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A must for all Japanese learners! 11 Japanese words often used when making requests　

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Hi there. The number of people infected with the coronavirus is decreasing in Japan now, and we are gradually getting back to normal lives. However, there still is a fear that the virus may recur again, so it seems that we have to stay/work home for a little longer…

This time, I have compiled a list of eleven Japanese expressions that are often used when making requests. When using Japanese, it is important to learn how to phrase things in a way that is considerate of the others.

So, when making a request, don’t directly say, “Do it for me”. When making a request, it is normal to add preface words before making the request with something like, “I’m sorry to bother, but could you -?”

Let’s learn how to request in Japanese, and practice so that you can communicate naturally!

Before learning them… regarding request expressions

When making a request to someone who is close to you, or to someone who does not require much consideration,

「～て」（～te）is used at the end.

Example:
パソコンの使い方を教えて。
（Pasokon no tsukaikata wo oshie te)
Teach me how to use the computer.

When giving instructions or making a request to a colleague or subordinate at work,

「～てください」（~te kudasai) is used at the end. 

Example sentence:
パソコンの使い方を教えてください。
（Pasokon no tsukaikata wo oshie te kudasai)
Please teach me how to use the computer.

If you want to be polite to your boss or other people「～てくださいませんか」”~te kudasai masenka” is used at the end.

Example:
パソコンの使い方を教えてくださいませんか？
（Pasokon no tsukaikata wo oshie te kudasai masenka)
Would you please teach me how to use the computer?

11 Preface words often used when making a request

3 casual expressions

1.悪いんだけど、（Waruindakedo)
I’m sorry,

2.ごめん、(Gomen)
I’m sorry,

3.あのね、(Anone)
I have a favor to ask you,

*Gomen is also used to apologize and Anone is also used when explaining something.

Example sentence:
悪いんだけど、パソコンの使い方を教えて。
(Waruindakedo, Pasokon no tsukaikata wo oshiete)
Sorry, but can you teach me how to use the computer?

8 polite expressions

4.すみませんが、(Sumimasenga)
Excuse me,

5.恐れ入りますが、(Osoreirimasuga)
Excuse me,

6.恐縮ですが、(Kyoushukudesuga)
Excuse me,

7.お手数ですが、(Otesuudesuga)
Sorry to trouble you,

8.申し訳ございませんが、(Moushiwake gozaimasenga)
I’m really sorry, but

9.ご迷惑かとは存じますが、(Gomeiwaku katowa zonzimasuga)
I know it might be annoying,

10.お忙しいところ申し訳ありませんが、(Oisogashiitokoro Moushiwakearimasenga)
I’m sorry to bother you,

11.ご都合の良い時で構いませんが、(Gotsugouno yoitokide kamaimasenga)
I’d appreciate it if you could help this when you are free,

Example:
すみませんが、パソコンの使い方を教えてください。
(Sumimasenga, Pasokon no tsukaikata wo oshie te kudasai)
I’m sorry to bother, but please teach me how to use the computer.

There are many other expressions that can be used, but if you know the phrases listed here, you will have no problem carrying on/understanding conversations. If you like watching anime/comics, I recommend that you check how the characters change the way they request according to the situation/based on whom they are requesting to. On a side note, in many Asian countries including Japan, people often put hands together  to express gratitude, but in Japan this is also done when making a request. 

Enjoy learning Japanese! 
Taka

英語学習者向け【解説付】日常フレーズ聞き流し英語 Lesson29-36 総集編②

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こんにちは！今年ももう3月ですね。
今回は2021年度2月配信分の「1分間英語塾　総集編②」をお届けします。
隙間時間の英語学習にご活用ください！

Lesson 29「何がきっかけだったの」を英語で言うと？ 0:08 

Lesson 30「（私の）視野を広げる」を英語で言うと？ 1:00

Lesson 31「人手不足」を英語で言うと？ 1:48

Lesson 32「それは期待した 以上だった」を英語で言うと？ 2:50

Lesson 33「〜を習慣にする」を英語で言うと？ 3:44

Lesson 34「備えあれば憂なし」を英語で言うと？ 4:49

Lesson 35「きっと上手くいく」を英語で言うと？ 5:50

Lesson 36「WillとBe going to」の使い分け方 6:41

【多文化共生支援団体 Family Planet Japan】
Twitter  : https://twitter.com/hidanotaka
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/familyplanetjapan

7 new Japanese slang words (2020-2021)

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Here is the recent and up-to-date Japanese slang phrases that you can’t find in textbooks. They are very interesting and if you know them, you will be able to understand what Japanese young people these days are saying in casual conversation!

1. オン飲み (On-nomi)

This is an abbreviated phrase for Online and Nomi (drinking). It became common to stay home and drink talking with friends over Zoom after the spread of COVID-19, and people started to use this phrase to do the online-drinking meeting. 

Example sentence: 
今夜、オン飲みしよう！（Konya, On-nomi shiyou!)
Let’s do the online-drinking tonight. 

2. ぴえん (Pien)

It is a popular internet slang that expresses the crying emoji “🥺”. Mainly young girls use this phrase when there is something depressing or sad. 

Example sentence: 
彼氏と別れた。ぴえん。(Kareshi to wakareta. Pien)
I broke up with my boyfriend. Pien(Crying). 

