Kane

28, UK

What is your education level?

University

What is your current (or most recent) job?

English teacher

When did you apply to come to Japan originally?

20 – Nov – 2020

Why does studying Japanese in Japan mean so much to you?

I started my Japanese language journey 3 years ago now and I always said to myself that, when the time comes, I would visit Japan to take my Japanese to the next level. Japanese is a language which reflects the culture and values of the Japanese people, I feel in order to truly internalize and embrace the language, you have to immerse yourself in the japanese history and way of life. Every interaction with the local culture will be adding new words to your vocabulary and deepening your understanding of the language. To truly cement a language, I believe you have to learn how to survive using the language as your tool.

How do you think that as a student in Japan that you will add benefit to Japan society?

In Japan, I plan to embrace the lifestyle as much as possible, participating in local events and immersing myself in the culture. I hope to make new friends and relationships, and would aim to contribute to society by always conducting myself in an exemplary manner as to ferment a confidence in the Japanese public of foreign visitors. I think it’s important to build as many bridges as possible and show that people from the outside can help Japan and it’s people move in the right direction. I myself, after having made Spanish friends in my own country, felt compelled to travel and widen my horizons. Since then, I’ve had so many positive experiences living abroad and it would be a dream of mine to inspire the Japanese people to travel and expand their world, as I did.

What will it mean to you if there is another delay for students to be able to come to Japan?

After many months of a strict application processes, I was finally granted a place in an academy in Japan as a foreign student. I said goodbye to my friends in Spain and gave up my dream job. I was looking forward to finishing my quarantine in the UK and being rewarded with a trip to the Japanese embassy to apply for my student visa. However, I have had to postpone my journey due to the current border restrictions enforced in Japan, with no knowledge of when it will be possible to continue my journey.  I’m very heartbroken and I’m left with the sense that all my efforts and sacrifices up to this point may have been wasted. If the travel ban is extended again, my life will be on pause I have no current plans in the UK and it’s now impossible for me to return to Spain to recover my old lifestyle. I imagine there are many other people in a similar situation as me. I just hope the government will consider reopening the border to foreign students soon.

Chamika, 30, Sri Lanka

I am waiting from April 2020 to get into my university as a self-financed student. April intake was postponed because of the corona situation. Then I was able to register for the September intake. However, because of COE delays, I couldn’t get in during the time Japan was open for students. My research is already on hold since I cannot perform the experiments needed for data acquisition. Because of this uncertainty, I now have to consider a Ph.D. topic change even after spending 8 months into my research. I left my previous job in 2019 January thinking I’ll be able to get in by April. Because I don’t know when Japan will start accepting students, I can’t apply for any other job positions either. There is a minimum contract period that I must complete before quitting all most all of the jobs. So my life is on hold since January of 2019. It is not an easy task to keep going [especially mentally] when you are already 30 and you have to depend on your parents for food and a roof over your head. At this point, I am prepared to accept any conditions imposed by the Japanese government if it means that I can start my research. Even something like quarantining in a paid embassy designated quarantine location in my home country before I come to Japan. So, total of one month quarantining is a possible action for me now at this point. That’s how desperate I am at the moment, and I know it would be same for many students who dreamt of studying in Japan. Another long delay will force me to drop my research dream and focus on a different path for the sake of my mental health alone.

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Giulia, 26, Italy

I have been studying Japanese for seven years. I spent the last year stuck at University, keeping paying taxes even if I finished all the exams in Winter 2020 just waiting for Japan to open and let me in, since I am trying to write my MA thesis regarding women contemporary literature in Japan.

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Lissette, 30, America

It is very important to learn first hand in Japan because it will let me keep pushing forward to learn. There is no better way to learn a language than in the country it comes from.

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John, 30, America

Studying in Japan has always been part of my dream. I wish to pursue not only studying and becoming fluent in Japanese, but to be able to build a life in Japan. I have visited many times and made many Japanese friends. Each visit has had a profound effect on my life, and I wish to be able to communicate fluently, in order to become a contributing member of Japanese society.

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Veronica, 25, Italy

I always dreamed of going to Japan as soon as I graduated in Japanese (which was last October). My goal is to improve the language, as I would like to become a translator in the future.

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Abhishek, 23, India

studying Japanese in Japan is means a lot to me because for me it’s always my dream to live and study in japan and experience their culture while enjoying student life which I always dreamed of.

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