The Non-Profit Organization Metanoia ~ They would like to increase Japanese language classes for children throughout Japan. ~

The Non-Profit Organization Metanoia (hereafter referred to as "Metanoia") is an organization that conducts educational activities for children with foreign roots, with the mission of "connecting children who are connected to the world with society". Although Metanoia is a new organization established in April 2021, it is expanding its activities at a remarkable rate in the Adachi ward, including multi-location Japanese language classes for children, language classes in the children's mother tongues, running preschools, and conducting online Japanese language classes. It is said that there are approximately 60,000 children in Japan who need assistance in learning Japanese. At Metanoia, they are trying to solve this social issue speedily by taking on the challenges of various possibilities while adopting business-like methods.

Meeting Many Children with Foreign Roots in Aichi, Gifu, and Tokyo

Mr. Takuji Yamada, the president of Metanoia, has been involved in the education of children with foreign roots in several regions.
"After I graduated from university, I started working at a Filipino school in Aichi Prefecture. This school was for children who did not have residency status to live in Japan for various reasons. During my four years working there, I learned that many children cannot go to school because of their visa status, or quit due to Japanese language problems even if they attended school. Later, I moved to Gifu Prefecture and opened a nursery school for children with Filipino roots, and also created a Japanese language class for children who were not attending school."
After spending five years in Gifu Prefecture, Mr. Yamada moved to Tokyo following some studies in Canada. He then joined "YSC Global School," known for its support of children with foreign roots, in 2019.　He mainly coordinated online Japanese language education and gained a lot of expertise. Having garnered experience in educating children with foreign roots in this way, Mr. Yamada founded Metanoia in 2021.

"Japanese Language Classes for Children" at Multiple Locations – And Starting Online Classes as Well

As of April 2022, the number of foreign residents in the Adachi ward, where Metanoia is based, is 33,009. It has the fourth-largest number of foreign residents among municipalities in Japan, with 1,840 foreign children aged 5-11 (as of April 2021). Metanoia now operates three "Children's Japanese Language Classes" in the Adachi Ward. "This may sound like a lot, but each class is held once a week. We would like to go out to more other areas and create classes there to meet new children. Japanese language classes are a place where we can see and hear about problems and provide the opportunity to connect to the next level of support." Those children are unable to make use of their potential due to a lack of access to Japanese language education and schooling. Mr. Yamada has seen many such children. "We would like to increase the potential of children by organizing Japanese language classes," he says.
Metanoia will soon be launching an online Japanese language class for children. "Each child has different needs and wants. Many children are left out of group studies, so we decided to start providing learning support online." Metanoia will also soon start online Japanese language classes for adults. "As children grow up, there may be some friction developing between them and their parents who do not understand Japanese, but if parents and children could communicate in Japanese, it would reduce the stress of miscommunication. If parents acquire Japanese language skills and find financially stable jobs, there would be a greater chance for their children to receive a better education. It is very important to support not only the children but also their parents."

Expanding Activities Beyond Geographical Limits

Metanoia's activities are not limited to a certain geographic area. In May, Metanoia began holding a Japanese language class in a Kurdish community near Warabi Station in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture. In June, they launched a language class in children's mother tongues in Ota-ku, Tokyo, mainly for children with Filipino roots. And, in Mizuho City and Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture, three Japanese language classes for children and adults are underway. We asked Mr. Yamada how Metanoia can manage its classes across regions while operating in the Adachi ward.
"There are many people all over the country who have put down roots in their local communities and are continuing activities that are needed there. Many of these organizations do not have the resources to manage themselves, which makes it difficult for them to expand their activities even when needed. Metanoia is working with such organizations and we are trying to co-host classes with them. Fundraising and securing Japanese language teachers are handled by Metanoia, while the recruitment of learners is the responsibility of an organization that knows the community well. The holding of classes in the Kurdish community in Kawaguchi City began in collaboration with the people of the ‘Kurdish Japanese Language Class,' who have been working at their own expense, on their days off in the past five years."

Challenge to Solve Social Problems Through the Power of Business

"Metanoia offers a package of methods to run classes, including how to apply for grants and expertise in Japanese language education, and then partner with organizations that know the local community well, in order to run Japanese language classes that make the most of their uniqueness. We will compile the know-how that has come up from various regions and provide it to the various organizations again. If this is repeated, the per-class running cost of operating Japanese language classes would be lowered, and the number of classes could expand at a faster rate. Children's cafeterias are now operating in many places, and we hope that classes for teaching Japanese to children may spread across the country in the same way."
Mr. Yamada's talk has a somewhat business-like perspective. "Metanoia wants to take advantage of the benefits of NPOs, but not just in terms of people paying out of their own pockets, as a volunteer effort; we want to adopt a social business approach to solving social issues, through the power of business. Until now, we have relied on grants for our activities but, in the future, we intend to receive money from participants in case we can, and put it toward areas of greater need. Online Japanese language classes are easier to multiply than real classes, and we would like to make them successful as a business, by charging a fee. In addition, we are planning to take on strategic online fundraising challenges, such as crowdfunding and soliciting monthly supporters. By combining various financial resources in this manner and establishing a stable financial base, we hope to ensure the sustainability of our activities."

Toward a Society Where all Children are Connected to Education

"It is said that there are approximately 60,000 children in Japan who need additional assistance in learning Japanese, but the actual number is much higher; said to be as many as 100,000. Speed is the key to how much we can increase the number of Japanese language classes for children in the next three to five years," says Mr. Yamada.
"The Japanese immigrant community had already begun in the 1990s when the country accepted people of Japanese descent due to a labor shortage. However, there are still many children in Japan who are not linked to childcare and education, due to language barriers, institutional barriers, and emotional barriers. We will continue to take on the challenges of various possibilities so that we can reach the day when there will be no more such children; even if it's only a day sooner."
Metanoia is expanding the range of its activities with flexible thinking, such as collaborating with other organizations and adapting social business methods. It is the wish of many people that Japanese language classes - which can be easily accessed on foot or by bike - spread throughout Japan.
Metanoia will start crowdfunding in July. They would also like to financially support the "Kurdish Japanese Language Class" in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, which was introduced in this article.

For more information, please check this page.

*This article is based on information available at the time of the interview. For the latest information, please contact the organization directly.