※Stronger version (more crying/depressing) of pien is ぴえん超えてぱおん (Pien koete paon) and the strongest version as of today is ぴえんヶ丘どすこい之助 (Pien ga oka dosukoinosuke). 

3.盛れる (Moreru)

This is another phrase that young girls use. 盛る (Moru) means to make things look better. 盛れる (Moreru) means “It can make it look better/more beautiful” and often used when photo filter apps work well. 

Example sentence: 
このアプリのフィルター、盛れる！(Kono apuri no firuta, moreru!)
This filter on this app can make the picture look better/more beautiful.

4. 〜しか勝たん（ – shika katan)

This phrase means “Nothing can beat – “. It can only mean “- won’t let you down”. 

Example sentence: 
やっぱり、ラーメンしか勝たん (Yappari, Ramen shika katan).
After all, nothing can beat Ramen. 

5. 推し (oshi)

This is used when you support someone or you are a big fan of a person. It is often used when people talk about favorite idols, anime characters, and classmates. To ask “Who do you like the most?” , you can say 誰推し? (Dare oshi?)

Example sentence: 
あの人は、橋本環奈推しだって。(Anohito wa, Hashimoto-Kanna oshi datte).
I heard that the person likes Kanna Hashimoto the most.

6.飛ぶぞ (Tobuzo)

飛ぶ means to fly. 飛ぶぞ is used when you talk about food that is extremely delicious and mind blowing. This phrase can be used to talk about something that is super. 

Example sentence: 
これ食ってみな、飛ぶぞ (Kore kutte mina, Tobuzo)
Try eating this. It’s amazing. 

7.量産型ヲタク (Ryousangata otaku)

量産型 means “Mass production type”. The phrase is often used to talk about common girl fashion style with make-up that many boys like (the make-up style is often called 地雷メイク/Zirai make-up with thick-soled shoes, and black&pink clothes). 量産型ヲタク can also be used to refer to Otaku who is crazy about idol groups. 

Example sentence: 
私、量産型ヲタクになりたい。(Watashi, Ryousangata otaku ni naritai)
I want to have the common girly style. 

Another slang that is often used is きゅんです (Kyun desu). It means “My heart skipped a beat”. Every year, many new expressions are made and used mainly by young girls and they are often very funny and interesting. 

I will introduce new slangs on this blog sometimes.
Have fun learning Japanese words and phrases!
Taka

4 things you should know before going to Japan

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Hi there. It has been a year since the spread of the coronavirus, but there is still no prospect of us being able to travel abroad again… I hope the situation will improve soon!

In this article, I have summarized what you need to know before coming to Japan. If you are interested in visiting or living in Japan, the info here might help.

1. Is the food for everyone?

Japanese food is mainly fish, seaweed, vegetables, beans, and rice, but nowadays, with the advent of internationalization, a wide variety of foods are available. If you like a healthy diet, I’m sure you will enjoy eating in Japan. However, there are still very few Halal restaurants and dishes, and many Japanese dishes contain fish-based seasonings called dashi, so vegans who do not eat fish or any other meat will have a hard time finding something they can eat. Even in Japan, the understanding of Halal, vegetarian and vegan food is still young, and there are some restaurants that claim to be vegan or vegetarian but offer dishes containing shrimp, squid, etc. or food with broth, so you need to be careful.

There are also many fermented foods such as natto (fermented soybeans) and tsukemono (pickled vegetables). If you are not fond of them, it is best to refrain from eating them. 

When you go to a teishoku-ya (set meal restaurant), raw eggs are sometimes served, and many people generally eat them directly over rice. You may be very surprised when you see them for the first time, as they are not eaten raw in other countries. The quality control of eggs in Japan is excellent, so we can eat like this with no problem.

There are a variety of raw dishes, including sashimi, sushi, and “dancing food,” where live fish/prawns are eaten (or boiled a little. I don’t really like it and don’t want to eat it in this way to be honest… but some people love it) In a country like Australia, this kind of eating is punishable as “cruelty to animals”, but if you want to try it, you can do it in Japan.

Related posts

What makes Japan healthy? : Healthy diet and tips
Vegetarian & Vegan in Japan: What to eat and avoid

2. When is the best time to visit?

Japan has four seasons, and the average annual temperature varies from place to place. In Tokyo, the temperature ranges from 2°C to 31°C throughout the year, and it rarely gets below -0°C or above 34°C. Snow falls only a few times a year there. However, in the Tohoku area and Hokkaido, the lowest temperature in winter is around -7°C and it snows a lot. Okinawa, located in the south, has a mild climate with temperatures never dropping below 10°C throughout the year.

The best time to visit is in the Spring or Autumn. There are cherry blossom viewing and shopping sales in Spring, and in the Autumn, there are many cultural events and beautiful autumn leaves to see. The weather is also relatively stable in both seasons, making them the most popular seasons for tourists. By the way, many people choose to visit Kyoto during the summer vacation period, but be careful if you go sightseeing in Kyoto in the summer because it gets blazing hot there!

Related posts

12 amazing places you should visit in Hokkaido
Visit Okinawa, amazing southern islands of Japan!
Beautiful Autumn in Japan! and the COVID-19 situation update

3. Is it common to randomly talk to natives?

English is now part of compulsory education from elementary school onwards in Japan, so if you speak to the average person in English, they will probably understand what you are saying to some extent. However, Japan is one of the least developed countries in the world in terms of English speaking skills, and many people are uncomfortable with English conversation. Also, many people are shy and try to avoid conversations with people they have never met before.

