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An international workshop was held in Ho Chi Minh City to trace the history of Japanese language education in "South Vietnam," which disappeared after the fall of Saigon during the Cold War.

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, Professor Yoshimi Hirata, Dean Faculty of Languages and Cultures and Head of the Department Department of Foreign Languages at Teikyo University, held an international workshop entitled "The History of Japanese Language Education in South Vietnam" at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National University.

South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) was a state that ruled the area south of the 17th parallel from 1955 to 1975 during the Cold War, and ceased to exist with the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. Subsequently, it was unified into the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The reality of Japanese language education in South Vietnam has not been sufficiently researched to date, and the discovery of historical materials concerning educational institutions, teachers, and teaching materials at the time remains a challenge. This workshop was conducted as part of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) "A Study of the History of Japanese Language Education in South Vietnam: A Re-examination from the Perspective of Japan-Vietnam Relations under the Cold War" (22K00647), with Professor Hirata as the principal investigator. Co-sponsored by the Faculty of History and International Relations of the same university, researchers from both Japan and Vietnam brought together their respective research findings to discuss the history of Japanese language education in South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) before 1975 and Japan-Vietnam relations from multiple perspectives.

From the Japanese side, Professor Hirata presented research findings on "Japanese Language Education at Van Hanh University," Professor Kayoko Arita of the Center for Japanese language Education at our university presented on "Japanese Japanese Language Teachers Active in Saigon," and Visiting Researcher Hideko Yuyama of the Institute for Development Studies, Hokkai Gakuen University, presented on "Japanese Companies' Entry into Vietnam and Japanese Language Learning." From the Vietnamese side, researchers from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Ho Chi Minh City University of Education presented on Japan-Vietnam relations during the Republic of Vietnam, primary and secondary education, and the development of Japanese language education. More than 100 researchers, Graduate School students, and undergraduate students participated in the event, and there were lively question-and-answer sessions and discussions following each presentation. Through the discussions, it was confirmed that while research in the political and economic fields of Japan-Vietnam relations during the Republic of Vietnam has progressed, further research and discovery of historical materials are needed in the field of education, including Japanese language education.

This workshop facilitated the sharing of previously fragmented historical materials and research findings, strengthening the foundation for a systematic understanding of the history of Japanese language education in South Vietnam. The research findings are planned for publication as a joint Japan-Vietnam paper collection. Furthermore, Professor Luu Van Quyet, Vice President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National University, expressed his hope for continued research and educational exchange with Teikyo University. Japanese language education is rapidly expanding in Vietnam, driven by an increase in the number of students and those seeking employment. This research group will continue to promote international collaborative research and contribute to the development of Japanese language education and regional studies.

Click here for more information about Professor Hirata.
Click here for more information about Professor Arita.
Click here for information about Faculty of Languages and Cultures
Click here for information about Center for Japanese language Education

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