Chiryu City Japanese Language Volunteer Training Course to be Held
DiVE.tv, a general incorporated association, will hold a 5-session 'Japanese Language Volunteer Training Course' from June 20 to July 25, 2026, commissioned by Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture. This is the first such initiative in Chiryu City, where foreign nationals make up 8.3% of the population, aimed at promoting multicultural coexistence.
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- 📰 Published: June 4, 2026 at 10:00
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DiVE.tv (Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, Representative Director: Kanako Makino, hereinafter DiVE.tv) will hold a 5-session 'Japanese Language Volunteer Training Course' from Saturday, June 20, 2026 to Saturday, July 25, 2026.
This course is commissioned by Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, and is the first attempt of its kind in Chiryu City.
Reiwa 8th Year Chiryu City Japanese Language Volunteer Training Course
◾️ Background: Foreign nationals account for 8.3% of the population, one of the highest rates in the prefecture
Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, has a population of approximately 72,000, of which 8.3% are foreign nationals, making it one of the top cities in the prefecture for foreign residents. In particular, Brazilians account for 43%, and the city plays an important role as a bedroom community for people working at nearby automobile manufacturing plants.
The 'Chiryu Danchi' in the Showa district is one of the largest UR (Urban Renaissance) housing complexes in the prefecture, and currently about 68.5% of its residents are foreign nationals. In recent years, the population has become more multinational, with many people from Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar, now visible.
Chiryu Danchi Shopping Street (located in the center of the housing complex, with a supermarket, cafe, barber shop, post office, dental clinic, job placement agency, etc.)
The major challenge here is 'promoting multicultural coexistence.'
To help neighbors communicate with each other and enjoy their daily lives, the city of Chiryu established a Japanese language class in August 2023 where foreign residents can learn Japanese in a relaxed setting. Six classes (90 minutes each, once a week) are operated at three locations within the city.
Beginner-level Japanese class (Every Tuesday 19:15-20:30)
Intermediate-level Japanese class (Every Saturday 15:20-16:50)
◾️ Needs and Results: Over 3,500 learners and over 850 volunteers have participated
In the two and a half years up to the end of March 2026, a total of over 3,500 Japanese language learners (foreign residents) participated in the 'CHIRYU Japanese Language Classroom.'
The classes with the highest attendance are the beginner-level grammar class (for those who can barely speak Japanese) and the conversation class (open to all levels). This indicates that there are many foreigners who 'hardly understand Japanese' and those who 'want to become more fluent in Japanese.'
To meet these two needs (1. acquiring basic knowledge of Japanese / 2. practicing Japanese conversation), the presence of volunteers is indispensable, in addition to professional Japanese language teachers and original teaching materials.
This is because it is important to break down mental barriers and acquire 'living Japanese' through individual or small-group interactions with various Japanese people.
Beginner-level Japanese class (Every Wednesday 15:00-16:30 and Sunday 11:00-12:30)
Conversation class (Every Saturday 13:15-14:45)
For volunteers, the encounters and experiences at the Japanese language classes also lead to new discoveries, personal growth, and a sense of purpose. For example, volunteers have reported:
'My view of foreigners has changed.'
'I was able to talk to a foreigner who was in trouble.'
'I've started enjoying going to restaurants that seem foreign.'
'I think I've become better at understanding others' feelings, regardless of their nationality.'
'My horizons have broadened, and I've become interested in many different things.'
It seems that the more consistently volunteers participate, the more they feel this personal transformation.
◾️ Content of the Volunteer Training Course: Aichi Prefecture-recommended 'Dialogue-based' Japanese Language Learning Support
Our organization has been commissioned for three consecutive years since 2023 to conduct the 'Aichi Prefecture Instructor Training Course for Initial Japanese Language Education in the Community,' implementing prefecture-led training courses in Chiryu City, Tokoname City, and Hekinan City.
A total of 58 people attended the courses across the three cities (22 in Chiryu City, 17 in Tokoname City, 19 in Hekinan City), with over 80% of participants rating them as 'good.'
This course, hosted by Chiryu City, selects the most highly-rated content from those courses and delivers it through lectures and workshops.
Date
Time
Content
Instructor
June 20 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
13:00-15:00
Orientation
Dialogue Workshop
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
June 27 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
What is Initial Japanese Language Learning Support?