If you speak slowly to young people in their 40s or younger, you should have no problem having a simple conversation, even in English. If you talk to someone who is older than that, he/she may be surprised to find out that the person he/she is talking to is a foreigner, or may get nervous and avoid the conversation. However, basically everyone is kind and listens well to others, so if you speak slowly enough, they will make an effort to understand what you are trying to say. 

If you can speak to them in simple Japanese, they will become less cautious and more likely to talk to you, so even if you don’t speak well, it is a good idea to be able to carry on a daily conversation in Japanese.

4. How you show respect

Japan is heavily influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, and respecting and caring for others is considered a virtue. Unlike in the U.S. and many Western countries, most Japanese people are more concerned with how others think and feel about them than they are about themselves, and how they behave in public will affect how others perceive them. For example, even in the densely populated urban areas of Japan, almost everyone is very quiet on buses and trains, keeping silence so as not to disturb others around them. They don’t impose their opinions on others too much, and in the workplace, they show respect to others by giving detailed consideration to hierarchical relationships, seniority, and juniority, and by using polite language.

If you are unsure of how to behave, I recommend that you ask people around you and try to act like them until you will understand what to do/how to say. When someone does something nice for you, you can show your respect by simply bowing and saying “thank you”.

Since our daily life is based on such delicate human relationships, you might get disliked if you act in a way that is not considerate of others, such as being loud, too assertive, too friendly, using bad language or manners, or having a bad attitude. On the other hand, not doing these things (until you get to know the person well) will also show respect.  

Related posts

How and when to bow : A simple guide to bowing etiquette in Japan
Honne & Tatemae : How the Japanese people behave in public
Why do Japanese do Seiza?
4 ways to use a cell phone in Japan
Japanese drinking culture and rules

The fastest way to learn about Japan’s unique culture is to actually come and live in Japan. Familiarity is better than learning from books. Perhaps Japan is the easiest place in the world for you to live (or maybe not, but it’s worth experiencing the different world!). When Corona is over, please come visit us!

Cost of living in Tokyo for a single person

日本に訪れる前に知っておくべき4つのこと

こんにちは。コロナウィルスの蔓延から1年が過ぎましたが、いまだに海外旅行が再び出来る目処が立っていません。早く状況が改善すると良いですね。

今回の記事では日本に来る前に知っておくことに関してまとめました。日本での生活に興味のある方は是非読んでみてください。

• 日本の食べ物について
日本料理は魚、海藻類、野菜、豆類、米類が中心ですが、現在では国際化が進み、様々な種類食べ物が手に入るようになりました。健康的な食生活が好きな方は日本での食生活をとても楽しめると思います。ただし、ハラール対応のレストランや料理がまだ少ないことと、多くの日本食にはダシと呼ばれる魚を使った調味料が使われているので、魚などの肉類も一切食べないヴィーガンの方は食べられるものを探すことに苦労すると思います。日本国内でもハラール、ベジタリアンやヴィーガンに対する理解がまだ浅く、ヴィーガンやベジタリアン料理と言いながらエビやイカなどを含んだ料理やダシを使った食べ物を提供しているお店もあるので注意が必要です。

また、納豆や漬物などの発酵食品も多いので苦手な方は食べることを控えると良いでしょう。定食屋さんに行くと、たまに生卵がそのまま提供されて一般的にそのままご飯にかけて食べる人が多いですが、日本の生卵は衛生上、管理が徹底されているのでこのように食べることができます。他の国では生では食べられないので初めて見ると非常に驚くかもしれません。

生の料理は様々な物があり、刺身や寿司はもちろん、「踊り食い」と呼ばれる、生きた魚/海老などをそのまま（もしくは少し茹でて）食べる料理もあります。私は苦手で、この様にして食べたいとは思いませんが、、、。オーストラリアなどではこのような食べ方が「動物に対する残虐な行為」として罰せられる対象となっていますが、挑戦してみたい方は日本で試してみるのも良いかもしれません。

• 訪れるのに良い季節は？
日本には四季があり、年間の平均気温は場所により差があります。東京都の1 年を通して気温は 2°Cから 31°Cほどで、-0°C 未満または 34°C を超えることは滅多になく、雪も年に数回降る程度です。しかし東北や北海道では冬の時期の最低気温は-7°Cほどで雪も多く降り、逆に南に位置する沖縄では年間を通して10°Cを下回ることがなく温暖な気候です。

訪れるのに最も良い時期は春か秋で、春には桜の花見やショッピングなどのセール、秋には紅葉を見たり文化系のイベントが多く開催されたりします。気候も比較的安定している時期なので観光客に最も人気の季節です。夏休みの時期に京都へ出かける人も多いですが、夏の京都は日照りがひどく、非常に暑いので観光の際は注意が必要です。

• 誰にでも話しかけて大丈夫？
英語は現在は小学生から義務教育で学んでいるので、一般人に英語で話しかけても、話の内容をある程度理解してくれるでしょう。しかし、日本は先進国の中でも英語による会話力が低く、英会話に関して苦手意識を持っている人が少なくありません。また、シャイな人が多く、初対面の人との会話は避けようとする人もいます。

