Intercultural Communication and Translation News

Japan will consider tightening its long-term visa conditions by requiring applicants to pass a language test, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.

There is at present no requirement for Japan’s more than 2 million foreign residents to master the language, which in its written form includes about 2,000 Chinese characters in everyday use.

“For foreign people living in Japan to be able to speak Japanese is not only important for improving their own quality of life, but also necessary for Japanese society as a whole,” Kyodo news agency quoted Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura as telling reporters.

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