Aichi Regional Japanese Language Education Coordinator Miho Tokunaga
13:00-15:00
Experiential Workshop: Learning a Foreign Language in a Foreign Language
Foreign Residents
July 4 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
What is the Value of Multicultural Coexistence?
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
13:00-15:00
Listening to the Perspectives of Foreign Nationals
3 Foreign Guest Speakers
July 18 (Sat)
10:00-12:00
Skills for 'Easy Japanese'
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
July 25 (Sat)
10:00-12:00
Techniques for Listening and Drawing Out
HORIZOPIC
Representative Takako Wada
In particular, the workshop on Saturday, June 27, from 13:00 to 15:00, will involve 10 foreign citizens teaching their native languages to the participants. They will communicate only in their native languages, without using any Japanese. The languages include Portuguese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Sinhala, and Myanmar, which are relatively less commonly studied in Japan.
The aim is not only to help participants experience the difficulty of learning and teaching a language but also to imagine the feelings of a foreigner who has just arrived in Japan when spoken to by a Japanese person.
Thus, the goal of this course is not to teach Japanese language education techniques, but to provide the knowledge and sensibility needed when interacting with foreigners as fellow residents and citizens.
Overview
Date & Time: June 20, 27, July 4, 18, 25, 2026 (all Saturdays)
Location: Chiryu City Central Community Center (3-1 Hiromi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture)
Target: Persons aged 16 and over who can speak Japanese freely (nationality不限)
Organizer: Chiryu City
Participation Fee: Free
Application: Pre-registration via dedicated form (https://forms.gle/pPAs5awDzHJbQGkJA)
Residents outside the city, those wishing to attend single sessions, and those with no volunteer experience are all welcome.
There will be no online streaming.
Planning and Operation: DiVE.tv
With the vision of 'creating a society where the value of multiculturalism can be felt,' DiVE.tv engages in education and employment support for young people with foreign roots, Japanese language education, and information dissemination. It operates various support programs such as It's ME CAMP, mapa Career Counseling Office, and Japanese language classes.
Name: DiVE.tv
Location: 42-3 Nakayama-cho Nakayama, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture
Established: April 15, 2015 (Acquired corporate status on September 11, 2018)
Representative Director: Kanako Makino
Website: https://www.dive-tv.nagoya
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dive.tv/
This course is commissioned by Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, and is the first attempt of its kind in Chiryu City.
Reiwa 8th Year Chiryu City Japanese Language Volunteer Training Course
◾️ Background: Foreign nationals account for 8.3% of the population, one of the highest rates in the prefecture
Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, has a population of approximately 72,000, of which 8.3% are foreign nationals, making it one of the top cities in the prefecture for foreign residents. In particular, Brazilians account for 43%, and the city plays an important role as a bedroom community for people working at nearby automobile manufacturing plants.
The 'Chiryu Danchi' in the Showa district is one of the largest UR (Urban Renaissance) housing complexes in the prefecture, and currently about 68.5% of its residents are foreign nationals. In recent years, the population has become more multinational, with many people from Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar, now visible.
Chiryu Danchi Shopping Street (located in the center of the housing complex, with a supermarket, cafe, barber shop, post office, dental clinic, job placement agency, etc.)
The major challenge here is 'promoting multicultural coexistence.'
To help neighbors communicate with each other and enjoy their daily lives, the city of Chiryu established a Japanese language class in August 2023 where foreign residents can learn Japanese in a relaxed setting. Six classes (90 minutes each, once a week) are operated at three locations within the city.
Beginner-level Japanese class (Every Tuesday 19:15-20:30)
Intermediate-level Japanese class (Every Saturday 15:20-16:50)
◾️ Needs and Results: Over 3,500 learners and over 850 volunteers have participated
In the two and a half years up to the end of March 2026, a total of over 3,500 Japanese language learners (foreign residents) participated in the 'CHIRYU Japanese Language Classroom.'
The classes with the highest attendance are the beginner-level grammar class (for those who can barely speak Japanese) and the conversation class (open to all levels). This indicates that there are many foreigners who 'hardly understand Japanese' and those who 'want to become more fluent in Japanese.'
To meet these two needs (1. acquiring basic knowledge of Japanese / 2. practicing Japanese conversation), the presence of volunteers is indispensable, in addition to professional Japanese language teachers and original teaching materials.
