTD. The nationalities are more than 20 countries/
regions, including Taiwan (China), China, Vietnam,Indonesia, Turkey and Egypt.

When the year 2021 advances, MOK has becomehighly evaluated because of the fact that, under
COVID19 pandemics, it is possible to attend
lectures, take certification tests and obtain test
results by using smartphone alone. Thus, manyinquiries have been made globally.
-What is your future aspiration?
Manufacturing requires technology, knowhow andexperience. After having engaged myself ininternational technology transfer project over thelast 40 years and more, I strongly feel highevaluation and great expectation towards
Japanesemanufacturing
capability. Japan’s
superiority is widely acknowledged in theinternational community, including the emerging
countries like Asia and Africa region. I would liketo have a part in overseas human resource
development in the field of manufacturing
through further improving MOK in order torespond to such expectations.

（いどた・いさお）科学技術映像の配信事業を始め、国内のものづくり中小企業の製品・技術の動画共有サイトの構築により、中小企業の国内外の販路開拓、ものづくり文化の移転に貢献するため、ものづくりオンライン検定事業などを展開している。一般社団法人日本技術者連盟 専務理事、一般社団法人ものづくり日本語検定協会 理事。