Are you considering learning Japanese? But you are not sure why it might be beneficial? Let JCCI scholar, Huimin, share with you how learning Japanese has brought for her!
2013 APU Scholar, Lim Huimin
As a millennial, there are a couple of reasons why I learn Japanese. The most beneficial and practical reason is that it helps me in my career. Japan has the third-largest economy in the world, and with a shrinking population, they are looking for more and more foreigners to work in Japan. While there are some jobs that don’t require you to know the language, it does give you an edge if you do. As more of their brands and companies are expanding overseas, you’re also most likely going to be competing with them, if not working for them.
Knowing Japanese helps me understand their culture better too. Other than for obvious reasons such as watching anime, some of their work cultures have spread across the world. For example, kaizen, meaning continuous improvement, came from Japan, and is now used in many companies to make their businesses lean. If you learn Japanese, you may pick up a new practice to help improve your business!
Lastly, Japanese is well-known as one of the most difficult languages in the world, but for some people, it’s pretty easy. For me, it’s a fun challenge. You’ll never really know until you try.
Of course, many of the other benefits of picking up a new language, any new language, come with learning Japanese too. The differences in culture help me appreciate mine better. Understanding Japanese also makes traveling around in Japan easy, especially for off-the-beaten-path travels!