Saruhashi: Professor Tasaki, you just mentioned the progress in research and education in communication studies, but you're mainly talking about universities in the United States.

Tasaki: Yes, when I was a university student, it was not possible to study communication studies at Japanese universities. I think it was the same for Professor Katsumata, but for people of our generation, the only option to study communication professionally as an academic field was to study abroad. It was around the time I returned from the United States that research and education in communication studies finally began to take place in Japan.

Saruhashi: You're right. In addition to English, our department has professors who teach a variety of foreign languages, but their specialties are not linguistics or language education, but rather researchers of culture and history. When it comes to intercultural communication, attention tends to be focused on English, but our faculty members who teach Chinese, such as Professor Ichiki, as well as Spanish, French, Russian, Korean, and German, all offer cultural studies courses as their specialization.

Saruhashi: My specialty, sociolinguistics, and its neighboring field, linguistic anthropology, are based on the idea that "language is a mass of culture." Meanwhile, in linguistics, exploring the characteristics of language itself as a human ability—in other words, the universality of language—is also an important theme. This can be learned in "Introduction to Linguistics I and II," a foundational subject in the field of linguistics. Also, as you pointed out, classrooms are already multilingual and multicultural, and I've personally noticed this trend in recent years. By the way, unlike English, are there many students who start studying Chinese at university in your Chinese classes, Professor Ichiki?

Ichiki: That's right. Almost all students in my "Chinese I (B)" class, which teaches basic pronunciation and grammar, are learning Chinese from scratch. In language learning, if you don't master pronunciation and grammar correctly at the beginning, you'll struggle later, so I pay close attention to this in class. This year, after teaching the basics, I asked students to try giving self-introductions in Chinese, and I was relieved to see that they all performed better than I expected (laughs). Even in new languages, as long as you know the basics, you can get your point across. While continuous effort and ambition are essential to language acquisition, I also believe it's important to give students confidence that their Chinese is understandable. In my "Chinese II (B) -1 & 2" class, students aim to achieve a level of practical conversational ability, but along the way, I encourage them to develop the ability to learn about Chinese culture and society through literature, the internet, and other means. Learning about the culture of others, rather than just learning grammar and vocabulary, will naturally improve their communication skills.

Saruhashi: That's right. And that's why it's important to know languages other than English. The term "global standard" is often used, but understanding that the world is made up of societies with multiple languages, cultures, and each with its own history deepens your understanding of the concept of "global."

Ichiki: Deepening understanding of different cultures will also help to eliminate prejudice and discriminatory feelings, and prevent the worsening "division" in the international community. In the "Introduction to Cultural Studies II/Introduction to Comparative Culture II" classes I teach, I introduce Chinese culture and society based on my own experiences. The actions and behaviors of Chinese people have unique cultural backgrounds and reasons. A major goal of this class is to help students understand this. Fortunately, in our faculty, I rarely see students who have prejudices against people from overseas, including China, from the start. I think that's a wonderful thing.

Saruhashi: What do you think students are looking for when they choose this department?

Katsumata: Many new students enroll with the hope of "using English to interact with people overseas" or "working at an international organization." However, they aren't sure what kind of communication skills they actually need to acquire or what kind of international exchange they want to achieve -- is this how it feels for many students when they enroll?

Saruhashi: It's true that many students like and excel at English. As Professor Ichiki mentioned, quite a few students have experience living abroad before enrolling.

Tasaki: When you first enroll, I think it's enough to have vague ideas like "I want to learn English" or "I want to interact with people from overseas." However, in your first and second year classes, which are important for deciding which seminar to join, I want you to think carefully about what it is you want to do while you study.

Katsumata: That's right. The major feature of our department is that the curriculum is interdisciplinary and offers a high degree of freedom in course selection. Students can study a wide range of fields according to their interests and goals. However, this does require students to always be aware of what they are interested in and what they want to achieve while studying.

Tasaki: Because our curriculum is so interdisciplinary and open, there's a risk that students will get lost among the diverse options unless they make a serious effort to find their own path. However, conversely, this department may be a good fit for people who are just vaguely interested in intercultural exchange and communication. After enrolling, there's a good chance that you'll be able to find the path that's right for you from the wide variety of options.

Saruhashi: In our department, all students learn the basics of communication studies through required first-year courses such as "General Introduction to International Communication I and II." Based on this, students can move on to linguistics or cultural studies, depending on their individual interests, or of course continue their studies in communication studies. Students can also study related subjects such as international politics and international economics. We also offer a wide range of research methods courses, and by taking designated courses, including "An Overview of Communication Research Methods," students can even obtain a social researcher qualification. While communication studies is undoubtedly the foundation of our department, I want students to know that there are many directions in which it can develop.

Katsumata: Professor Tasaki and I are conducting research in the field of communication studies, but Professor Saruhashi's specialty is linguistics.

Katsumata: That sounds interesting. I'd like to take that class too!

Tasaki: We've been talking mainly about communication in foreign languages, but if we look at Japanese society, there are many issues related to communication. I would like to point out here that communication research goes beyond the various issues of communication in foreign languages.

SaruhashiPlease continue.

Tasaki: Now, let me tell you about what we're learning in my class, "Communication Theory III." In this class, we examine the role and function of nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures, in contrast to verbal communication, from the perspective of social and cultural values, based on knowledge from evolutionary psychology. Words aren't the only means of communication.

Saruhashi: Nonverbal communication is also related to how we define language, so it's of great interest in the field of linguistics and is a topic of endless discussion. Professor Tasaki's seminar deals with the theme of "interpersonal communication."

Saruhashi: On the other hand, the classes and seminars that you teach, Professor Katsumata, are focused on the theme of practical intercultural communication through English.

