On February 23, 2015, As part of the Josai University 50th anniversary celebrations, Josai International University`s specially appointed, Professor Seiichi Makino, was invited by Chancellor Noriko Mizuta to deliver a lecture on Japanese language education with a focus on uchi and soto linguistic culture. The lecture took place in the underground hall of the 1st building, Tokyo Kioicho Campus, and was attended by JIU faculty staff and more than 160 students.

Professor Makino taught for a long time Japanese language, Japanese linguistics and Japanese culture, at the University of Illinois as well as Princeton University. He has thus made a great contribution to the growth of Japanese language education. Since 2014 he has been teaching in JIU’s Global College program and graduate level doctoral programs in the Faculty of International Humanities’Comparative Culture Studies Department.

Many exchange students at Josai International University are learning Japanese. Our teaching faculty members come from many different horizons, reflecting our diversified student body and our staff are able to work in close cooperation with our partner universities abroad to help develop new ways of teaching Japanese. This special event was organized to help improve our Japanese language education program.

In the lecture, Professor Makino exposed his rich achievements and peculiar point of view gained over many years spent in the United States. He also gave suggestions for a renewal of Japanese language education.