Â鶹´«Ã½ education ministry plans to upgrade its portal site for foreign children learning Japanese in fiscal 2027, amid a rise in the number of those needing language instruction in the country, sources have said.
The portal site, Castanet, allows users to search for educational materials used by foreign children learning Japanese and their teachers, with resources available in about 30 languages.
Among the materials are those helping children study the meanings of Japanese words and kanji characters. The portal also features a function that translates words and phrases commonly used at Japanese schools.
The portal site itself, which is currently available in Japanese only, will be offered in multiple languages, including Chinese and Portuguese, from the fiscal year starting next April, sources said.
The lineup of learning and teaching materials will also be expanded to include those made according to levels of Japanese proficiency.
By making it easier to find materials foreign children need, the ministry aims to create an environment in which they can learn Japanese more effectively.
The ministry plans to request related funds under the government¡¯s fiscal 2027 budget, according to the sources.
The number of students requiring Japanese language instruction at public elementary, junior high and high schools nationwide reached a record high of 84,759 in fiscal 2025, according to a ministry survey.
In regions with limited experience accepting such students, improving educational support systems has become an urgent issue. The planned enhancement of the portal site is also aimed at supporting teachers who lack experience teaching foreign children.
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