Welcome from the Community
Japanese Language Class

May 29, 2014

In this series of publications, we will have foreigners who are learning Japanese across the country and are active in their respective communities talking about the charms of their region, the language, the culture, and learning the Japanese language. We hope to shed some light on how people of various backgrounds learn Japanese and experience life within Japanese society.

< Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture >
General Incorporated Association, Hamamatsu Global Human Resources Support

Lucas Miyamoto, Multicultural Concierge

- Nice to meet you!

Hi, this is Lucas Miyamoto, born in Brazil. My hobbies are sports and computers, specifically, soccer and video games. I'm looking forward to this year's World Cup.

I will be 28 this year. My parents emigrated to Japan for work, and I first came to Japan when I was 14, which means I've spent about half of my life here. My father's maternal grandparents (a long time ago) immigrated to Brazil from Kumamoto prefecture, which makes me a fourth generation Brazilian of Japanese descent.

The one thing that troubled me the most about moving to Japan was that I could not communicate. I only knew "thank you" and "goodbye", and I had not studied any Japanese before coming here.

- What is a multicultural concierge?

A multicultural concierge is responsible for transmitting the culture and language of their country of origin to the community they live in, and helping fellow countrymen (or women) ease into Japanese society and habits, and access community information. They are authorized by the Global Human Resources Support Hamamatsu, located in Hamamatsu City.

I decided to become a multicultural concierge because I wanted to share with foreigners living in Japan what I have learned about language as a part of Japanese culture. The world can change when you understand a language. I wanted to let people know that one way of knowing how well you have adapted is how well you understand and speak Japanese.

- Japanese classes to save your life

In February 2013, I coordinated the "Japanese classes to save your life" project (6 classes). These Japanese classes were aimed at preparing Brazilians living in public housing on the Pacific coast area of Hamamatsu City, for disasters.

I have been living in this area for about 10 years, and the most common concern that I hear from people living in public housing is that tsunamis are scary, especially since we are only about 500m from the sea. However, there are few foreigners who participate in the community emergency response drills, and fewer that listen to Japanese television or radio for disaster-related information. Therefore, I began this project in order to help relieve some of that anxiety.

Community firefighters, paramedics, and disaster prevention experts also cooperated, helping participants to understand the importance of storing food, preparing a disaster relief bag, first responses and rescue techniques during a disaster, as well as other important principles such as saving your own life before trying to save others. Words such as "elevated ground" and "evacuate" that would only be used during times of disaster were introduced during these classes.

On the other hand, we were able to ask the firefighters to speak in an easy-to-understand manner when they receive emergency calls from foreigners. It was a good opportunity for learning on both sides.

- How does Lucas see the Japanese language and Japanese classes?

Learning Japanese is difficult. For foreigners whose mother tongue is not Japanese, it is as difficult as deciphering code.

Many foreigners living in Japan hope to learn Japanese. However, there are many barriers to learning such as work being too busy, or the absence of appropriate classes. I think the key to learning Japanese is the will and motivation to continue learning. And for that, I think it is important to indicate to participants what they can get out of learning.

If a person can figure out that learning Japanese will help them achieve their goals, I think it will be a stepping stone to overcome any difficulty they may face in the future.

The triggers for deciding to learn are numerous. My trigger was video games. I enjoy playing role playing games (RPGs) but I needed to understand Japanese to progress in the game. So, every time an unfamiliar word appeared, I pulled out my dictionary. Eventually, I was able to understand a little bit of Japanese and became the unofficial Japanese translator for my family. And then I thought, maybe I should become a translator. In order to become a translator, I needed proof that I was fluent in Japanese, so I studied hard to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 (N1 in the current system). I successfully achieved my goal and, I am currently working in the Hamamatsu City Municipal Office as a translator.

I think the role of Japanese Language Learning Supporters and Administrators is to listen to the learner's individual needs and react accordingly so that it leads to the first step towards continuous learning. Japanese Language Classes are not only a place of learning the language, but a place to collect information, hold discussions, and come into contact with Japanese culture. Even after learning Japanese, I think that these classes can serve as a compass for the path that you want to follow.

- What would you like to tell foreigners who are learning Japanese?

My first advice is to find the trigger that will motivate you to learn Japanese. Next, is to set your sights on that target, and finally to see it through. Language is not something that is taught to you, but that which you must seek out.

My world changed when I learned Japanese. It was not an easy road to learning and I spent many hours studying, but I have no regrets. I believe I was able to get this far through the support of many in my community.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank my teachers during middle school who looked out for me soon after I came to Japan, and the teachers of my Japanese Language Classes, which I continued to attend after graduating school.