J. F. Oberlin University ・Graduate School Japanese teacher training and practical training courses registered as 'Registered Practical Training Institutions' and 'Registered Japanese Teacher Training Institutions' by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Our university's Japanese Teacher Training Program and Japanese Teacher Training Graduate Program were registered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in September 2026 as a "Registered Practical Training Institution" and a "Registered Japanese Teacher Training Institution."

The "Registered Japanese Teacher" qualification is a national qualification based on the "Act on Accreditation, etc. of Japanese Language Education Institutions for the Proper and Reliable Implementation of Japanese Language Education," enforced in April 2024. To work as a Japanese language teacher at a "Certified Japanese Language Education Institution" certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the "Registered Japanese Teacher" qualification is required. Our university has now been registered as a practical training and training institution.

In the undergraduate program, the Japanese Teacher Practical Training and Japanese Teacher Training Programs emphasize learning through dialogue with people learning Japanese in multiple educational settings both domestically and internationally affiliated with our university—diverse individuals of different ages, goals, sociocultural backgrounds, and positions. In particular, through three stages—"basic education," "specialized education," and "development of practical application skills"—we repeatedly exchange theory and practice, cultivating active listening and relationship-building skills to foster learners' autonomy while enhancing their expertise. Furthermore, we aim to develop transformative learners who persistently and autonomously challenge themselves without being bound by fixed ideas, and to nurture Japanese language teachers who contribute to society.

The graduate Japanese teacher training program and the graduate Japanese teacher practical training program are established in the master's program of International Graduate School of Advance MA Program in International Studies Degree Program in Language Education Practical Research. This degree program aims to train Japanese teachers who combine advanced expertise and practical skills based on knowledge of Japanese pedagogy and linguistics, based on the policy of "mastering language, fostering autonomy, and continuous learning," based on knowledge from pedagogy and linguistics. Additionally, from the perspective of supporting the activation of learner autonomy, the program emphasizes the development of teacher autonomy and aims to cultivate individuals who can continuously enhance their expertise while reflecting on educational practice.

Those who have completed the Japanese Teacher Practical Training or Japanese Teacher Training Course at our university (undergraduate or graduate school) are exempt from the "Basic Test" and "Practical Training" of the "Japanese Language Teacher Examination," and only by passing the "Advanced Test" can they obtain the national qualification of "Registered Japanese Language Teacher." Following this registration, our university will further promote the training of high-quality Japanese education personnel in line with the new system.

*For more details, please check the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology website.

• Registration date: September 30, 2026
・Training start date: From April 1, 2027