Download PDFTate Kihara
July, 2015
Abstract
Since the late 1970s, there has been a gradual increase in the number of foreigners entering Japan. This increase in the foreign population has resulted in the formation of what are called the “gaikokujin shuju chiiki” [areas in which foreigners are concentrated] in Japan. Gunma prefecture is well known as one of the “gaikokujin shuju chiiki” and the local public elementary schools have taken initiatives to promote the incorporation of foreign students.
The purpose of this paper is to introduce two elementary schools in Gunma and to discuss some of the measures that the schools are taking to incorporate foreign students. These districts are generally considered to be among the pioneering areas in foreign student education in Japan, and as such, they provide models for other Japanese schools.
