Q
Why did you start this kind of activity?
A
Kashiwa City International Exchange Association (KIRA) was established on June 20, 1992 with the aim of deepening mutual understanding and friendship between Kashiwa City and Kashiwa citizens and the people of the world, thereby contributing to the internationalization of local communities and citizens' lives and the promotion of multicultural symbiosis.
Q
What kind of activities are you doing?
A
These are the ten main projects that this association conducts.
- Japanese language class
Kashiwa
Kashiwanoha
Syo-Nan
10:00 - 11:50（Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday）
13:00 - 14:50（Sat）
19:00 - 20:50（Wednesday, Friday）※Kashiwa Classroom
There are classes divided into hiragana, beginner, intermediate, etc.,
and you can choose classes according to your level. The purpose is to learn daily conversation in order to live in Japan,
and we do not provide any Japanese language instruction necessary for elementary, junior high or high school entrance examinations.
As shown in the left graph,
the total number of students attending Japanese language classes is increasing year by year.
However, most of the participants are adults and children rarely participate.
I think it's difficult for children who go to school to attend during the school hours.
Also, as a countermeasure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus infection,
the person in charge is considering holding an online Japanese language class.
- Seminar related with life
This association mainly holds seminars on crime prevention, disaster prevention and visa.
In addition, the Association sometimes introduces career guidance provided by Chiba Prefecture and Matsudo City
(such as explanations of the system of high school and university entrance examinations and how to fill out applications).
- Consultation on free legal and administrative procedures
Kashiwa City has over 9,000 foreign nationals, or about 2 percent of the population.
There are many things that I don't understand that Japanese take for granted.
Education-related consultations are explained in the citizens' section of Kashiwa City Hall, so I have never done here.
Case1.
A Japanese translation of a foreign birth certificate or marriage certificate.
ex.Resident cards are only accepted in Japanese, but I can't write Japanese myself, so please translate them.
Case2.
病院に関する相談
Consultation about hospitals
ex.I'm going to have an operation, but I don't understand the explanation about the operation from the doctor to the foreign patient, so I'd like you to interpret. I want you to interpret for the infant checkup.
This type of consultation is the most common.
Case3.
Translation of court documents
ex. I received an order from the court to appear, but I don't know what it says, so please translate it
- Interpretation and translation
- Support for summer homework for foreign children
- Publication of an information magazine
We publish monthly notifications in four languages: hiragana, English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.
The Hiragana Kawara edition is also provided to foreign children through boards of education,
and the announcement is also posted on the website in multiple languages.
- Events to promote culture (introduction of Japanese culture, cooking of the world, etc.)
- Foreign Language Course (English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean)
- International understanding courses, multicultural symbiosis seminars, etc.
- Exchange events (Kashiwade International Exchange Festa, BBQ Party, Halloween Party, New Year's Party, etc.)
Q
What do you think of children who are not able to go to school (pre-school)?
A
The number of preschoolers is understood to some extent by the Kashiwa City Board of Education.
However, the cause has not been revealed.
It may be because of financial problems, religious reasons, or because if you are not a Japanese citizen,
you are not obligated to receive an education.
There may also be cases where you go to an international school.
There are people who need and don't think they need assistance even if they are in the same state of preschool,
so we can't talk to them all at once just because they are in the same state of preschool.
You can't tell if you really need assistance unless you come to consult or take action.
It is also an invasion of privacy to ask people who think that they don't need assistance.
Also, there are many people who move or return home without going through the procedures for moving.
For example, when the government provided 100,000 yen uniform benefits,
more than half of them could not receive them even if they were sent to registered addresses, and they were returned.It is still difficult to grasp the full picture.
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