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PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

Along with the improvement of Japan's position in the international community and the development of international exchange, foreigners who study the Japanese language in and out of Japan are rapidly increasing in number.

The number of foreigners studying Japanese in Japan was approximately 72,000 in 1989. This number represents about four and a half times as many as ten years ago. The number of foreigners studying Japanese in foreign countries was approximately 730,000 in 1988, which is about nine times as many as 14 years ago.

The aims of foreigners studying Japanese have been diversified; they are not limited to Japanese studies or general study in Japan. They now include the acquisition of Japanese skills. techniques and technologies, and preparations for employment in Japanese business firms.

In November 1990, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture created a Consultative Committee on Measures for the Promotion of the Teaching of the Japanese Language with the aim of recognizing and evaluating the present situation of Japanese language teaching to foreigners and of proposing measures to be taken in the future for the promotion thereof.

Along with the growing demand for learning Japanese, there are an increasing number of Japanese language institutes in Japan. In order to help improve the quality of these institutes, the Ministry asked a Committee to consider strategies for improving their quality. The Committee worked out "National Standards for the Operation of Japanese Language Institutes" in December 1988, and in May 1990 the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education was created. The Association has since been accrediting Japanese language institutes in accordance with these standards. It is also carrying out other various programs for the qualitative improvement of these institutes.

With a view to helping improve the pre-service training of teachers of Japanese as well as the quality of these teachers, the Ministry has been reinforcing university courses for their training. Also, through the Japan International Education Association, the Ministry annually administers a nation-wide "Qualifying Examination for the Teaching of Japanese to Foreigners". The Ministry endeavors to promote various measures for improving relevant teaching methods, and to conduct research for the development of appropriate teaching materials. Further, every year the Ministry administers a "Japanese Language Proficiency Test for Foreigners" in and out of Japan. It is also committed to the teaching of Japanese to returnees from extended stays in China, as well as to Indo-Chinese refugees.

During recent years an increasing number of secondary school students over-seas have shown an interest in learning Japanese. In order to cope with this demand, in 1990 the Government launched a "Program for Regional and Educational Exchanges for Mutual Understanding" (abbreviated as the REX Program) under which Japanese secondary school teachers are sent abroad to serve as Japanese language teachers at secondary schools overseas.