Kanji Tsushima was deeply moved when he heard that one of the students in his Japanese-language class 30 years ago in Bucharest had won two awards for her role in introducing his country's culture to Romania by translating modern literature.
"She was by far the most enthusiastic student in my class" from 1976 to 1978 at Dalles Popular University, said Tsushima, who was then a second secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Romania।
His former student is Angela Hondru, who now heads the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in Bucharest।
At the time Hondru was a student, there was nobody available for Japanese-language training, so Tsushima accepted the headmaster's request to teach at Dalles Popular University, hoping at the height of the Cold War that people in the Eastern European country would grow interested in Japan।
"Ms। Hondru was so inquisitive about Japanese affairs. It seemed that she had fallen in love with Japan," recalled Tsushima, 65, who was ambassador to Romania from April 2006 to September 2008 before retiring from the Foreign Ministry last month.
Hondru won a Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for fiscal 2008 in July and the Japan Foundation Award for Japanese Language for fiscal 2008 on Oct। 1.
"I would not have come this far without my affection and respect for Japanese culture," Hondru said। "I would like to see the recognition of my work by the Japanese government as encouragement to further advance my teaching and research activities."
The 63-year-old professor said she was fascinated by Japan when she saw displays of a picture scroll depicting the 11th-century novel "The Tale of Genji" and an India ink painting at a national art museum in Bucharest in 1975। At the time, she was teaching English to junior high and high school students.
Hondru took over Tsushima's post as an instructor at the university after the diplomat completed his second posting in Bucharest in 1978। Hondru wrote a textbook on the Japanese language in 1980 before visiting Japan for the first time that summer through a language training program.
While translating works by Japanese novelists, including Yukio Mishima, Haruki Murakami and Osamu Dazai, Hondru took the initiative in launching the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in 1990 and setting up Japanese-language courses at junior high schools in 1992 and high schools in 1996, earning her the nickname "Mother of Japanese-language education in Romania।"
Hondru also trained Romanian experts on Japanese affairs who have assumed posts at the University of Bucharest, Hyperion University and other institutions in Romania.
Helped by the popularity of Japanese "manga" and "anime" among youths, the number of Japanese-language students in Romania totals about 1,600 today, with many of them starting out under the supervision of Hondru, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and Romanian Ambassador to Japan Aurelian Neagu।
Hondru counts among her former students Neagu's son, Andrei, who works for a Japanese company operating in Romania, Neagu's secretary, Silvia Cercheaza, and Diana Tihan, press and cultural attache at the Romanian Embassy in Tokyo।
Romanians have found incentives to learn Japanese since the country joined the European Union in 2007, which created business opportunities for Japanese companies. As of July, 18 Japanese manufacturers operate in Romania, according to the Japan External Trade Organization.
"Mr। Tsushima planted the seed and professor Hondru grew it into a big tree," Neagu said. "This, I would say, is a beautiful 'sempai-kohai' (senior-junior) relationship" that has helped broaden ties between the two countries.
Neagu said Tsushima was also known for teaching kendo to Romanians during his stints there and for building strong ties with the local kendo federation।
Looking back at his diplomatic career, including 30 years of friendship with Hondru and kendo practitioners in Romania, Tsushima called on young Japanese diplomats and citizens to pursue powerful cultural diplomacy, especially when Japan's economic clout appears to be declining amid the rise of China, India and other emerging countries।
Recently, Hondru has expanded the scope of her studies into Japan's folklore, comparing ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals between Japan and Romania। She also conducts research on Japanese myths and "kagura," a sacred dancing style of Shinto origin that dates from early times.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20081118f2.html
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Romania Japan studies head hailed
Kanji Tsushima was deeply moved when he heard that one of the students in his Japanese-language class 30 years ago in Bucharest had won two awards for her role in introducing his country's culture to Romania by translating modern literature.
"She was by far the most enthusiastic student in my class" from 1976 to 1978 at Dalles Popular University, said Tsushima, who was then a second secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Romania।
His former student is Angela Hondru, who now heads the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in Bucharest।
At the time Hondru was a student, there was nobody available for Japanese-language training, so Tsushima accepted the headmaster's request to teach at Dalles Popular University, hoping at the height of the Cold War that people in the Eastern European country would grow interested in Japan।
"Ms। Hondru was so inquisitive about Japanese affairs. It seemed that she had fallen in love with Japan," recalled Tsushima, 65, who was ambassador to Romania from April 2006 to September 2008 before retiring from the Foreign Ministry last month.
Hondru won a Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for fiscal 2008 in July and the Japan Foundation Award for Japanese Language for fiscal 2008 on Oct। 1.
"I would not have come this far without my affection and respect for Japanese culture," Hondru said। "I would like to see the recognition of my work by the Japanese government as encouragement to further advance my teaching and research activities."
The 63-year-old professor said she was fascinated by Japan when she saw displays of a picture scroll depicting the 11th-century novel "The Tale of Genji" and an India ink painting at a national art museum in Bucharest in 1975। At the time, she was teaching English to junior high and high school students.
Hondru took over Tsushima's post as an instructor at the university after the diplomat completed his second posting in Bucharest in 1978। Hondru wrote a textbook on the Japanese language in 1980 before visiting Japan for the first time that summer through a language training program.
While translating works by Japanese novelists, including Yukio Mishima, Haruki Murakami and Osamu Dazai, Hondru took the initiative in launching the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in 1990 and setting up Japanese-language courses at junior high schools in 1992 and high schools in 1996, earning her the nickname "Mother of Japanese-language education in Romania।"
Hondru also trained Romanian experts on Japanese affairs who have assumed posts at the University of Bucharest, Hyperion University and other institutions in Romania.
Helped by the popularity of Japanese "manga" and "anime" among youths, the number of Japanese-language students in Romania totals about 1,600 today, with many of them starting out under the supervision of Hondru, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and Romanian Ambassador to Japan Aurelian Neagu।
Hondru counts among her former students Neagu's son, Andrei, who works for a Japanese company operating in Romania, Neagu's secretary, Silvia Cercheaza, and Diana Tihan, press and cultural attache at the Romanian Embassy in Tokyo।
Romanians have found incentives to learn Japanese since the country joined the European Union in 2007, which created business opportunities for Japanese companies. As of July, 18 Japanese manufacturers operate in Romania, according to the Japan External Trade Organization.
"Mr। Tsushima planted the seed and professor Hondru grew it into a big tree," Neagu said. "This, I would say, is a beautiful 'sempai-kohai' (senior-junior) relationship" that has helped broaden ties between the two countries.
Neagu said Tsushima was also known for teaching kendo to Romanians during his stints there and for building strong ties with the local kendo federation।
Looking back at his diplomatic career, including 30 years of friendship with Hondru and kendo practitioners in Romania, Tsushima called on young Japanese diplomats and citizens to pursue powerful cultural diplomacy, especially when Japan's economic clout appears to be declining amid the rise of China, India and other emerging countries।
Recently, Hondru has expanded the scope of her studies into Japan's folklore, comparing ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals between Japan and Romania। She also conducts research on Japanese myths and "kagura," a sacred dancing style of Shinto origin that dates from early times.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20081118f2.html
"She was by far the most enthusiastic student in my class" from 1976 to 1978 at Dalles Popular University, said Tsushima, who was then a second secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Romania।
His former student is Angela Hondru, who now heads the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in Bucharest।
At the time Hondru was a student, there was nobody available for Japanese-language training, so Tsushima accepted the headmaster's request to teach at Dalles Popular University, hoping at the height of the Cold War that people in the Eastern European country would grow interested in Japan।
"Ms। Hondru was so inquisitive about Japanese affairs. It seemed that she had fallen in love with Japan," recalled Tsushima, 65, who was ambassador to Romania from April 2006 to September 2008 before retiring from the Foreign Ministry last month.
Hondru won a Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for fiscal 2008 in July and the Japan Foundation Award for Japanese Language for fiscal 2008 on Oct। 1.
"I would not have come this far without my affection and respect for Japanese culture," Hondru said। "I would like to see the recognition of my work by the Japanese government as encouragement to further advance my teaching and research activities."
The 63-year-old professor said she was fascinated by Japan when she saw displays of a picture scroll depicting the 11th-century novel "The Tale of Genji" and an India ink painting at a national art museum in Bucharest in 1975। At the time, she was teaching English to junior high and high school students.
Hondru took over Tsushima's post as an instructor at the university after the diplomat completed his second posting in Bucharest in 1978। Hondru wrote a textbook on the Japanese language in 1980 before visiting Japan for the first time that summer through a language training program.
While translating works by Japanese novelists, including Yukio Mishima, Haruki Murakami and Osamu Dazai, Hondru took the initiative in launching the Japanese Studies Department at Hyperion University in 1990 and setting up Japanese-language courses at junior high schools in 1992 and high schools in 1996, earning her the nickname "Mother of Japanese-language education in Romania।"
Hondru also trained Romanian experts on Japanese affairs who have assumed posts at the University of Bucharest, Hyperion University and other institutions in Romania.
Helped by the popularity of Japanese "manga" and "anime" among youths, the number of Japanese-language students in Romania totals about 1,600 today, with many of them starting out under the supervision of Hondru, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and Romanian Ambassador to Japan Aurelian Neagu।
Hondru counts among her former students Neagu's son, Andrei, who works for a Japanese company operating in Romania, Neagu's secretary, Silvia Cercheaza, and Diana Tihan, press and cultural attache at the Romanian Embassy in Tokyo।
Romanians have found incentives to learn Japanese since the country joined the European Union in 2007, which created business opportunities for Japanese companies. As of July, 18 Japanese manufacturers operate in Romania, according to the Japan External Trade Organization.
"Mr। Tsushima planted the seed and professor Hondru grew it into a big tree," Neagu said. "This, I would say, is a beautiful 'sempai-kohai' (senior-junior) relationship" that has helped broaden ties between the two countries.
Neagu said Tsushima was also known for teaching kendo to Romanians during his stints there and for building strong ties with the local kendo federation।
Looking back at his diplomatic career, including 30 years of friendship with Hondru and kendo practitioners in Romania, Tsushima called on young Japanese diplomats and citizens to pursue powerful cultural diplomacy, especially when Japan's economic clout appears to be declining amid the rise of China, India and other emerging countries।
Recently, Hondru has expanded the scope of her studies into Japan's folklore, comparing ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals between Japan and Romania। She also conducts research on Japanese myths and "kagura," a sacred dancing style of Shinto origin that dates from early times.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20081118f2.html
Jobs forecast looks bleak for 2010 graduates
Students graduating from universities and other schools in spring 2010 face severely diminished employment prospects, according to an Asahi Shimbun survey of 100 large corporations.
Many employers plan to curb job offers for new graduates as the global financial crisis overshadows their earnings outlook।
The tough job environment will mark a reversal from the workers' market in recent years, when companies aggressively hired new recruits।
The Asahi Shimbun survey conducted from late October to early November found that 15 companies plan to reduce the number of new hirings in spring 2010 from the previous year.
Only two respondents plan to increase the number of new recruits।
The Asahi Shimbun annually conducts a similar survey around the end of March, when companies finalize their employment plans for the following spring।
While the findings of the latest survey cannot be compared directly with those studies, it marks the first time in seven years that more companies are reducing job offers than increasing them.
In the latest survey, as many as 39 companies said they have yet to decide on the plans for spring 2010, when current university juniors graduate, and 44 others said they plan to hire around the same number of new recruits।
Many of the companies that plan to reduce the number of new recruits cited deteriorating economic conditions।
An official at a chemical company said the company will take on fewer graduates due to the uncertain economic outlook।
An official at an electronics manufacturer said the company will have to cut down on new recruits if the current economic conditions continue।
Meanwhile, a company in the service industry said the firm will be adjusting the pace of employment to ordinary levels after years of expansion।
The number of companies reducing job offers will likely increase, however।
Some of the respondents that are still undecided about their 2010 hiring plans added that they are bracing for tough employment situations or that the best they can expect is to keep job offers around the same level as the previous year।
Still, a number of respondents said they planned to continue hiring new recruits in the medium to long term।
Many Japanese companies have disproportionately few employees in certain age brackets, because they squeezed hirings in the years after the collapse of the late 1980s asset-inflated economic boom।
An official at an electronics manufacturer said that even if the company decides to reduce the number of new recruits, an "extremely low figure" will be out of the question।
An official at a securities house said the firm needs a certain number of new recruits every year because the brokerage business depends on human resources।(IHT/Asahi: November 17,2008)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200811170090.html
Many employers plan to curb job offers for new graduates as the global financial crisis overshadows their earnings outlook।
The tough job environment will mark a reversal from the workers' market in recent years, when companies aggressively hired new recruits।
The Asahi Shimbun survey conducted from late October to early November found that 15 companies plan to reduce the number of new hirings in spring 2010 from the previous year.
Only two respondents plan to increase the number of new recruits।
The Asahi Shimbun annually conducts a similar survey around the end of March, when companies finalize their employment plans for the following spring।
While the findings of the latest survey cannot be compared directly with those studies, it marks the first time in seven years that more companies are reducing job offers than increasing them.
In the latest survey, as many as 39 companies said they have yet to decide on the plans for spring 2010, when current university juniors graduate, and 44 others said they plan to hire around the same number of new recruits।
Many of the companies that plan to reduce the number of new recruits cited deteriorating economic conditions।
An official at a chemical company said the company will take on fewer graduates due to the uncertain economic outlook।
An official at an electronics manufacturer said the company will have to cut down on new recruits if the current economic conditions continue।
Meanwhile, a company in the service industry said the firm will be adjusting the pace of employment to ordinary levels after years of expansion।
The number of companies reducing job offers will likely increase, however।
Some of the respondents that are still undecided about their 2010 hiring plans added that they are bracing for tough employment situations or that the best they can expect is to keep job offers around the same level as the previous year।
Still, a number of respondents said they planned to continue hiring new recruits in the medium to long term।
Many Japanese companies have disproportionately few employees in certain age brackets, because they squeezed hirings in the years after the collapse of the late 1980s asset-inflated economic boom।
An official at an electronics manufacturer said that even if the company decides to reduce the number of new recruits, an "extremely low figure" will be out of the question।
An official at a securities house said the firm needs a certain number of new recruits every year because the brokerage business depends on human resources।(IHT/Asahi: November 17,2008)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200811170090.html
Friday, November 07, 2008
Waseda Univ. extends tuition payment deadlines for foreign students
Waseda University announced Thursday it will extend for about three months tuition payment deadlines for its around 2,400 students from roughly 80 countries abroad enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs, saying the global financial crisis may be hitting their livelihood।
The major private university in Tokyo said 339 students from South Korea, for instance, have tuition payments in arrears, although the total includes those who had failed to make payments before the financial crisis started biting।
The South Korean won has depreciated particularly sharply against the Japanese yen, which makes yen-denominated payments more difficult for them। The university said it polled around 100 South Korean students and many of them said they have difficulty making ends meet and honoring tuition payments.
Also eligible for the extended deadlines are two students from Iceland, a country reeling from a massive outflow of bank deposits as the banking sector has collapsed।
The deadline is extended to January for the first semester and to July for the second semester, according to the university।
The university also announced that those enrolling in the 2009 school year after graduating from Japanese high schools outside Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures will be eligible for a grant of 400,000 yen per year, subject to meeting certain criteria such as household income levels।
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D949DI000&show_article=1
The major private university in Tokyo said 339 students from South Korea, for instance, have tuition payments in arrears, although the total includes those who had failed to make payments before the financial crisis started biting।
The South Korean won has depreciated particularly sharply against the Japanese yen, which makes yen-denominated payments more difficult for them। The university said it polled around 100 South Korean students and many of them said they have difficulty making ends meet and honoring tuition payments.
Also eligible for the extended deadlines are two students from Iceland, a country reeling from a massive outflow of bank deposits as the banking sector has collapsed।
The deadline is extended to January for the first semester and to July for the second semester, according to the university।
The university also announced that those enrolling in the 2009 school year after graduating from Japanese high schools outside Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures will be eligible for a grant of 400,000 yen per year, subject to meeting certain criteria such as household income levels।
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D949DI000&show_article=1
Medical school admission quotas to be expanded to record level
The education ministry announced Tuesday a plan to increase the total admission quotas of the medical departments at the nation's public and private universities to a record high 8,486 for school year a move intended to respond to the critical shortage of doctors।
The total represents an increase of 693 from a year earlier at 77 of the 79 institutions that have medical schools and the plan is expected to be finalized later this year। The previous record high was 8,280 in the academic year 1981.
Universities and colleges have also come up with incentives for prospective doctors to serve provincial areas by offering expanded scholarships and special admission quotas for students graduating from provincial high schools, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology।
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9484L9G0&show_article=1
The total represents an increase of 693 from a year earlier at 77 of the 79 institutions that have medical schools and the plan is expected to be finalized later this year। The previous record high was 8,280 in the academic year 1981.
Universities and colleges have also come up with incentives for prospective doctors to serve provincial areas by offering expanded scholarships and special admission quotas for students graduating from provincial high schools, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology।
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9484L9G0&show_article=1
Monday, November 03, 2008
After Merci, Pune may soon learn to say Arigato
Pune may soon be saying Arigato Gosaimasu in no uncertain terms as after France, it is Japan that has zeroed in on Pune as its prime destination to attract foreign students to their national universities। The embassy of Japan has recently asked Japan Students Service Organisation (JASSO) — a wing of Japan government’s ministry of education set up to assist international students — to concentrate on Pune.
“The number of students learning Japanese language in Pune is huge as compared to any other city in India, which can act as a potential student base for Japanese universities,” said Tomohiko Hikichi, deputy director, student and development department, JASSO।
He said development of Pune as an IT and automobile hub adds to its potential for Japanese universities to focus on Pune।
It may be recalled that during the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the head office of n+i, a consortium of 75 government-run engineering institutes, was shifted to Pune from Delhi.
Now, the Japan embassy also has recommended Pune as a perfect destination to attract students to their universities।
Hikichi was in the city on Saturday for the Japan Education Fair, jointly organised by JASSO and the Pune chapter of Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), at Garware College। Around 1,000 city students visited the fair, which showcased 13 national universities from Japan.
“Considering the plus points of Pune, the embassy of Japan recommended JASSO to organise education fairs at Pune,” said Hikichi। This is the second year of the fair and the response so far is very good, he said. JASSO organises education fair in 20 cities of 10 Asian countries every year. Till 2006, Delhi was the only destination for JASSO in India to have education fair.
“Every year, around 2,000 students in Pune enroll for Japanese language classes। This is a huge number when compared to other parts of the country,” said Umesh Joshi, vice-president of MOSAI. “We requested JASSO to come to Pune and are glad they responded positively. It will help increase the number of students going to Japan for higher education,” said Joshi.
“So far, the number of Indian students going to Japan is very less — 480 last year — as compared to one lakh students of Chinese origin. There are very good opportunities in terms of employment after graduation in Japan. But many Indian students don’t know about it,” he said.
