In recent years, Japan is witnessing a growth in students from overseas; a movement that both instigates and reinforces the country’s drive towards globalization. This shift is profound by no doubt, considering Japan’s longtime racial and cultural homogeneity. With Waseda having the highest number of foreign exchange students, Japanese universities are chiefly welcoming students from Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Nepal, Korea, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka. In response, the government and business sector have been pursuing programs and protocols that invite foreign students to work in Japan. As seen in a measure that allows foreign students to start their own companies, the government shows signs that it is intent on supporting potential workers. At first glance, it appears to be a promising resolution, but reality shows that many heavy problems have been neglected in the process; many of which are already high barriers to most foreign students.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is language: the foremost requirement in order to study and work in Japan. Though students who come to Japan are expected to have some proficiency (after all, they have chosen to come here in the first place), businesses require a high level that is made difficult by keigo, the polite form of Japanese. Many a non-native speaker experiences trouble with keigo for its complexity and gap between casual Japanese. To those unfamiliar with Japanese, it may sound like a completely different language. Even native citizens, especially youths, often feel nervous when using it. The struggle is furthered in formal settings such as in an office, where respect and manners are emphasized. Students, such as those taking the SILS (School of International Liberal Studies) program in Waseda, complain that most university classes are taught in English and therefore fail to equip students with Japanese skills. This issue spotlights a vital pitfall in the government’s plans of increasing classes taught solely in English and the number of professors who can give lectures in English. A blessing it may be to foreign (particularly English speakers) students, the plan does little to teach Japanese. To make things more challenging, companies are seeking Japanese skills equivalent to that of N1, the highest level of the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) – meaning that students must attain near-fluency in order to apply for a job. How can all-English classes encourage foreign students to work in an essentially all-Japanese environment?
Another equally intimidating challenge is the stringent etiquette in the workplace. Japan is famous, or perhaps notorious, for its culture of politeness; with keigo, the Japanese pay a great deal of attention to manners. One globally known Japanese habit is the frequent bowing: lowering one’s head as a greeting, an apology, or even a mere reflex. Besides strangers and the elderly, business superiors are treated with the utmost respect. For both foreigners and natives alike, the workplace can be a very overwhelming environment as employees must follow a strict set of behaviors. Time, for instance, is a highly serious matter – Japanese companies demand early preparations beforehand. Despite its technological advancement, Japan still clings to conformity in terms of power; following the old top-down hierarchy where subordinates are made to revere the higher. This ancient custom suggests why Japan has a long history of workplace harassment, which involves superiors abusing their subordinates. The severity of the situation is made clear in the fact that many of the harassed refused to take action from fears that it would either make no difference or damage their next job performance evaluation. Workplace harassment is particularly harsh for women; a study revealed that a third of women seeking treatment for mental illness blamed sexual harassment, bullying, and abuse of power by superiors. It is possible the country’s meager gender equality is another reason for discouraging foreign students, especially women.
A nuisance to students who are willing to work in Japan, Japanese companies pay close attention to the major; in other words, they care whether the major is related to the field of work or not. If the major is not considered relevant to the desired position, companies usually would not accept such offers. This, combined with the aforementioned language barrier and strict etiquette, cause great difficulty for foreign students to assimilate into Japanese companies. Despite the definite incline of foreign workers compared to past years, it is offset by the great number of students who return to their home countries (or places beside Japan) for seeking jobs. For example, in 2016, 70% of foreign students left Japan instead of staying to work. Even after mastering Japanese and experiencing the culture there, many wind up back at home.
These issues indicate that the Japanese government and companies made overestimations based on the assumption that foreign students already have ample skills, or can somehow smoothly integrate via supposedly helpful provisions. The latter provisions have been deemed helpful by Japanese eyes, rather than based on the opinions of the students themselves. At the same time, it also questions the direction of Japan’s globalization. Though the government and companies repeatedly emphasize or endorse globalization, their objectives appear to lean towards a commercial, idealized image of the concept. There is something skewed regarding their plans, considering the meager preparation or accommodation for foreign students — further proved by the significant number of U-turns. If the government and companies were to effectively induct foreign students, it would require a more thorough consideration of what issues the students face, garnering input from the students themselves.