全体的に見て、40代くらいまでの若い人に対してはゆっくりと話しかければ、英語であっても簡単な会話することは問題ないでしょう。それ以上の年齢の人では、相手が普段話をしない外国人だと驚くか、緊張して会話を避けてしまう傾向にあります。ただ、基本的にみんな親切でよく話を聞いてくれるので、ゆっくりと話せばあなたが何を伝えようとしているか努力して聞いてくれるでしょう。簡単な日本語で話しかけられれば警戒感は薄まり、話しやすくなるので多少でも、上手くなくても、日常会話を日本語で出来るようにしておくと良いです。

• 敬意を示すには？
日本は儒教や仏教の影響を大きく受けていて、相手を敬い、気遣う事が徳とされています。アメリカや多くの西洋諸国と違って、多くの日本人は自分のことよりも相手がどのように思うか、どの様に感じるかに関心を持っていて、公共の場での振る舞い方によって周りの人からの評価が変わってきます。例えば、日本の都市部には多くの人が密集している場所でも、バスや電車内ではほとんどみんなが周りの人の迷惑にならないように沈黙を守り、非常に静かです。

また、あまり相手に自分の意見を押し付けることはせず、職場などでは上下関係や先輩、後輩などの人間関係に関して細かな配慮を行い、丁寧な言葉遣いをすることで相手に敬意を示します。

細かな言葉使いや作法などがあり、それらを身につけるには時間がかかりますが、どの様に振る舞うべきなのか迷ったら、近くの人に色々と聞いてみたり、周りの人と同じように行動してみることをお勧めします。　

この様に繊細な人間関係の上に日常生活があるので、「声が大きくうるさい」「自己主張が多すぎる」「フレンドリーすぎる」「言葉使いやマナーが悪い」「態度が悪い」など、他人のことを考えていない様な行動をすると嫌われます。逆にこれらを（相手と親しくなるまでは）行わない様にすることが敬意を示すことにもなります。相手があなたに何か良いことをしてくれた時に軽い会釈や「ありがとう」の一言を言うだけでも敬意を示すことが出来るので、常に周りの人のことを考えていれば円滑な人間関係を築くことができます。

日本の独特な文化を学ぶには「習うより慣れろ」で、実際に日本に来て生活してみることが一番早いです。もしかしたら、日本の生活はあなたにとって世界で一番過しやすいかもしれません。コロナが終息したらぜひ遊びに来てください！

Thank you for reading today’s post!
Until next time,
Taka

日本/高山市における多文化共生の現状と今後 （2021年度版）

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国を超えて移住することが頻繁に

通信や交通手段が発達し、働き方も多様化してきた現在では、日本のみならず世界的に「他国への移住」がかつてないほど頻繁に行われています。現在、世界では70 億人の世界の人口のうち10 億人、つまり人口の7分の１は海外からの移住者と言われており、流動性が非常に高い現代社会に私たちは生活しています。移住者の受け入れに関しては文化や価値観の違いなど様々な問題もありますが、人の移動を上手く管理することができれば、よく移住に関して話される「頭脳/労働力の流出入」ということではなく、頭脳/労働力のシェアや循環としてより持続可能な社会を築きあげる事ができるでしょう。もちろん国により移住受け入れの状況は違いますが、ここ日本でもコロナショックが起きた2020年までは毎年外国人移住者が急速に増えてきています。

外国人労働者　人数、国籍、仕事について

・日本在住の外国人市民人数に関して

2020年1月1日時点で、日本に住む外国人人口は287万人で過去最高を記録しました。これは市町村別人口ランキング2位の大阪市（273万人）を超える数です。前年比増加数は20万人、増加率は7.48％、日本の総人口に占める割合は2.3％で過去最高を記録しました。

外国人人口が集中しているのは主に大都市圏で、都道府県別に見ると東京都が58万人と日本全体の外国人の20％を占めています。しかし、2019年頃から東京の外国人人口増加数は減ってきており、今まで外国人人口が少なかった地方地域の増加率が増えてきています。地方で外国人人口が多い県は、製造業が盛んな静岡県と、群馬県で、増加率ランキングでは宮崎県（＋19.4％）、沖縄県（＋17.4％）、鹿児島県（＋16.3％）等です。

・在留外国人国別（2019年時点）

2019年時点で日本に住んでいる外国人労働者（国別）の上位5国は下記の通りです。

・在留資格（2019(令和元年)年12月末時点）

在留の資格人数構成比上位3カ国・地域
一般永住者
（結婚/家族として日本に移住など）		793,16427.0中国 33%－フィリピン 16%－ブラジル 14%
留学345,79111.8中国 39%－ベトナム 24%－ネパール 8%
特別永住者
（戦前日本に住み、その後留まることになった外国人など）		312,50110.7韓国 89%－朝鮮 9%－台湾 0.3%
技能実習410,97214.0ベトナム 50%－中国 23%－フィリピン 9%

・岐阜県と高山市の外国人移住者数の推移

岐阜県の統計データによると、2020年6月末時点で県全体には約59,000人の外国人が住んでおり、高山市では892人と、どちらも増加傾向にあります。高山市の移住者の国別上位3国は①ベトナム266人②中国185人③韓国110人で、特にベトナムからの移住者の増加が顕著です。