In my classes and seminars, I place importance on learning through hands-on intercultural communication experiences using English. In "Global Studies VI," we engage in more practical collaborative learning through problem-solving.

Saruhashi: What specific themes are you focusing on in your collaborative learning?

SaruhashiThat 's amazing!

Katsumata: My specialty is not business, but intercultural communication, so I have focused on the intercultural communication required in the business world. Since the Dutch university participated in this project as part of an international business class, they were responsible for all on-site market research and other aspects. Our students reflected on their interactions with Dutch university students, international and Japanese companies, and their own communication within their own groups, and compiled these into presentations and reports. Particularly impressive was the way our students communicated in English to the Dutch students the thoughts of a small- and medium-sized business owner committed to Japanese manufacturing, and then shared their report from the Netherlands in Japanese. We also discussed cultural differences between Japan and the Netherlands, allowing us to consider global business strategies together. I believe the experience of working together on a project between Japanese and Dutch students, neither of whom is a native English speaker, was a valuable learning experience for the students.

Saruhashi Professor Ichiki, who teaches Chinese language and culture, what do you think of the department's curriculum and learning environment?

SaruhashiChina is a vast country, and the cultural sphere of overseas Chinese active abroad is extensive, making it seem as though China itself forms a world unto itself.

As Ichiki says, China alone is a world of incredibly diverse languages, ethnicities, and cultures. China, Japan, the United States, the EU, Asia, South America, Oceania, Africa, and even people who move across countries and regions... each global is completely different.

Finally, I'd like to ask each professor to talk about the future and possibilities for students studying in Department of International Communication, including the career paths of their seminar students. Many of my seminar students find employment in trading companies and international logistics, specifically airlines, shipping companies, and warehouse companies that handle customs clearance. Some students are active in the media and in the MICE business, which runs international conferences.

Katsumata: Like Professor Saruhashi, many of my seminar students also tend to go on to work for airlines. Some graduates have gone on to work as cabin attendants or pilots. Others go on to work in a wide range of fields, including finance, global corporations, and consulting firms.

Tasaki: My seminar is based on social psychology, so many students go on to pursue careers in marketing or the service industry. Statistical analysis is essential for objectively understanding communication-related phenomena, and I teach statistics and data analysis in a course called "Computer-Based Analysis of Survey Data." Students in our department can also aim to obtain qualifications as a "social researcher." Some students even use their qualifications to become civil servants.

Katsumata: There are an increasing number of opportunities in Japan to utilize cross-cultural communication skills, including consulting for global companies. Recently, some graduates have gone on to work in the field of coaching, where they support clients in achieving their goals through dialogue. Even after finding employment, many graduates change jobs in pursuit of a career that suits them best.

Saruhashi: Unlike the generation before us, for whom lifetime employment was the norm, we now live in an age where people search for the right job throughout their lives.

Katsumata: In addition to the self-discovery they experience during their four years at university, our graduates, once they enter the workforce, seem to pursue work that suits them best, without being bound by the reputation or income of their employer. I find their tireless spirit of inquiry and ambition very encouraging.

Tasaki: It's true that many of our graduates don't compromise and change jobs repeatedly while searching for their own aptitude. One of my seminar alumni had studied abroad, and he felt that "after all, the overseas culture suits me better," so he left a Japanese company for a foreign-affiliated company.

Ichiki: It's only my second year at this university, so I don't know many of our graduates, but I did have a student who wanted to become a diplomat. The theme of his graduation thesis was "Chinese Thought and Action Principles from the Perspective of Face." It was an excellent thesis, and he decided to continue his studies at graduate school, wanting to deepen his knowledge before entering the workforce.

Saruhashi: I hope you continue to do your best in the future. Our faculty's graduates not only work for global companies, but also for UN agencies, international NGOs, and NPOs. We've also heard stories of people who have mobilized all of their education and work experience to start their own businesses.

Katsumata: In other words, the "world" is the field of job hunting.

Saruhashi: For that reason, I would also recommend experiencing overseas while you are a student. Our faculty's unique short-term overseas training program is unique in that, from the stories of students who have participated and their subsequent learning attitudes, it is very clear that they have learned a lot and grown as people. In addition, the International Center offers study abroad programs (study abroad at partner universities and accredited universities) and short-term programs during summer and spring vacations in many countries, so I encourage you to gather information, find a program that suits you, and take on the challenge.

Katsumata: I would also recommend that you experience the appeal of different cultures and the joy of communicating with people from other countries while you are in school.

Saruhashi: Listening to everyone's talks today, I was able to once again realize the breadth of academic fields covered by our department. From the perspectives of Professor Katsumata's international collaboration and intercultural communication in English, Professor Tasaki's interpersonal communication issues and nonverbal communication, Professor Ichiki's teaching of Chinese language and culture, and my own specialty, sociolinguistics, which focuses on the social functions of language, each of these fields offers a different look at the concepts of "global/international" and "communication."

As a faculty member, I personally love the diversity of this department. It's fascinating and always inspiring to hear from so many different professors with different specialties, as was the case this time.

Ichiki: I also enjoy teaching in this department. Students can interact not only with students from Department of International Communication, but also with students from Department of International Politics and Department of International Economics, and the same can be said for faculty members. I think it is a very global and diverse learning environment for both students and faculty. I have only recently become a faculty member in this department, but every day I feel that this faculty and department is a truly global environment.

Saruhashi: I'm sure the students can sense how you all put your heart and soul into your classes, education, and research while enjoying them. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to speak with us today.

*The years of employment, Position, activities, etc. of the people listed are current at the time of the interview.