Achieving the social participation of the resident foreigner: The case of the "Shikiji class" in Kawasaki city

It is very difficult to live far away from one’s own country, in a foreign country with a different language and culture, most advanced nations that accept immigrants encourage them to learn the language used in that country, and run public services offering language and cultural education. In Japan, however, such services rarely by well-intentioned citizen volunteers. The Kawasaki city board of education conducts an activity called “Shikiji class” at the Kawasaki city Fureaikan facility and seven other public pavilions. The purpose of this activity is to enable foreigner residents to meet the Japanese citizens, to accept “the other “ just as they are, to talk about what they wish to, and consider what the society they both live in should be, and to aim toward achieving it. The basic idea is “study together” and “live together.” However, in reality the number of residents who attend the “shikiji class” wanting to improve their Japanese ability for everyday life is hot few. It is clear that additional Japanese educational institutions besides the existing “shikiji class”, where they can learn the Japanese necessary to live in Japan should be made. Such organizations should be set up. By the Japanese government, managed by local governments, with NPOs that esteem the idea of the “Shikiji class” taking charge of the education