英米　１年
This lecture was very interesting for me. When I was in the second year of high school, I made a speech about the bullying and teasing in Japanese schools that children suffer because of their ethnic background and outlooks. I really felt seriously about this problem because I was a returnee from America and I knew what it was like at school in a multicultural country. In my opinion, I really think that the cultural background and the educational policy in Japan causes this bullying and, which is giving value to “uniformity”. In the U.S., I was free to be different and have different opinions, but in Japanese school, everyone tried to be just like others. This lecture was a great opportunity to think about these issues again.

英米　１年
I believe your presentation and research will have a huge effect on us and Japan in the future. I came to Japan when I was 12 years old and I had difficulty understanding the language and getting used to the environment around me. I was lucky enough to have a Japanese-speaking mother to help me along the way but thinking about non-Japanese speaking families makes me wonder how hard school and everyday life must be. I could understand the “one size fits all” teaching and I believe that Japan must change that. I would like to keep ethnic minority children in mind and try to help them as my mon and my teachers helped me. Thank you for your presentation.

英米　２年
Thank you for the presentation. I have never thought about ethnic minorities in Japan, so it was a bit difficult for me to come up with ethnic groups. At first, I thought ethnic minority problems in japan were not so serious, but I didn’t know that there are some people who are suffering from those problems in Japan. It might be a little bit different from ethnic problems, but I think foreign people in Japan also sometimes get confused and isolated by Japanese people because they are not the same kind of people. From now on, I would like to keep these problems in mind and I hope Japan would be more comfortable place to live for all kinds of people.

ドイツ　１年
When I was an elementary school student, I had a Brazilian friend. I was afraid of talking with her because I didn’t have confidence to chat with her as well as I did with other Japanese friends. I talked this matter over with my mother. My mother said, “Think of yourself as being in the same position If you were in a foreign country, would you want to spend your school day alone?” Then I decided. I couldn’t talk with her fluently, but we were able to enjoy ourselves by playing games. This experience is important for everyone.

中国　１年
The talk we listened to today was very suitable for us who live in Aichi because Aichi has the second largest number of foreign people in Japan, as I was mentioned. I was moved by the topic, “the worst situation” in the talk. In my opinion, these situations are happening not only in Kyoto city and Aichi, but all over Japan. The solution, I think, is to effectively solve the issues which were mentioned by teachers who are working in the area where many ethnic minority children live is for them to learn the language that minority people speak. Without languages, or verbal communication, it’s not possible to know each other and share information. In conclusion, we have to make a big effort to let ethnic minority people feel comfortable.

国際関係　２年
Thank you for your presentation. I am studying in the Japanese teaching course(日本語教員課程) as a second major, so today’s topic was so interesting. I want to tell you about my memory. Firstly, after I listened to your presentation, one girl appeared in my mind. Her name is Yuma. She is from the Philippines and we were in the same class when I was in fourth or fifth grade in elementary school. Actually, her scores were low and her Japanese was somehow not good. Now I found that it might have happened because of languages. EMC, including her, need support. If I could go back to those days, I could help her….　So I want to be a Japanese teacher and decrease the number of people who are struggling. Also, I want to volunteer!

看護　１年
My elementary school had many Brazilian students so today’s topic was very interesting for me. My school had some teachers who could speak Portuguese. They taught Japanese to the students, interpreted what the homeroom teacher said, and interpreted at the parents’ association meetings. Letters from school were written in both Japanese and Portuguese, and announcements at the sports festival were spoken in two languages as well. So I’m sure my elementary school did their best for foreign pupils. Since I’ve grown up in such a society, I would like to be a nurse who can speak foreign languages. Even though today’s talk was about education, I’m sure it will help me in realizing my dream.

留学生
Today’s presentation was very good to listen to. I think Ms. Saki is doing wonderful work that benefits not only foreign children studying in public schools in Japan, but also the Japanese government that is already suffering a workforce shortage in its own economy.Thanks to her studies, we are now more aware of the problem that Japan still faces to the end. Attention to foreign children, knowing (about them) certainly will help the Japanese to think about better solutions in order to integrate those children in its society.

留学生
As Ms. Saki suggested I'll try to speak a little about how I think Japan could handle the problem of awareness about the accommodation immigrants from my point of view. I get this strong image that Japan sees the need for immigrants as equal to a need for labor force. It's kind of harsh to say that, but overall it seems like immigrants are seen as a tool rather than a human being, You can see that when it comes to the matter of refugees, for example, to which Japan seems to be closed. People are in need to flee from their countries for the sake of their lives and Japan mostly ignores the refugee issue. It feels like if Japan could say no to all immigrants it would, and that they are only accepted better now because they formed this essential class of labor force. Seeing through this point of view I would say that in order to have a proper system for accommodating immigrants properly, Japan is in desperate need for empathy or to stop this dehumanization of foreign people and to see them as equals, with equal needs as any other human being, Japanese or not. I feel that with the help of professionals in psychology Japan should work on being this bringing this matter from the superficial “labor force needs” to the deep and almost spiritual “human needs” matter.

留学生
As a foreigner in Japan, I have been through same very uncomfortable moments - ones I’m sure many foreigners have also been though (having an empty seat by my side during crowded train ride, for example). But I live in the academic bubble, so whenever I talk to a Japanese person, they are always very open to me, as a foreigner. That was until I had a class about immigration in Japan and heard one of them saying, “We need foreigners as a workforce. They should come, work and learn, and go back to their own countries.” After today’s lecture, I could not help but wonder how some young Japanese still don’t care about the welfare of the foreigners in Japan, but rather think they mere workforce, devoid of life and even family. What I took from today’s class is a question regarding “How to humanize the relations between Japanese and low skilled workers?” and I am glad to know there are already NGOs and Japanese people willing to make Japan a safer and easier country for foreigners to live in.