Canadian Association of Japanese Language Education (CAJLE) Annual Conference Reception

In conjunction with the Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education Annual Conference that took place at the University of Calgary on August 16th and 17th, Consul-General Tanabe hosted a reception at the Official Residence for the participants of the conference and guests. In attendance were roughly 70 Japanese language instructors from Canada, Japan, the United States, Mexico and Hong Kong.

In his opening remarks Consul-General Tanabe expressed his hope that the teaching of the Japanese language would help students find a deeper appreciation for Japan beyond popular culture, in order that they might become bridges between Canada and Japan in the future.

Following the Consul-General’s greeting, Ms. Akiko Sharp, Japanese instructor at the University of Calgary and member of the CAJLE organizing committee, gave special thanks to the organizers of the reception and the participants who came from around the world to attend the conference.

In addition, Ms. Yuko Shimizu, Executive Director of Japan Foundation Toronto, stated that, according to a study done by the Japan Foundation, the number of students studying Japanese around the world decreased between 2012 and 2015; however the number of students taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and the level of Japanese being taught both increased, adding further significance to the work of Japanese language instructors.