また、厚生労働省が発表したデータによると、2019年10月時点の岐阜県の外国人労働者数は35,396 人で6年連続で過去最高人数を更新しており、外国人を雇用している事業所の数も増加傾向にあります。ハローワーク高山によると、外国人を雇用している事業所は181、外国人労働者は662人となっています。高山市に住む外国人労働者のうち30％は「専門的・技術的分野の 在留資格」を持っており、県内ではトップの割合です。職業に関しては、県全体で見ると製造/建設業に従事している外国人労働者が多いですが、観光業が盛んな高山市では30％が「宿泊業、飲食サービス業」関係の職についています。

外国人移住者受け入れ体制の変化

日本では特にバブル期の80年代から90年代初頭までの間に、外国人の出稼ぎ労働者を多くの企業が受け入れて、外国人移住者が急増した時期がありましたが、その頃は外国人移住者の受け入れに対する法律や労働基準などが定まっておらず、違法な労働を強いる企業や違法滞在をする外国人が多くいました。しかし、近年は外国人の労働基準や人権保護、在留カードなどの移住者情報が整備されて、外国人移住者を単純な「人材」としてでなく、より「生活者」として地域と共生していく大切さが重要視されるようになってきています。そのような世の中の変化があり、外国人市民による犯罪件数も2005年から2019年までの間で7割も減ってきています。外国人市民の増加＝犯罪率の増加と考えている日本人も多いですが、実際は日本は外国人を受け入れる体制を整え始めた事で、犯罪率は大きく改善されてきています。（警察庁調査）

また、最近の日本政府の対応で、コロナにより技能実習生に対して特別措置として「転職」を認め、「特定活動」の在留資格を最大1年間与えることが決まりました。これまで技能実習制度で働いている外国人市民は転職が出来なかった為に職を制限されて批判されていましたが、外国人労働者に頼っている企業も増えており、待遇が見直されてきています。

外国人市民/労働者増加のメリット

1.少子高齢化対策

現在の日本の平均寿命46才で世界的にも超高齢化社会に入ってきています。日本は2020年時点で65歳以上の高齢者率は約29%。世界で最も高齢化が進んでいる国です。加えて少子化が続いており、2008年の1億2,808万人をピークに人口は減少し続けています。2020年時点で1年間で50万人減少しており、高齢者を支える労働力がなくなってきています。

高山市の人口は2000年の97,023人をピークに減少を続けて来ており、2015年時点の89,182人と比較すると8.1%の大幅な減少となっています。その内高齢者は増加傾向にあり、2015年時点ですでに３割以上の高齢化率で、全国平均より約4%高い水準です。人口減少と高齢化による労働力の低下で事業の持続が困難になる事が懸念されており、少子高齢化対策の一つとして外国人労働者の受け入れを進めていくことがより求められてくる事と思われます。高山市の人口は2040年には1万8千人減少し、67,419人になる予測です。現在の人口増減の動向は、①若者が進学、就職などにより市外へ転出し、その後戻ってくる者が少ないことによる「社会減」、②出生数が死亡数を下回る「自然減」の2つがあります。今後の目標として、生産年齢人口における社会増減（転入数と転出数の差）を段階的に改善し、市は2045年までに、将来推計に対して年間300人の増となることを目指しています。

2.地方創生

少子高齢化や大都市部への人口集中のため、現在全国１７００の日本の自治体のうち約９００に消滅の可能性があります。地方で外国人労働者の受け入れを進める事で、地方都市での人材不足を解消し、地域に活気を取り戻すことや、事業や文化の継承者を増やし日本のビジネスや文化芸術を世界に広める事につながります。

3.新しい文化の創造　より世界に開かれた国に

さまざまな国から違った視点やビジネスのあり方、生活方法などを取り入れて地域住民間で共有する事により新しい文化が生まれると共に、より国際的な繋がりを強めて発展することができるでしょう。

今後の動向

コロナウィルスの影響が長引き、外国人人口の減少が続けば、留学生や技能実習生など外国人労働者への依存度が高い企業は大きな影響を受け、外国人労働者の増加によって何とか維持されてきた分野の人材不足が深刻さを増すことが考えられます。

2012年初頭の現在、コロナで海外との関係が薄れてしまってはいますが、少子高齢化問題の解決の大きな一手として外国人労働者の受け入れ政策を進める体制は変わりません。逆に流入が停止している今の時期をチャンスと捉え、受け入れ体制をさらに整えておく必要があります（特に近年外国人労働者が増加するであろう地方都市において）。

例えば外国人が来やすい環境作りとして、外国人向けの日本語教育（やさしい日本語など）に力を入れたり、市役所案内の多言語化や外国人移住者による市内情報発信や生活支援（相談、支援、防災）などを整える事による共生の為の環境作りや、受け入れる日本人地域住民や企業関係の方々に向けた異文化理解や多文化共生の重要性を学ぶ機会を作り、相互理解を深められる政策を進めていくことが大切です。移住後に大きなカルチャーショックや地域住民とのトラブルにならないように、移住者に対して出発前と到着後の文化オリエンテーションと語学研修ができる環境作りもより必要になってきます。外国人市民とコミュニケーションを取る機会を作ることで、外国人市民を「見える化」し、同じ市民として認めていくことが大切です。

