Linguistic diversity in Japanese classrooms has reached a critical point. In May 2025, a record 84,759 students in public schools require support to learn Japanese. Most are children of foreign workers facing daily language barriers. The government plans to expand support programs, but demand already exceeds available resources.
Translation apps and AI: the new classroom assistant 🤖
Faced with a shortage of Japanese as a second language teachers, several schools have begun implementing real-time translation tools and adaptive learning platforms based on AI. Systems such as tablets with voice recognition and apps that generate personalized exercises according to the student's level are being evaluated. However, the digital divide and the lack of sufficient devices limit their widespread adoption in rural areas.
When the sensei also needs a translator 😅
The situation reaches levels of unintentional comedy. There are classrooms where the teacher speaks in Japanese, the assistant translates into Portuguese, and a classmate explains in Tagalog what was just said. The result is a class that looks like a Korean series dub. Some students already master three languages: their own, basic Japanese, and sign language to ask for silence when everything becomes a polyglot chaos.