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Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/17 19:37
I new in Japan and I am half japanese and my parents has been here for more than ten years. I am 14 yo(turning 15) and they want me to study here and i think isn't that a bit late to be studying in Japan? I don't know how to write, read, and speak but they said I'm just gonna do fine... Should i study here or just learn online?
by Ivy Bustaleno (guest)  

Re: Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/18 14:50
" I new in Japan"
So, are you in Japan already? If so, I think you, who is 14, must go to either a Japanese local school or a foreign school in Japan, or an international school.
by m (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/18 17:42
So from what you write, you are in Japan with your parents, and you are 14. Then that means you are still of the age for junior high school, which is compulsory education in Japan.
There are some schools that provide additional language support/classes for non-Japanese students, so your parents should look for those for you.

You might also want to think about whether your parents plan to stay here for long, and whether you yourself want to stay here long.
by AK rate this post as useful

Re: Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/18 18:55
Your question is a bit more complex than what it first seems.

Firstly - I believe there is a different expectation between people holding Japanese and overseas citizenship. If you hold Japanese citizenship - then it's an easier process to join a local Japanese school.

To the best of my knowledge - there are some schools in major cities (such as Tokyo and Osaka) that allow students to learn Japanese from a rudimentary level - but these are mainly focused towards refugees, along with new and current Japanese citizens. I do not believe they were made for foreign nationals to learn Japanese.

If you are not a Japanese citizen - then international schools seem to be the main option as they are conducted in English along with a few other major languages in major cities (Chinese, Korean, French, German etc). These school can be expensive and some of the school allow students who are still learning English to attend - but this is less common in the better schools after Year 8 as it normally takes a couple of years to learn the academic language needed to graduate high school and university.

I can only specifically talk about English as a second language - but not Japanese as a second language as I do not have experience in this. The written language is often known to be more challenging than the western alphabet.

Do note that foreign students can attend Japanese schools. However - it becomes more problematic once you reach high school specifically if you want to attend an academic high school which often I believe requires testing to attend the better ones.
by mfedley rate this post as useful

Re: Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/18 22:41
if you want to stay (live) in Japan, go to school.

if you go home to your country in future, maybe it is your choice. but, you have to know that you have no record of finishing compulsory education in both countries. since you are young now, you may not understand this meaning. it is extremely negative for your remaining life.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can a 14 yo study in Japan? 2021/8/18 23:36
Are you saying that your parents are suggesting that you should attend public Japanese school in Japan?

If so, maybe they want you to do that because you're still 14. If you're not turning 15 before next April, that means you get to have public Japanese education for free, and a lot of public educational support for free.

Meanwhile, once you graduate junior high school next March, the only way to get Japanese education would be to take an entrance exam to go to a non-compulsory senior high school, which would be more challenging with less free support.

This year would pretty much be your last chance to catch up on your Japanese by utilizing a school system, and to get a real Japanese school experience. But it's really up to you. Don't let your parents force you anything. You should be the one to choose how to live your own life. And once you choose, enjoy being responsible for your choice.

By the way, I don't know what sort of on-line schooling you have in mind. I'm sure there are a lot of good ones nowadays.
by Uco rate this post as useful

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