Japan govt to use AI to help teach Japanese to kids with foreign roots

TOKYO - The Japanese government plans to promote the use of generative artificial intelligence and other digital technologies to support the teaching of the Japanese language to children with foreign roots, sources close to the matter said on Aug 14.

Guidelines are expected for using generative AI to teach subjects other than the Japanese language, amid a shortage of staff who can accommodate languages such as Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish.

The education ministry plans to include these initiatives in its budget for fiscal 2026 starting next April, the sources said.

There were around 69,000 students who required Japanese language instruction enrolled in public elementary, junior high and high schools and special needs schools as of May 2023, the highest number since the survey began in fiscal year 1991, according to the ministry.

Around 10 per cent of these students are not receiving Japanese language support in class or after school.

The education ministry plans to develop a system that incorporates translation apps powered by Gen AI and online teaching into schools, aiming to provide high-quality education regardless of the students’ background.

The guidelines will not only outline teaching methods for Japanese language and other subjects, but also the measures necessary for schools to smoothly accept students with foreign roots into schools.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will also conduct research into effective collaboration between teachers, Japanese language instructors, and native language support staff. KYODO NEWS