What leads many students to JaLS and how do you create a welcome and supportive environment for them?
In my time working as a teacher around Japan, and other countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, I’ve met many students who started studying Japanese because of their love for Japan. I also met many students who had a dream of studying in Japan. Regardless of their reason for wanting to come to Japan, after arriving, many of them had a difficult time making friends or were otherwise unable to enjoy everyday life in Japan. As a Japanese teacher this made me feel sad, but it also made me realize that the solution to the problem was to provide a sort of support network to these students. With this in mind, I thought to start a school that could provide that sort of supportive environment.
Can you tell us about your role as the Principal and Management Staff at JaLS Group?
In addition to being the principal, I am also management staff for the school. Thanks to this I see everything that goes on at JaLS. Most recently, I’ve been putting stronger efforts into improving the educational programs here at JaLS to provide the best service possible. I was originally a Japanese language teacher so thinking about Japanese language education is something I have a lot of fun doing.
How do your experiences of teaching in Japan and abroad influence your current work?
As mentioned before, JaLS was founded out of the hope that students who come to study in Japan will learn to love the country even more. I have not only taught in Japan but also in other countries, so I think that this helps me understand the feelings of students who have yet to come here and the students who have already are in or have been to Japan.
Why is Japan a great location for students to live and study?
First of all, Japan is a very safe country. There are many kind people so students can live here without worry. Also, even though it is a small island country, every region has its own unique cultural aspects, and it is very fun to travel and experience the differences between them all. There are four distinct seasons and an abundance of seasonal events which play a big part in creating lasting memories.
What makes you proud of the work you do?
The fact that many students have found a place at JaLS and see it as a second home, often returning to study with us, makes me proud of the work we do. There have even been several occasions where students have come up to say, “Thank you for creating such a wonderful place!” Hearing those words and seeing how moved people are by these experiences makes me very happy and gives me the drive to keep doing what I do.
Why is it important for students to travel and learn new languages?
Through the many encounters and experiences, one can expand their world view. Even my experiences leaving Japan as a high school and university student helped me to grow and resulted in me aiming for a future as a Japanese language teacher. I hope to provide this sort of experience to students who come to study at JaLS.
What hopes do you have for the future of Hokkaido JaLS?
Last year, we opened up a school in Kyoto and have seen Hokkaido JaLS students come back to study at the new location. I hope that the number of JaLS GROUP fans continues to increase and that Japan-loving students will come to love the Japanese language even more.