This is because it is important to break down mental barriers and acquire 'living Japanese' through individual or small-group interactions with various Japanese people.
Beginner-level Japanese class (Every Wednesday 15:00-16:30 and Sunday 11:00-12:30)
Conversation class (Every Saturday 13:15-14:45)
For volunteers, the encounters and experiences at the Japanese language classes also lead to new discoveries, personal growth, and a sense of purpose. For example, volunteers have reported:
'My view of foreigners has changed.'
'I was able to talk to a foreigner who was in trouble.'
'I've started enjoying going to restaurants that seem foreign.'
'I think I've become better at understanding others' feelings, regardless of their nationality.'
'My horizons have broadened, and I've become interested in many different things.'
It seems that the more consistently volunteers participate, the more they feel this personal transformation.
◾️ Content of the Volunteer Training Course: Aichi Prefecture-recommended 'Dialogue-based' Japanese Language Learning Support
Our organization has been commissioned for three consecutive years since 2023 to conduct the 'Aichi Prefecture Instructor Training Course for Initial Japanese Language Education in the Community,' implementing prefecture-led training courses in Chiryu City, Tokoname City, and Hekinan City.
A total of 58 people attended the courses across the three cities (22 in Chiryu City, 17 in Tokoname City, 19 in Hekinan City), with over 80% of participants rating them as 'good.'
This course, hosted by Chiryu City, selects the most highly-rated content from those courses and delivers it through lectures and workshops.
Date
Time
Content
Instructor
June 20 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
13:00-15:00
Orientation
Dialogue Workshop
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
June 27 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
What is Initial Japanese Language Learning Support?
Aichi Regional Japanese Language Education Coordinator Miho Tokunaga
13:00-15:00
Experiential Workshop: Learning a Foreign Language in a Foreign Language
Foreign Residents
July 4 (Sat)
10:30-12:00
What is the Value of Multicultural Coexistence?
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
13:00-15:00
Listening to the Perspectives of Foreign Nationals
3 Foreign Guest Speakers
July 18 (Sat)
10:00-12:00
Skills for 'Easy Japanese'
DiVE.tv
Representative Kanako Makino
July 25 (Sat)
10:00-12:00
Techniques for Listening and Drawing Out
HORIZOPIC
Representative Takako Wada
In particular, the workshop on Saturday, June 27, from 13:00 to 15:00, will involve 10 foreign citizens teaching their native languages to the participants. They will communicate only in their native languages, without using any Japanese. The languages include Portuguese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Sinhala, and Myanmar, which are relatively less commonly studied in Japan.
The aim is not only to help participants experience the difficulty of learning and teaching a language but also to imagine the feelings of a foreigner who has just arrived in Japan when spoken to by a Japanese person.
Thus, the goal of this course is not to teach Japanese language education techniques, but to provide the knowledge and sensibility needed when interacting with foreigners as fellow residents and citizens.
Overview
Date & Time: June 20, 27, July 4, 18, 25, 2026 (all Saturdays)
Location: Chiryu City Central Community Center (3-1 Hiromi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture)
Target: Persons aged 16 and over who can speak Japanese freely (nationality不限)
Organizer: Chiryu City
Participation Fee: Free
Application: Pre-registration via dedicated form (https://forms.gle/pPAs5awDzHJbQGkJA)
Residents outside the city, those wishing to attend single sessions, and those with no volunteer experience are all welcome.
There will be no online streaming.
Planning and Operation: DiVE.tv
With the vision of 'creating a society where the value of multiculturalism can be felt,' DiVE.tv engages in education and employment support for young people with foreign roots, Japanese language education, and information dissemination. It operates various support programs such as It's ME CAMP, mapa Career Counseling Office, and Japanese language classes.
Name: DiVE.tv
Location: 42-3 Nakayama-cho Nakayama, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture
Established: April 15, 2015 (Acquired corporate status on September 11, 2018)
Representative Director: Kanako Makino
Website: https://www.dive-tv.nagoya
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dive.tv/
FAQ
How do I apply for this course?
Pre-registration via the dedicated form (https://forms.gle/pPAs5awDzHJbQGkJA) is required.
Where is the course venue?
Chiryu City Central Community Center, 3-1 Hiromi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture.
Can I participate without volunteer experience?
Yes, those with no volunteer experience are also welcome to participate.