【日本語を学んでも稼げない？】世界で学習者400万人突破もアメリカで急減のなぜ／円安で就職メリット低下／米国大学で広がるデバイスフリー教室の裏側／NYU准教授が語るAI時代の語学学習の真価とは

Global Interest in Japanese Is Growing

Japan Foundation survey data indicates that the number of institutions, teachers, and learners of Japanese rose again by 2024 after falling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japanese-language education was reported in 143 countries and regions in 2024. The subtitles cite an increase from 1,145 institutions in 1979 to 9,344 in 2024. The number of learners worldwide exceeded 4 million for the first time in 2024.

Popular reasons for studying Japanese include interest in anime, manga, and Japanese fashion, as well as interest in the language itself. Cultural interests account for more than 60% of learners’ stated motivations in the figures discussed.

Why Japanese Learning Is Declining in the United States

Despite worldwide growth, the number of Japanese learners in the United States has fallen. The subtitles cite a drop from more than 160,000 in 2021 to just over 130,000 in 2024. Matsumoto identifies three main reasons:

1. Fewer students enrolling in traditional educational institutions. Homeschooling, charter schools, and other alternatives are drawing students away from conventional schools. Because enrollment and budgets are connected, smaller language classes are more likely to be cut, sometimes eliminating Japanese programs.

2. Fewer schools requiring language study. Some institutions have relaxed foreign-language requirements for graduation or university progression. Students may be able to meet requirements through other subjects, such as computer science, reducing enrollment in language classes.

3. A shortage of qualified Japanese teachers. Some university programs depend on a single instructor. When that teacher retires, finding a replacement can be difficult. Matsumoto points to the limited supply of aspiring Japanese teachers and concerns about teachers’ working conditions as part of the problem.

Learners’ Motivations and Prospects for Work

In North America, interest in anime, manga, and Japanese fashion accounts for an especially large share of learners’ motivations—over 90% in the figures discussed.

Matsumoto says many of her students are genuinely passionate about Japanese culture. Some aim to study or work in Japan, including through graduate school or the JET Program, but many study primarily out of cultural interest.

The perceived career value of Japanese has declined in the survey figures discussed. In the United States, the share of learners studying Japanese for future employment reportedly fell from 60% to 25.7%; the share citing future employment in Japan also decreased. Matsumoto suggests that the weak yen may contribute: learning Japanese may feel less likely to lead to attractive employment or earnings in Japan.

She has also seen a change in students’ prior exposure. Many now arrive having watched anime or dramas since childhood. Some have picked up expressions or can speak to a degree despite having little formal grammar knowledge. This exposure can provide valuable language input, which supports later speaking and other forms of output.

Who Studies Japanese at NYU

The makeup of classes varies by institution. Matsumoto says that roughly 70% of students in her classes are Chinese or Korean, including international students and children of immigrant families.

She suggests that geographic and cultural proximity, familiarity with kanji, and prior visits to Japan may help make Japanese feel accessible. Students may also have opportunities to use Japanese in New York—in restaurants, supermarkets, and conversations with Japanese speakers—or during trips to Japan.

The Potential and Challenges of Device-Free Classrooms

NYU has held a seminar on device-free classrooms, which limit phones, tablets, and computers during learning and emphasize in-person communication and handwritten work.

Potential benefits include better concentration and more meaningful discussion and exchanges of opinions. Matsumoto notes that when students use devices, instructors cannot always tell whether they are viewing course materials or doing something unrelated.

The approach also raises concerns:

• Accessibility: Some students rely on devices to take notes, enlarge or access materials, or otherwise participate. Restricting devices may reduce equal access.
• Privacy: Making exceptions can reveal that a student has a disability or accommodation need.
• Practical and environmental costs: Carrying printed textbooks and materials can be burdensome, and replacing digital handouts with printouts uses more paper.

Matsumoto describes the issue as a continuing balance rather than a simple choice between digital and analog teaching. She favors flexibility and gradual adoption based on students’ needs.

The Value of Language Learning in the Age of AI

AI can increasingly handle straightforward translation, so the purpose of language learning is shifting from simply producing accurate translations to what people can do through language.

Learning a language can help people build relationships, trust, and empathy. It also offers insight into a country’s culture, history, values, and ways of seeing the world. Language ability can make communication and the exchange of ideas smoother in contexts such as study abroad, overseas work, and collaborative research.

Matsumoto’s own motivation comes partly from living in Finland as a teenager. The experience showed her that different societies hold different values, and she hopes her students will approach unfamiliar perspectives with curiosity rather than immediate judgment.

Comparing how the same event is covered in Japanese, American, and Chinese media can reveal that there are many ways to interpret the world. Matsumoto argues that this broader understanding of others can contribute to peaceful coexistence.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Sato — PIVOT host; introduced and interviewed the guest.
• Mayu Matsumoto — New York University associate professor and Japanese-language program coordinator; discussed teaching, student motivations, classroom practices, and the purpose of language learning.
• Japan Foundation survey data — Cited for global trends in Japanese-language institutions, teachers, and learners, as well as learners’ motivations.
• NYU program and enrollment information — Referenced in discussion of class sizes and student experience.
• An unnamed professor at a nearby university — Referred to for observations about differences in student populations across public and private universities.
• Exchange-rate figures cited in the discussion — Used to contextualize changing perceptions of employment in Japan.