Tag - language

 
 

LANGUAGE

JAPAN
Aug 1, 2019
Nationwide test results highlight Japanese students' poor English speaking and writing skills
In the speaking section, many students struggled with improvised speech on randomly chosen topics.
Japan Times
EDITORIALS
Jun 27, 2019
Helping foreign residents learn Japanese
The enactment of a new law that spells out the government's responsibility to ensure adequate Japanese language education for residents from overseas is a step forward. Policy actions and funding to back it up must now follow.
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2019
New law holds government responsible for teaching Japanese to all foreign residents
The legislation places the onus for providing learning opportunities on the state but does not contain any concrete measures to fund.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 15, 2019
Wall Street learns hard lesson on why not to say 'pig' in China
Wall Street is getting a costly language lesson.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Jun 6, 2019
Japanese, Italian, Korean? I'm all of these
One question I have always found difficult is, "Where are you from?" While most people I meet are able to answer it with a single word — Japan, England, India — for me the answer is a lot more complicated.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 31, 2019
Moves are afoot to push media to switch Japanese name order in English, but will it work?
Some laugh it off as a First World problem. But others say the topic touches upon issues of identity, sovereignty and press freedom.
JAPAN
May 27, 2019
Changing monarchy on display as imperial couple greets Trump and first lady using English
The language barrier fell away Monday when Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako greeted U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump in English at the Imperial Palace, in what could be a taste of things to come for the most internationally minded imperial couple in Japan's history.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / BLACK EYE
May 15, 2019
A tale of two ads (and two different sets of eyes)
Since many Japanese people don't have the opportunity to interact with black people in their daily lives, how the community is represented in the national media is important.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Apr 24, 2019
Malala is only one part of what makes Pakistan great
The textbooks used in English class are starting to look more and more like they should be used in social studies class, focusing increasingly on the cultures of countries where English isn't the first language. These lessons in diversity come in the form of stories about famous people such as Pakistan's...
LIFE / Language
Apr 22, 2019
Kōshitsu yōgo: Terminology that's fit for an Emperor
With the Emperor's abdication approaching you may be hearing some interesting Japanese vocabulary that is used only on royal occasions.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 15, 2019
'Uchi' is where the heart is
The Japanese word 'uchi' can have several meanings depending on the context it's being used in, but one common thread in all of them is an idea of closeness to the speaker.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Apr 15, 2019
Odd translations found on English website for tourists
Read an article in Japanese on translation errors and answer questions on what you've read.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Apr 15, 2019
Let's discuss the new Imperial era name, 'Reiwa'
A ready-to-use lesson plan for English learners that includes vocabulary and discussion ideas pertaining to the new Imperial era name.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 15, 2019
使用? 利用? Make use of a dictionary to use your Japanese properly
As your Japanese improves you'll begin to find there are subtle nuances in the language that can stump even native speakers. That's when you turn to a Japanese dictionary.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan