Japanese Language Education for Short-term Exchange Students

This chapter discusses the internationalization of Japanese language education for short-term exchange students from the perspective of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (C.E.F.R.). In Japan, discussions on the application of the C.E.F.R. have been. ongoing since the J.F. Standard released by the Japan Foundation in 2012. The Japanese Language Education Promotion Act of 2021 and the Framework of Reference for Japanese Language Education released by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2023 issued policies based on the principles of the C.E.F.R. How these national policies are discussed concerning Japanese language education in short-term study-abroad programs and how they are accepted in actual programs will be examined through a survey of Japanese language courses for short-term exchange students. The survey targets the elementary Japanese syllabi of 16 universities that accept short-term exchange students, and analyzes the textbooks used and the content of the achievement objectives. The results showed that only a few universities use C.E.F.R.-compliant materials. The achievement goals were described with an awareness of “can-do” in all universities. Comparing the descriptions with those of the “Framework of Reference Japanese Language Education,” it was found that many syllabi describe what students will be able to do in society, indicating that the acceptance of the C.E.F.R. at the current stage is gradually progressing from the formality.