In recent years, Japan’s IT industry has rapidly become internationalized. Many companies are actively hiring foreign engineers, and as a result, workplace communication requires not only English but also Japanese. But how important is the Japanese language ability of foreign engineers? 

JLPT

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the world’s largest Japanese language test for non-Japanese native speakers. This assessment tool is used by many companies and universities to assess the Japanese language skills of job seekers and scholarship applicants. The minimum standard expected by companies and universities is the JLPT N3 level.

JLPT consists of five levels, from N1 to N5, with N1 representing the most advanced Japanese proficiency and N5 being the most basic level. Specifically:

N1: Advanced Japanese ability. Ability to understand and express complex discussions on technical topics. It is said to take about 900 -1000 hours to acquire.

N2: Mid to advanced Japanese ability. They can understand and use specific expressions in everyday life and common business situations. It is said to take about 600 -800 hours to acquire.

N3: Intermediate Japanese ability. They can understand and use specific expressions in everyday life. It is said to take about 450 -600 hours to acquire.

N4: Basic Japanese ability. Ability to understand and use basic everyday speech. It is said to take about 300 -400 hours to acquire.

N5: Beginner Japanese ability. They can understand and use simple everyday conversations. It is said to take about 150 -200 hours to acquire.

In general, it is said that what is required for smooth operation in a company is the N1 to N2 level. However, rather than seeking high Japanese proficiency from foreign engineers, many companies are looking to hire from the N3 level to broadly recruit foreigners with high technical skills.

https://www.jlpt.jp/about/levelsummary.html

How to improve your Japanese

N3 can help you understand specific expressions in your daily life, but as I said above, there is a good chance that there are inconsistencies in business situations.

There are several ways for foreign engineers to improve their Japanese skills before and after joining the company.

Leverage resources for learning Japanese:

Online Japanese language learning platform: There are ways to learn basic grammar and vocabulary with Duolingo, Rosetta Stone and online Japanese courses.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a free language learning app and has more than 35 languages courses, including major ones such as Japanese, English, Spanish and French, as well as minor Esperanto, Haitian Creole and Scottish Gaelic.

The learning method has a strong game element and is designed to motivate learners. For example, if you get more correct answers, you get points, and if you get a certain number of experience points, you level up. In addition, meeting daily learning goals increases the number of consecutive learning days, which can help you reap rewards.

Learning can range from word meanings, grammar, conversational practice, listening, and pronunciation practice, allowing users to set their own progression pace and choose how much time they spend learning each day.

It’s basically free, but you’ll need to subscribe to a premium plan (Duolingo Plus) to get additional features like ad removal and offline learning.

There is a service for companies and organizations called duoligo for business that allows managers to track employees’ progress, coordinate programs, and help employees improve their language fees.

 https://ja.duolingo.com/business

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is an online language learning platform founded in 1992 that offers programs for learning more than 30 languages. With 5 million users worldwide, it uses a “dynamic immersion” method that attempts to mimic the experience of learning a language in a natural environment. The “Dynamic Immersion” method is a study method that does not use the native language at all, and it thoroughly repeats that the user naturally understands the new language through photographs, pronunciation and letters, and the foreign language as it is in the foreign language.

https://www.rosettastone.com/

In particular, Rosetta Stone specializes in correcting pronunciation. It uses a patented speech recognition engine called TruAccent™ Speech Recognition Technology to compare learners’ pronunciations to native speakers and prompt them to correct them if necessary.

The service is primarily paid for and is available on PCs, smartphones and tablets. You can also download lessons if you want to learn offline.

It also offers programs for individual learners as well as for businesses and educational institutions, including online lessons with natives, administrator tools to monitor learners, and introduction-to-learning support services support.

Japanese teaching materials: Students use textbooks, grammar reference books, and business Japanese teaching materials to advance their studies.

Get corporate support

Corporate-led Japanese language education programs: Many companies support foreign engineers to learn Japanese. Take advantage of in-house Japanese language education programs and training.

Instructing a professional Japanese teacher: Companies may hire a professional Japanese teacher to provide regular Japanese lessons. Improve your Japanese language skills while receiving high-quality instruction.

Conclusion

The Japanese language skills of foreign engineers are an important factor for success in the Japanese IT industry. There are plenty of resources and support to help you improve your Japanese language skills, so be active in your learning.