Graying Japan, with its declining birth rates, has signalled its intention to let in over 5 lakh skilled foreign workers by 2025, and Indians are lining up.
“Moshi Moshi, konichiwa doushitan desu ka,” Mhaalini inquires, looking at Kanya. Pat comes the reply: “Hai, konichiwa watashi 101 no Kanya desu. Heya no air-con ga sukanain desu ga.” The two girls are speaking animatedly in Japanese before a large screen depicting the subject of their conversation: that the air-conditioner in Kanya’s room is not working. This situational chat in Japanese is part of their class, taught by Tadao Tanaka.
You’d think this Japanese class was being taught in one of India’s large cities where foreign language centres are proliferating. Actually, this class is taking place in a college in the small steel-and-textile town of Salem, Tamil Nadu.
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