DTU, with its broad Japanese Language major and many minors, is the ideal place to study, as the demand for Japanese-speaking manpower and the promise of broader career opportunities at Japanese companies in Vietnam or in Japan is rapidly increasing.
Students study with Japanese lecturers
More and more of us are learning Japanese
According to a survey by the Japan Foundation, 169,000 people were learning Japanese in Vietnam in 2021 and Vietnam became 6th by number worldwide, after China, Indonesia, South Korea, Australia and Thailand.
In 2021, 629 Vietnamese institutions offered Japanese language training, compared with 31 and 10,000 in 1998, respectively. In 2018, before the pandemic, there were already 174,000 learning Japanese and 818 training facilities.
Steady and dependable diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam have facilitated Japanese companies to build factories in Vietnam, and rapidly invest in Vietnamese partners. This has resulted in strong market expansion and the increasing need for Japanese-speaking staff, creating diverse opportunities for those who want to study in Vietnam, and then train and work in Japan in the near future.
The DTU Japanese language program is taught by native speakers
It consists of:
- Japanese translation and interpretation
- Japanese for Tourism
- Business Japanese
- Japanese (HP)
The program includes Japanese writing, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, providing a comprehensive understanding of the nature, function, origin and development of the Japanese language and culture, up to the required level of N5. In addition, students develop their communication, problem-solving, teamwork and presentation skills.
In Japanese, the pronunciation of Japanese words and syllables is similar to Vietnamese students, which is a big advantage, although the three Japanese character sets are quite extensive and difficult to remember. This deters new students, because the sets are all pictographic, unlike the Latin alphabet used in English, French, and Vietnamese.
At DTU, learning Japanese is optimized so that students can listen to native-speaking lecturers from Japan, which quickly motivates them in the development of their pronunciation, fluency, and listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Native-speaking Japanese lecturers include Ms. Emiko Kuwata, Mr. Takeuchi Shingo, Mr. Murase Seiji, and Mr. Yutaka Hirai
Students receive granted Japanese government scholarships
Diep The Khai is one of many Japanese language students awarded a Japanese government scholarship.
Diep The Khai
The Khai is only a 2nd year DTU Japanese for Translation & Interpretation student, but passed the N2-level proficiency test in Japanese, equivalent to level 5 in the six-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework in Vietnam. He received a MEXT Monbukagakusho scholarship to study Japanese language and culture for one year at a Japanese university. The scholarships are granted annually by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, & Technology to outstanding foreign students.
“I spent five hours a day studying Japanese,” says The Khai, “and was always motivated to do better than the day before. Learning pictographic languages like Japanese, Korean, and Chinese is quite time-consuming for Vietnamese, because it requires a strong memory to correctly recognize and remember the characters. With dedication, however, all language barriers can be overcome. For the past two years, I’ve thoroughly practiced my listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and always believe that, if we aim for the best opportunities, we will be lucky.”
The Consulate General of Japan in Danang donates books to the DTU Library
In December 2022, Ms. Teramoto, the Danang Consul of Culture and Economy at the Consulate General of Japan, donated a collection of valuable foreign-language books to DTU, to promote an understanding of Japanese society and culture at educational institutions and libraries around the world. All the books are written in English, and will assist students studying Japanese or other languages.
DTU students receive foreign-language books about Japan
DTU also holds several offline and online exchange programs with Japanese students from Oberlin University and Kanagawa University, with the enthusiastic participation of DTU students.
DTU students who are proficient in Japanese will be able to secure excellent jobs on graduation, with salaries ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per month. In 2023, the dynamic and creative educational environment at DTU will enable students to master Japanese and realize their personal ambitions.
(Media Center)