As students in the Department of Global Studies, we participated in a Community Engagement Project (CEP) in Sakai City from January 31st to February 2nd. This project focused on Sakai City’s implementation efforts for its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) platform, which involves collaboration among various stakeholders to realize the city’s vision of becoming a livable and sustainable community in alignment with the United Nations SDGs. As part of this initiative, our student research groups examined how Sakai City engages the international community on topics such as education, human rights, and disaster preparedness. Specifically, our group focused on employment issues related to companies hiring international workers for manual labor positions.

For our project we participated in an online interview with Mr. Sugihara, the owner of a company in Sakai City specializing in manual labor. His company sponsors and employs workers from Vietnam. Beyond providing job opportunities, Mr. Sugihara is very involved in supporting his employees in Japan and maintaining connections with them even after they return to Vietnam. He said that while working conditions can be challenging due to cultural and language barriers, he believes that creating a respectful work environment and providing opportunities for Japanese language learning can help workers and employers overcome these difficulties.

When asked why he hires employees from Vietnam, Mr. Sugihara explained that Japan often faces a labor shortage in manual jobs, with few Japanese workers willing to take on these roles. For many Vietnamese workers, these jobs present an opportunity to improve their living conditions while supporting their families. Their strong motivation to succeed makes them valuable contributors to his company.

The Japanese government has established various programs offering limited working visas for international workers, enabling companies to recruit skilled labor for periods of three to five years. Mr. Sugihara finds these programs mutually beneficial but believes it is crucial to go beyond the traditional role of an employer. He dedicates time outside of work to building personal relationships with his employees, teaching them Japanese, taking them out for meals, and offering guidance to help them adapt to life in Sakai City. He travels to Vietnam for recruitment and even attended the wedding for one of his former employees. He believes these personal connections are essential for creating a sustainable and harmonious work environment.

Mr. Sugihara said that while some companies in Japan have exploited foreign worker programs, he believes his own approach is ethical. By helping his employees learn Japanese and understand local customs, he fosters a mutually rewarding relationship between his company and the workers. He views the program not just as a means to address labor shortages but also as a bridge for cultural exchange between Japan and other countries. Although the future of these programs remains uncertain, he hopes these programs will continue in a humane and ethical manner. He believes that these initiatives can help Japanese communities become more internationalized while offering foreign workers meaningful opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

In conclusion, Mr. Sugihara’s approach demonstrates how businesses can play a pivotal role in advancing the SDGs by promoting inclusivity, cultural exchange, and ethical employment practices. His story underscores the importance of mutual respect and understanding in fostering a sustainable and globally connected workforce and we think he and his company are contributing to Sakai City’s SDGs platform in a positive way.

We are students studying in the Department of Global Studies (DGS) at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. As a part of our Community Engagement project, which is focused on Sakai City and its SDGs platform, we conducted an interview with a resident of Sakai City to learn more about how international residents of Sakai City navigate the public education system. We interviewed Emily Nakanishi, who moved from the Philippines 20 years ago after marrying her Japanese husband. She has 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl, ages 19, 15, and 11 years old. In this interview she told us all about her life in Sakai City as a foreigner living and working in Japan while raising three children.

Mrs. Nakanishi works in a factory that produces salads and other foods for fast food restaurants. She told us that this is a foreigner friendly factory, and that most of her colleagues are also foreigners. She also works in an after-school childcare center, and additionally teaches English to children in the evenings.

“Sakai City is a very easy place to live,” Mrs. Nakanishi told us enthusiastically. She explained to us that because she doesn’t drive, she finds the public transportation in Sakai City to be very convenient and she added that Sakai City provides all the necessities for living comfortably like a nearby hospital, schools, and supermarkets.

Another positive about living in Sakai City is that the department of education provides support to international and bi-cultural families, such as free classes inside the schools for students who are learning Japanese. They also provide translators for parents who cannot yet communicate well with teachers. In addition, Mrs. Nakanishi shared that her children's school in Sakai City provides numerous opportunities for her to actively participate in their education. For example, she has been welcomed to actively participate in important events such as Parent-Teacher Observation Day and Sports Day. She also shared with us that she was involved with the PTA at her children's school during the pandemic. She explained to us that she never felt stressed while she was a PTA member because the other parents were considerate and gave her work that suited her.

Regarding her children, she shared with us that they all get along well in Japanese school and have lots of friends. They all speak Japanese fluently and it is their main language at home. As for Mrs. Nakanishi, she also has her own friend’s group, which she calls her “Mama-tomo”. On top of her busy schedule, she also plans many activities within her community. She leads a Zumba class with her friends, as well as planning events for her and her children’s families to have fun together like Christmas parties, summer festivals, and more.

As for difficulties and challenges living in Sakai City, Mrs. Nakanishi shared with us that she finds the city’s public education system is lacking in quality English education. Mrs. Nakanishi strongly believes that they should put forth more effort in improving English education in Japan. She expressed to us that she wishes that English education could start in kindergarten and that English classes should be taught with proper English pronunciation rather than the Japanese pronunciation of English words.

In addition, Mrs. Nakanishi shared with us that she initially struggled with school documents because they are entirely in Japanese. She found it difficult due to the number of kanji and had to ask her husband for help in the beginning. But now she told us that she has no problems filling in all the documents by herself.
Before our interview concluded, we asked Mrs. Nakanishi if she had any advice for those immigrating to Japan. She told us that the most important thing is to not hesitate to ask questions when you don’t understand something. She continued by telling us that in her experience Japanese people are very kind and welcoming, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try to make friends with them. She told us that of course everyone is nervous at first, but it will get easier with time. She shared with us that she did her best to integrate for her children’s sake, wanting to set a good example for them. This determination highlighted Mrs. Nakanishi’s perseverance and enduring spirit.

This interview was very insightful and provided us with some understanding on how immigrants get along in Sakai City, especially with the public education system. We are very grateful to her for offering us her time for this interview and look forward to meeting her again in January when we participate in our 4-day fieldwork project in Sakai City focusing on Sakai City’s SDGs platform and how the city engages with international residents on issues related to disaster preparedness, human rights, employment, and education.