日本にとっては中長期的に滞在してくれる高度な人材を確保しておきたいところなので、日本の文化に「同化」することを強いるのではなく、相互理解による「統合」へ移行することで協力体制を整えていくことが必要となってきています。日本にとって多文化共生は持続可能な社会の構成に必要な要素となってきているので、今後ともさらに外国人の受け入れのあり方を検討していく必要があります。また、外国人と地域住民との交流や相互理解を通し、日本に移住してきた外国人の方が架け橋となって、日本の文化を学び、自国の文化を共有し、さらにその友達や家族へ繋がって広がっていくと大きな発展へと繋がっていく事と思われます。

参考資料：

総務省「住民基本台帳に基づく人口、人口動態及び世帯数」2020年8月5日発表
https://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/01gyosei02_02000220.html

Nippon.com 日本人人口、初の50万人超の減少 : 外国人比率2.25%に上昇
https://www.nippon.com/ja/japan-data/h00791/

財務省  参考資料・日本の少子高齢化はどのように進んでいるのか
https://www.mof.go.jp/zaisei/reference/index.html

e-Stat 在留外国人統計（旧登録外国人統計）
https://www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?page=1&layout=datalist&toukei=00250012&tstat=000001018034&cycle=1&year=20190&month=24101212&tclass1=000001060399&tclass2val=0

高山市　高山市人口ビジョン
https://www.city.takayama.lg.jp/shisei/1005745/1012576.html

厚生労働省　「外国人雇用状況」の届出状況について（令和元年 10 月末現在）
https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/gifu-roudoukyoku/content/contents/000598317.pdf

Family Planet Japan  令和3年度2月19日

※私たちの活動に関してより詳しい情報は：
https://hidanotaka.com/family-planet-japan/

Online interview with Fuchi-san in Uganda

by

Hi, this time I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Uganda and talked about the life there and the importance of understanding different cultures.

【Questions/Topics】
ウガンダに移住して何年？ 1:20
How long is it since you moved to Uganda?

移住したきっかけは？ 1:57
What made you decide to move there? 

出身地は？ 3:25
Where are you originally from?

日本で感じた違和感　4:05
Was it comfortable living there?

海外移住後の苦労　6:52
Was it hard at first?

現地での生活はどう？　9:54
How is it to live there?

異文化に対する理解はある？13:55
About living with people from different cultures

日々の生活での苦労　15:32
Any difficulties living there?

ウガンダの良いところ　16:21
Good things about living in Uganda

様々な文化を学ぶ大切さ　20:51
The importance of knowing different cultures

日本から海外移住したい方へ　23:38
To Japanese who want to live abroad 

自分らしい人生を送るために　26:43
To live the life you want 

After the interview　28:25

Family Planet Japan は多文化共生/多様性ある社会の実現に向けて、
岐阜県高山市を中心に活動している団体です。

Family Planet Japan is an organization based in Takayama city in Gifu prefecture. We are working towards constructing harmonization of multicultural/diverse society in Japan.

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/familyplanetjapan

【Interview with Fuchi-san】

Hi, everyone! This time, I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Uganda in Africa.

We talked about moving abroad and the importance of learning about different cultures.

Uganda is a country with a variety of ethnic groups and is full of beautiful nature.

With 97% of the population under the age of 65, there are a lot of young workers.

In recent years, various companies from abroad have moved into the country, and the GDP growth rate is over 6%, and the country is developing rapidly

Today, I would like to interview Fuchi-san, who moved from Japan to Africa. 

Hi!

You and I actually went to high school together.

I never thought we would meet again in this way.

Yeah!

So, you are in Africa now! I would like to ask you some questions about how you got to Africa and how you are living there.You are in Uganda, and how long have you been there?

It’s been eight years.

That’s quite a long time!

Did you go to any other countries before you went to Uganda?

I only went to Vietnam and Taiwan for a short trip abroad.

I’ve been to the U.S., and I think many people from Japan often go to Europe,  the U.S, Australia or Canada, but what made you decide to go to Uganda?

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t planning to come here at all. My priority was to leave Japan and live abroad, so it didn’t matter where I went. It didn’t matter where, as long as it wasn’t Japan. If I had the chance, it could have been England, the United States, or even Vietnam, but I had the opportunity to go to Uganda.

What was that opportunity?

When I was in my fourth year of university, I was looking for a job, and there was an opening at an NGO. And I found out that they had an overseas branch and there was a possibility that I would be stationed overseas. So I decided to go to Uganda, even though I didn’t know where it was.

That was a big change.

Yeah I guess it was!

Did you always have this idea of wanting to live abroad? Did you just want to leave Japan?

I don’t really remember now, but I was interested in English, so I wanted to work overseas using English in my work. 

Where in Japan are you originally from, by the way?

I’m from Higashi Kurume, Tokyo, which is closer to Saitama. No one really knows the area lol

Oh well, I think there are some people who know the area!

It’s not like Shibuya or Setagaya, it’s a more rural part of Tokyo.　

It’s a place that is not like the big city, Tokyo.

That’s right! haha

While living there, did you feel that you didn’t like Tokyo or Japan? Did you feel like you wanted to go abroad?

It was not a bad environment to live in. I think I got along well with my family, and it wasn’t like I had any problems with them. I didn’t have a difficult childhood, but I think my discomfort with life in Japan started to grow when I was a university student.

What did you feel uncomfortable about?

