Center for Japanese LanguageWaseda University

Naomi Yanagida, Director, Center for Japanese Language, Waseda University

Waseda University has the largest number of international students in Japan. There are 6,085 international students who come from as many as 106 countries and regions, which include a variety of students, such as degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students, exchange students, and students in short-term programs.

The Center for Japanese Language (CJL) is an entity that provides integrated Japanese language education at Waseda University. 1,993 of the 6,085 international students are studying Japanese at the CJL (as of spring semester 2024).  Overall, there are  2,169 students studying at CJL, including Japanese students who need to learn Japanese for reasons such as having lived abroad for a long time.

In CJL, in order to provide high-quality Japanese language learning opportunities to such a large and diverse student body, the “Comprehensive Japanese Course Group” and “Theme Course Group” together offer approximately 650 classes each week, taught by approximately 200 faculty members.

In the “Comprehensive Japanese Courses Group,” students from beginner to advanced-low level can learn all four language skills in a well-balanced manner through classes based on standardized syllabus and textbooks. In the “Theme Courses Group”, students from beginner to upper advanced level can learn Japanese language according to their interests and levels of proficiency based on unique teaching materials and syllabus by teachers with their expertise.

It is no exaggeration to say that this is the only university in Japan that offers such a large and diverse range of Japanese language courses. The goal of CJL is not only the “Japanese language study”, but through the “Japanese language study”, to create global citizens who can lead to a new society using their problem identification-solving skills, creative imagination, critical thinking skills, and knowledge of different cultures.

As CJL offers such a large number of diverse subjects, we expect students to design their own Japanese language study by themselves; students who study at CJL should identify their own needs, strengths and weaknesses, and choose the classes they need and schedule their own time. This is because we want each student to acquire the ability to make sense of the Japanese language in his or her own life, and to learn the Japanese language he or she needs independently.

For this purpose, CJL has developed and utilizes the “CJL Level Check Test” and “CJL Standards” as guidelines for students to design their own independent study. In addition, we work with each student on his or her own Japanese language study and provide support through “Waseda Nihongo Support” to help students tailor their study to their individual needs. Furthermore, we have Japanese and international students participate in Japanese classes as teaching assistants (TAs) and Japanese language class volunteers to support Japanese language study as “senior students”.

CJL’s mission is to provide a Japanese language education system and learning support system that allows each student to experience his or her growth through Japanese language study, taking advantage of its large size and diversity. We also hope to fulfill our role to ensure that the Japanese language is used as a common language that connects people to each other in the internationalization of Waseda University.

In order to link the growth of each student to the growth of CJL and Waseda University, it is essential not only for the faculty and staff to cooperate with each other, but also with everyone inside and outside of Waseda University. As one who will support the growth of students, I will work with the help of all of you to manage CJL, an organization where multiple cultures and languages intersect.