As Japan sees a rise in the number of foreign workers, an increasing number of children are arriving in the country unfamiliar with the local language and culture.
Despite these children not being subject to compulsory education, some municipalities are striving for "zero non-enrolment" and aiming to boost the percentage of students progressing to full-time high school.
In the city of Nishio, Aichi Prefecture, a hub for automobile-related industries, public and private sectors, along with schools, are collaborating to support the children in Japanese language education and increase their school enrollment rates.
For nearly 15 years, Hiroko Kikuchi, 52, head of the city's introductory language school “Karafuru,” and Kimie Kawakami, 46, of the private schooling support facility "Tabunka Room KIBOU," have been steadfast in their support of children who are new to Japan.
Their roles came in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis and economic downturn brought on by the collapse of financial services firm Lehman Brothers, when many contract workers, mostly Japanese Brazilian migrants in the city, lost their jobs.
Kawakami said many children of these workers suddenly stopped coming to school.
The crisis prompted the city to act and engage Kikuchi and Kawakami.
Kikuchi leads a team of supporters, including individuals from Brazil, who teach Japanese to elementary and junior high school students for three months, then send them to their respective schools while providing ongoing support.
The progress made by the children has been affectionately dubbed "Kikuchi magic."
Kawakami, alongside other staff from overseas, teaches children as well as those older than junior high school age.
They also conduct home visits, enrolling about 10 out-of-school children annually and helping them integrate into the education system.
Both of them noted how, at the time the city engaged them, the teaching methods were clumsy, staff members were few and schools were not interested.
A city official said, “Foreigners were often left behind and faced more discrimination than many Japanese realize.”
As the number of long-term residents grew and nationalities diversified, the city’s efforts heightened schools' awareness of how foreign residents were also integral members of society, the official added.
Hyappu Ishikawa, a 27-year-old Vietnamese national who came to Japan at age 14, recalled the challenges she herself had faced.
Initially eager to embrace her new life in Japan, Ishikawa soon encountered a daunting language barrier.
"In math class, all I could say was 'I don't understand,' and I was embarrassed because everyone laughed at me," she said.
Once a lively chatterbox, Ishikawa grew silent and even told her parents she didn't want to pursue higher education.
But the support she received from Kikuchi led her to overcome those challenges.
After starting high school, Ishikawa dedicated herself to learning Japanese.
She eventually went on to work as an interpreter at a factory before Kikuchi recruited her to become a support worker.
"I am the person I am today thanks to Kikuchi," Ishikawa said tearfully.
In the school year that began in April 2022, the percentage of foreign-born students in the city who progressed to full-time high schools exceeded half for the first time, and some of them have gone on to pursue higher education at universities and other institutions.
This year, the number of children requiring guidance is expected to rise to approximately 800.
"It's OK to make mistakes. It’s OK if people laugh at you. Just don't be embarrassed," Ishikawa tells children as she supports them throughout the school day.
Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/06/03/japan/japan-city-foreign-children-languge/