For example, when I was looking for a job during my university years. The university I went to was a very large university with a lot of students, but in my third year of university, everyone wore the same black suit to attend job interviews as if they were robots, and all the girls wore their hair in the same knot, like it had to be tied this way. If you had long bangs, you had to part them like this. The people who had been involved in various activities to emphasize the importance of individuality until they reached that age were reading the same books wearing the same clothes for employment. It made me feel uncomfortable, and I knew I couldn’t do that like others. And I thought, I can’t live like that. And be with others who just follow the suit.

Ahh I see. I think that most people who go abroad from Japan have a strong sense of discomfort about such things. I was the same way. I went to Florida for college. In Japan, everyone has a set life-course, like what university to graduate from by what age, where to get a job, how old to get married, when to rent an apartment, and how many years to pay the mortgage and so on. I went abroad because I had doubts about whether I could really live that way, so I can completely understand what you mean.

How did you feel after you moved to Uganda? I think it must have been quite difficult to get used to the culture, the different language, and the different food.

It was tough at times. The first year or two were really tough.

What was the hardest part?

When I felt like I was going through a tough time, I didn’t have any family nearby or friends I could talk to about anything. It would have been better if I could have talked on the videophone, but with the time difference and the fact that I didn’t have any friends nearby to talk to whenever I wanted to, I was alone and lonely. It was quite difficult.

It’s hard to find someone to talk to when you have a problem, isn’t it? How did you get over that?

I don’t know if I overcame it. lol It’s still hard sometimes. There are times when I feel like I’m having a hard time and there’s no one around me, I’m alone. There are many people who feel lonely even in Japan, and I think the difficulty is not so different.

In my case, I wanted to get out of Japan first, and I didn’t have a strong yearning for Uganda or a strong desire to do something for this place at first. So I didn’t get a huge shock by wanting to do what I want and not being able to do it because of the culture differences. Like saying “This is not the life I wanted living abroad!” I think it is hard for people when their expectations are betrayed. I did not have excessive expectations, so it was not a big setback.

I think that might be one of the most important things in order to live well in a foreign country. We often interview foreign migrants who are living in Japan, and they all have culture shock when they first start living in Japan, and they say that if you expect too much from life in Japan, the gap between the reality and your expectations will widen, and the shock will get bigger and harder to bear, so the key to living well in Japan or in a different country is not to expect too much. I think this is really important. 

We tend to imagine the ideal life in a different place and expect too much, so.

How do you like the food and lifestyle in Uganda?

I do miss Japanese food, but I get used to it here. I’m not a person who has always been very picky. There is no such thing as a food that I don’t like or won’t eat, so I am able to enjoy my time here.

If you are a person who is very picky, it may be difficult to change your environment. You have to be flexible to fit in. That may be another important thing to enjoy living abroad.

I’ve never been to Uganda, but can you tell me briefly what it’s like? What are the people like in the city?

There are many different kinds of people here. Some live in high-class apartments with 10 or more floors and drive BMWs or Mercedes-Benzes, and shop at expensive supermarkets and eat fancy food. If you move around a little bit, you will find other people who live barefoot in a small room on the ground floor made of clay bricks, have five children and cousins living there, and have several children who cannot go to school due to lack of school fees.

Is there a big gap between the rich and the poor compared to Japan?

I think so.

After living in Uganda for 8 years, do you feel that the gap between the rich and the poor is getting better? Or has it not changed much?　

I don’t think it has changed much. If anything, it may be widening.

What kind of foods do you eat there?

People eat rice, a lot of potatoes ,and sweet potatoes. Also a kind of banana called Matoke. It’s a white banana that you can’t peel without a knife. It turns yellow when you boil it.

That’s interesting and sounds healthy.

Food here is high in fiber.

What kind of annual events and cultural activities do you have?

Do you have events like festivals?

Compared to Japan, we don’t have a lot of national events. The reason for this is that there are many religions and people with different backgrounds. But about 80% of the people are Christian, so Christmas and Easter are the major events I guess. For Muslims, the Muslim holidays is a big event.

How is the relationship with foreign immigrants in Uganda?

I think it is very open and welcoming. Many of our neighboring countries are economically/politically unstable, so we accept a lot of refugees from there. Even in daily life, I meet African people who I feel are not Ugandans, and there are many foreigners like me. There are also a lot of second and third generation foreigners who have immigrated to Uganda.

There is a lot of diversity!

Yes. That’s why I feel comfortable here and have been here for eight years.

Is there any discrimination or prejudice?

Yeah we do have. There is discrimination against us, foreigners, and even between tribes. Well, I guess it happens everywhere to some extent.

But it sounds comfortable to have such a diverse group of people living in a place together. I like that kind of environment

Yeah, I think it’s a very diverse place compared to other places.

What are some of the challenges you face in Uganda?

Medical care and such is very difficult. If you get sick or something, you might not be able to get proper medical care. The standard of medical care is low to begin with, so no matter how good a hospital is, there are limits in what they can do. In case of serious illness, people who have money get medical visas and go to overseas hospitals for treatment. They go to India, Thailand, or the United States.

On the other hand, what are good things about Uganda?

It is a good environment for raising children.

You mean, neighbors help each other and they are supportive?　

People help each other very naturally. For example, when I take a cab, people around me help my child get into the cab, and when I take my child to a restaurant, the worker there takes care of him/her.

That’s nice.

