THE JAPAN FOUNDATION SURVEY ON JAPANESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS 2015: U.S. DATA - Main Survey Description

Sep 30, 2026

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The Japan Foundation conducts a global survey on Japanese language education every three years to document conditions abroad. This U.S. data report compiles findings from 2015 and 2016 for organizations teaching Japanese in the United States, covering primary, secondary, higher education, and non-academic settings. It outlines survey objectives, purpose, target scope and definitions, survey period and method, cooperating organizations, and response rates, then presents key trend statements and learner motivation highlights.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Main Survey Description

Objective and Purpose

Survey Target and Definitions

Survey Period and Method

Cooperating Organizations and Response Rate

Key Findings

THE JAPAN FOUNDATION SURVEY ON JAPANESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS 2015: U.S. DATA 海外日本語教育機関調査: 米国 2 The Japan Foundation conducts a global survey every three years in order to gather data on the state of Japanese language education abroad. This report is a collection of the U.S. data gathered by the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles in 2015 and 2016. I encourage you to purchase the official book of global data and analyses, available on the main website of the Japan Foundation Tokyo Headquarters, jpf.go.jp. Director Hideki Hara CONTENTS | Page | Contents | | --- | --- | | 4 | Main Survey Description | | 6 | Learners, Teachers, Institutions | | 7 | Learners by Education Level | | 8 | Maps | | 10 | Motivations to Study Japanese | | 11 | Enrollment Changes Since 2012 | | 13 | Enrollment Predictions for 2018 | | 14 | Native-Speaking and Non-Native-Speaking Teachers | | 15 | Teacher Training | | 16 | Teachers and Teaching Resources | | 17 | Supplementary Survey 1 Description | | 18 | Textbooks and Other Materials | | 20 | Teacher Certification and Standards of Language Proficiency | | 21 | Online Japanese Courses | | 22 | AP Japanese Exam: High Schools | | 23 | AP Japanese Exam: Higher Education | | 24 | Supplementary Survey 2: School Which Discontinued Japanese | 3 MAIN SURVEY DESCRIPTION Objective To understand the present condition of Japanese language education in the United States. Purpose • Use the data for needs analyses: decide grant allocations, create new support programs • Give legitimacy to Japanese language teaching Survey Target Organizations which conduct Japanese education in the United States, including primary, secondary, higher education, and non-academic institutions. • 50 states ＋ Washington D.C. • U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army bases in Japan Definitions • Primary: elementary schools • Secondary: middle and high schools • Higher Education: universities • Non-Academic: language schools, preschools, etc Survey subjects do not include the following: • Organizations which do not physically exist • Schools for children of Japanese nationals residing overseas • Some of these schools offer classes of Japanese as a second language; Only these classes are included • Broadcasting stations and websites which provide Japanese-language education for an unspecified large number of people • Very short, hands-on Japanese activities/experiences 4 Survey Period September 2015 to March 2016 Survey Method • By online questionnaire • By phone, entered into the online questionnaire (Minimal) Cooperating Organizations • Japanese Language Teachers’Associations • Japan Embassy and Consulates • Various State Departments Survey return rate： 78%(number of surveys returned / number of institutions we believe teach Japanese) • Number of questionnaires returned： 1,462 institutions • Number of non-responders：378 institutions • Declined to be surveyed: 31 institutions ”We have never taught/no longer teach Japanese”= 250 institutions contacted Survey Universe 5 IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, LEARNERS, TEACHERS, AND JAPANESE-TEACHING INSTITUTIONS HAVE INCREASED. HOWEVER, SINCE 2012 JAPANESE-TEACHING INSTITUTIONS HAVE EXPERIENCED NO GROWTH AND JAPANESE TEACHER NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED. 6 SINCE 2003, THERE HAS BEEN A 22% OVERALL INCREASE OF LEARNERS. 2006 SAW A 34% DECREASE IN K-12 LEARNERS. 7 THE TOP FIVE STATES SHARE 49% OF ALL LEARNERS. THE EAST AND WEST COAST STATES REPORTED THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF LEARNERS. Alaska WHETHER LEARNERS INCREASED OR DECREASED SINCE 2012 VARIED WIDELY BY STATE, BUT WEST COAST STATES ALL EXPERIENCED GROWTH. 9 “INTEREST IN JAPANESE POP CULTURE” HAS BECOME THE MOST POPULAR REASON TO STUDY JAPANESE FOR LEARNERS. n = 1451 institutions Q: In your opinion, what are the reasons your learners study Japanese? [multiple responses] FOR PRIMARY AND NON-ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS,“JAPANESE IS THE FAMILY LANGUAGE” RANKED HIGH.

FAQs

What is the objective of this Japan Foundation survey for the United States in 2015?

To understand the present condition of Japanese language education in the United States.

What organizations are included as survey targets?

Organizations that conduct Japanese education in the U.S., including primary, secondary, higher education, and non-academic institutions, across the 50 states and Washington D.C., plus U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army bases in Japan.

How were survey responses collected and what was the return rate?

Responses were collected via online questionnaires and by phone entries into the online questionnaire (minimal). The survey return rate was 78%, with 1,462 returned questionnaires out of the estimated number of institutions.

Sep 30, 2026

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