T: Being Chinese I can speak Chinese fluently. I can speak Korean fluently and a bit of English, as well. I learned Russian and German along time ago but I have completely forgotten them.

 

J: You seem to work very long hours - when you get time to relax, what do you do?

T: On Sundays I take the opportunity to have a long sleep because I'm so tired. When I get the time I like watching films on TV, playing 'go', reading books, and so on...

J: What do you find most difficult about your job?
T: It is really hard to summarise.....but I am always coming across some kind of difficulty or problem. But of course, my job is to solve such problems, so I always do what I can. "Japanese language school", taken literally, means a place to teach Japanese. Behind the language there is much history and culture from the country where the language is used. To help us commnicate, we need to understand this history and culture. There is a difference between competence in communicating and competence in the language and although they certainly interact with each other; a lack of competence in the language can cause many difficulties for mutual understanding.

 

In the case of the Yamasa Institute, we currently have students from over 20 countries studying here, and in the past students from more than 50 nations around the world. Their ages, academic backgrounds, needs, period of stay, etc. are very different. In addition, all sorts of conditions, such as the facilities themselves and the administrative rules and laws in Japan come together to make it sometimes difficult for me to guide students in both their study and living. However, that is my job, and it's a pleasure doing it.

J: Any plans in the near future?

T: I would like to help ensure that Yamasa becomes a famous school with a good reputation throughout the world. That's probably a goal rather than a plan........

 

J: How about your family?

T: All my children are grown up and have left home now - living independently. So now I just live together with my wife..