What I also like is that people do not judged by my age, gender, nationality, or education. I am married to a Ugandan man and we have a half Ugandan child. He looks different, but there are many such children and they are living with no problems. Also, there are lots of female principals, and no one cares about your college education. In the first place, people here don’t know about all the prominent universities. The students who attend the college also vary in age and have different backgrounds. Like, my husband is married with children, but he is attending college, and there are many such people, and many older people taking courses as well. There are children who have stayed in elementary school and are of different ages in the same school. This kind of diverse environment is easy for me to live in.

That’s nice. In Japan, there are stereotypes about what a job should be like, how women should not be able to enter the workforce, who should do what job, how we should value our relationships with people because they are from famous universities, and so on.

It seems that in Uganda, people look at humanity rather than just checking status. 

Yes. There are also families with adopted children, and many people who are albinos, who look completely different from other Africans. I think it is wonderful to have the opportunity to live with such a variety of people. It makes me feel better that I can live my life without worrying about the people around me just because I am a foreigner.

It’s a place where you can live your own life without being judged by others around you or by your social position.

I think so.

I’d like to visit there someday!

You should! Being in contact with people of different races and with different opinions is something that Japan needs now, and I want everyone to have that kind of experience.

Japan is an island nation, and when you are in it, you tend to think that what you see is all in the world.　

Particularly for a country like Africa, which is so far away from Japan, I think people tend to have a fixed image. For example, there are many poor children in Africa, and if you were to go to Africa from Japan, you would do something to help them. But here in Africa, people are living their own lives. So you don’t have to think, “It’s a poor place, so I must go there and do something for them”and bother.

If you want to go abroad, you should go there because you want to!

Yes, I think that’s important. From the Japanese point of view, we don’t want such people coming to our country, do we? We can’t welcome people who come to Japan saying things like, “I feel sorry for Japanese people, so I have to go there to help them!”. I think it’s great if they come to Japan to enjoy the country and culture, but if they come to Japan just to do something that they think is right, that’s arrogant in a way and it will be a nuisance.

Of course there are some people who are really dedicating themselves to make some great improvement, but you can take it easy like I did.

You can move to a place you like and live there first, interact with the local people, and then you may find something to improve the place. It would be a misunderstanding if you start out by saying, “I’m here to make improvements!!” without knowing people living there, wouldn’t it?

That’s right. If you are too ambitious before you move to a new place, you may end up destroying your ideals after you actually move there, thinking, “I can do more, I wasn’t supposed to be like this,” and you won’t be able to enjoy your life there. It is important to see more of the daily life of the people there by living together.

Do you have any advice for people who want to move from Japan to overseas or want to get married with people abroad?

I think they should study hard. Even if you are not looking for a job, but just want to get married and live abroad, you will not be able to fully enjoy your stay unless you can speak the language of the country. If you can speak the language, the people around you will accept you. You may not know where you will live in the future, but I think it is important to read books and study hard. But that doesn’t mean that you should go to college, attend classes diligently, or go to cram schools. It’s about having an attitude of questioning and pursuing what’s going on around you, and that’s studying in a broad sense. If you like music, it’s fine to study music, if you like cooking, it’s fine to study cooking, but don’t quit trying to learn more about something you have questions about or are really interested in.

I often have the opportunity to meet young university students who come to Uganda to volunteer, and there are many who say, “Studying is useless,” or “We don’t need to study for actual communication,” or “In the end, as long as you have feelings and enthusiasm, you will be fine”. But having more knowledge is important. Not only learning language but also history. Africa is a country with the painful history where many people were enslaved and many were killed in the past. 

You may just enjoy your stay without knowing the history. 

But you should learn the history of the area if you are staying/living 

abroad for a while.

So it is important to learn the history of the country, learn the language, and gain in-depth knowledge of what you are interested in.

Yes. Even in Japan, I would be happy if people who come to Japan know a lot about Japan.

There are times when I feel embarrassed when foreigners know things about Japan that even most Japanese people don’t know.　

So I think it is important to try to gain knowledge no matter where you are/will be. 

And even if you find it hard to live in the place where you are now, or you don’t like your current life, if you go abroad, it might be normal, and the pain you have been suffering might disappear. If you take a step out into the world, life may become easier, so don’t be too depressed if you are struggling in the place where you are now. The cause of your problems may be your family environment, your appearance, or your life, but if you find it hard to live, I think studying hard and going abroad is one way to lead your life as you want. 

I think it’s important to remember that the world you see now is not all there is and to make efforts for a better life.

Thank you very much for letting me interview you for so long!

・After the interview 

This time, I interviewed Fuchi-san, who moved to Uganda from Japan. I was very happy to know that my classmate from high school is doing well in a different country. We usually interview foreign migrants who have moved to Japan, but this time I interviewed someone who has moved from Japan to overseas. I realized that the key to successfully living in another country is to blend in with the culture of the place without preconceived notions and not to expect too much. If you live in Japan(or in your country) and feel like what you see is the whole world and it’s hard to live here, I think it’s important to know that there are other worlds and broaden your horizons. It’s hard to move around because of Coronavirus now, but I think the number of foreign migrants coming to Japan will increase, and I guess there will be more opportunities for people to move from Japan to other countries to find the life they want.

We will continue to interview various people and work towards understanding and sharing the importance of living people with different backgrounds. Please subscribe to our Youtube channel and Like us, and check out our Facebook page as well. Thank you for watching. See you next time!

See you next time,
Taka