Hikichi pointed out that language was no barrier। “There are 30 universities in Japan which offer courses in English and there is no compulsion to learn Japanese. The Japanese government in fact encouraging universities to start delivering higher education in English,” he said.
Hikichi said the Japanese government had set the target of attracting 3 lakh international students to Japan till 2020। “We are definitely looking at India as one of the potential resource centres,” he said.
City to be the entry point to universities in Japan
Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) has forwarded a proposal to Japan Students Service Organisation (JASSO) to make Pune a hub for conducting Entrance to Japanese Universities (EJU) tests।
“Presently, the EJU is conducted in Delhi। The examination is a gateway to Japanese universities for higher studies. Considering the students’ base in Pune, we have forwarded a proposal to JASSO to make Pune a centre for EJU,” said Joshi.
As a first step, MOSAI would start a training centre for students willing to take EJU examination। “We will start the training centre by January 2009. It has been observed that students find it difficult to clear EJU. The training centre will provide the required guidance,” he said.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/after-merci-pune-may-soon-learn-to-say-arigato/380247/
“The number of students learning Japanese language in Pune is huge as compared to any other city in India, which can act as a potential student base for Japanese universities,” said Tomohiko Hikichi, deputy director, student and development department, JASSO।
He said development of Pune as an IT and automobile hub adds to its potential for Japanese universities to focus on Pune।
It may be recalled that during the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the head office of n+i, a consortium of 75 government-run engineering institutes, was shifted to Pune from Delhi.
Now, the Japan embassy also has recommended Pune as a perfect destination to attract students to their universities।
Hikichi was in the city on Saturday for the Japan Education Fair, jointly organised by JASSO and the Pune chapter of Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), at Garware College। Around 1,000 city students visited the fair, which showcased 13 national universities from Japan.
“Considering the plus points of Pune, the embassy of Japan recommended JASSO to organise education fairs at Pune,” said Hikichi। This is the second year of the fair and the response so far is very good, he said. JASSO organises education fair in 20 cities of 10 Asian countries every year. Till 2006, Delhi was the only destination for JASSO in India to have education fair.
“Every year, around 2,000 students in Pune enroll for Japanese language classes। This is a huge number when compared to other parts of the country,” said Umesh Joshi, vice-president of MOSAI. “We requested JASSO to come to Pune and are glad they responded positively. It will help increase the number of students going to Japan for higher education,” said Joshi.
“So far, the number of Indian students going to Japan is very less — 480 last year — as compared to one lakh students of Chinese origin. There are very good opportunities in terms of employment after graduation in Japan. But many Indian students don’t know about it,” he said.
Hikichi pointed out that language was no barrier। “There are 30 universities in Japan which offer courses in English and there is no compulsion to learn Japanese. The Japanese government in fact encouraging universities to start delivering higher education in English,” he said.
Hikichi said the Japanese government had set the target of attracting 3 lakh international students to Japan till 2020। “We are definitely looking at India as one of the potential resource centres,” he said.
City to be the entry point to universities in Japan
Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) has forwarded a proposal to Japan Students Service Organisation (JASSO) to make Pune a hub for conducting Entrance to Japanese Universities (EJU) tests।
“Presently, the EJU is conducted in Delhi। The examination is a gateway to Japanese universities for higher studies. Considering the students’ base in Pune, we have forwarded a proposal to JASSO to make Pune a centre for EJU,” said Joshi.
As a first step, MOSAI would start a training centre for students willing to take EJU examination। “We will start the training centre by January 2009. It has been observed that students find it difficult to clear EJU. The training centre will provide the required guidance,” he said.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/after-merci-pune-may-soon-learn-to-say-arigato/380247/
KANAGAWA / School for Indian kids to open
A school will open in Midori Ward, Yokohama, in April to accommodate the children of Indians working in information technology businesses who live in and around the city।
A growing number of Indian IT firms have been setting up Japan bases in the city, particularly in the Minato Mirai district, and the municipal government's Economic and Tourism Bureau hopes to attract more Indian businesses by improving the education environment for Indian children।
The school will be run by the India International School in Japan (IISJ), a nonprofit organization that opened the first Indian school in Tokyo in 2004 with 27 students। It now has about 350 students.
The Tokyo-based NPO has rented from the Yokohama municipal government the 1,200-square-meter third floor of the defunct Kirigaoka No। 3 Primary School in Midori Ward for the new school.
Children of Indians working for Indian companies in Yokohama will be able to take classes from the kindergarten- to high school-level। Indian curricula will be used so that children will not have fallen behind in their studies when they return to India. English and high-level mathematics--characteristic of Indian education--will be taught by Indian teachers. The children will also have an option of taking a course of Japanese as a second language.
The city has succeeded in attracting high-growth Indian businesses, such as Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro Technologies, both of which are among the top information technology companies in India. These two companies set up bases in the Minato Mirai district in 2002.
The number of Indians registered with the municipal government has been growing--about 1,300 compared with about 1,100 two years ago।
In 2006, Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada exchanged a memorandum with an NPO based in Singapore in connection with opening an Indian school in the city। However, the municipal government abandoned this plan as only about 20 students applied to enroll, only 10 percent of the planned number.
Assuming that the new school probably would have an enrollment of about 30 students in the first year, the IISJ plans to cut running costs by having teachers teach more than one subject.
V।B. Rupani, the school's vice principal, said he would use his connections to encourage Indian children to enroll at the school.
Citing the expectations of friends and colleagues in the school, he said he was determined to make the school a success and deepen relationships with the city।
Rupani, 61, is a former member of the board of directors of the Indian Merchants Association of Yokohama and the president of a trading firm।
For further information, in English only, call IISJ Tokyo School at (03) 3635-7850 .
(Nov। 1, 2008)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081101TDY15001.htm
A growing number of Indian IT firms have been setting up Japan bases in the city, particularly in the Minato Mirai district, and the municipal government's Economic and Tourism Bureau hopes to attract more Indian businesses by improving the education environment for Indian children।
The school will be run by the India International School in Japan (IISJ), a nonprofit organization that opened the first Indian school in Tokyo in 2004 with 27 students। It now has about 350 students.
The Tokyo-based NPO has rented from the Yokohama municipal government the 1,200-square-meter third floor of the defunct Kirigaoka No। 3 Primary School in Midori Ward for the new school.
Children of Indians working for Indian companies in Yokohama will be able to take classes from the kindergarten- to high school-level। Indian curricula will be used so that children will not have fallen behind in their studies when they return to India. English and high-level mathematics--characteristic of Indian education--will be taught by Indian teachers. The children will also have an option of taking a course of Japanese as a second language.
The city has succeeded in attracting high-growth Indian businesses, such as Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro Technologies, both of which are among the top information technology companies in India. These two companies set up bases in the Minato Mirai district in 2002.
The number of Indians registered with the municipal government has been growing--about 1,300 compared with about 1,100 two years ago।
In 2006, Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada exchanged a memorandum with an NPO based in Singapore in connection with opening an Indian school in the city। However, the municipal government abandoned this plan as only about 20 students applied to enroll, only 10 percent of the planned number.
Assuming that the new school probably would have an enrollment of about 30 students in the first year, the IISJ plans to cut running costs by having teachers teach more than one subject.
V।B. Rupani, the school's vice principal, said he would use his connections to encourage Indian children to enroll at the school.
Citing the expectations of friends and colleagues in the school, he said he was determined to make the school a success and deepen relationships with the city।
Rupani, 61, is a former member of the board of directors of the Indian Merchants Association of Yokohama and the president of a trading firm।
For further information, in English only, call IISJ Tokyo School at (03) 3635-7850 .
(Nov। 1, 2008)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081101TDY15001.htm
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