Background of Our Activities

Low Rate of Advancement to Higher Education and High Rate of Non-Standard Employment

Recent study shows that 5,573 high school students nationwide requires Japanese language support—a figure that has approximately doubled in the past 10 years.(*1)

Furthermore, their higher education advancement rate is 28.4 percentage points less than the national average, while their non-standard employment rate is 35.5 percentage points higher. These figures reflect the systemic barriers and harsh realities these students face within Japanese society.

We believe a major contributor is the lack of tailored support available for high school students with foreign roots compared to younger children or adults with similar backgrounds.
Economic and family pressures often act as barriers, forcing many to abandon pursuing further education or a path to a more stable employment. Other challenges also exist, such as students being required to act as interpreters for their families during administrative procedures or being ineligible for public support due to residency status restrictions.

*Based on “Survey of the Acceptance of children who need Japanese language Instruction” by MEXT (2023).

The Language Barrier is Just the Tip of the Iceberg

The “language barrier” is often cited as the main challenge for people with foreign roots living in Japan. However, since the launch of the Roots Project in 2019, by engaging with various students, we discovered that this barrier is merely the tip of the iceberg. A “lack of connection with society” and “limited opportunities to develop their abilities” also act as significant contributing factors that prevent them from clearly envisioning their futures.

Many of the high school students we work with arrived in Japan during their elementary, middle, or high school years. As a result, the relationships and social connections they had built in their home countries are lost, as well as their sense of future direction becomes uncertain. After arriving in Japan, they are forced into forming new connections which are usually limited to school, and many are expected to make uninformed career decisions without fully understanding Japanese society.

The Roots Project responds to these challenges by creating opportunities for high school students with foreign roots to connect with open-minded and experienced adults working in Japanese society. For students who have often been socially isolated, experiencing various ways of ‘working’ in Japan and receiving positive encouragement about their future can be a catalyst for them to redefine their potential. We carry out our activities with a strong belief that these experiences foster motivation and creativity.

Activities

“Roots Internship”: Creating Opportunities for Companies and High School Students with Foreign Roots to Connect and Learn From Each Other

In collaboration with companies across Japan, Roots Internship offers opportunities for students with foreign roots to explore their careers through hands-on work experience and deep conversation with professionals. Instead of seeing students as just another part of the workforce, participating companies engage with them as mentors—welcoming them as young individuals exploring their futures and as valued members of the community. The program fosters mutual learning through conversation, allowing both sides to bridge differences in language, culture, and values.

The program is built around a one-day visit to a Japanese workplace, with personalized support every step of the way—from initial goal-setting to a final reflection session.
By clarifying and understanding their interests and connecting these interests to future goals, students deepen their self-understanding and gain the confidence to take ownership of their career paths.

Please see the following link for more details on partner companies, the Roots Internship program and comments from participating students and professionals:
https://note.com/kataribaroots/m/ma6e74662e03a

“Online Career Center”: A Consultation Space for Students to Explore Future Possibilities and Build Connections Within and Beyond School

At the Roots Online Career Center, students can explore academic pathways, universities, scholarships, extracurricular opportunities and information about residency status and related programs. Mentors at the center can provide ongoing support to students throughout the process including gathering and communicating accurate and up to date information so that these students are better informed of their opportunities. With this support, students can then participate in internships that align with their interests which can help to identify the skills and experiences they need to pursue their desired career. Our mentors can then help guide students to understand university costs and available scholarships and ultimately develop a clear and realistic career plan.

Stories from high school students with foreign roots we met through the Roots Project:
https://note.com/kataribaroots/m/m62fae1fa06d5

“#meet5000”: Bringing High School Students with Foreign Roots and Working Adults together to rediscover each other

In 2025 the “#meet5000” campaign was launched as a movement to create opportunities for approximately 5,000 high school students with foreign roots living in Japan (*2) to connect with society. The campaign aims to bring attention to the public the social structural challenges these students face.

As part of this campaign, we organized the “#meet5000 Fes,” a dialogue-based career event where high school students with foreign roots and professionals meet as individuals and “rediscover” one another beyond labels.
This event offers an initial opportunity for students who feel unprepared to commit to the Roots Internship, or who are just beginning to explore their future paths. The primary goal is to encourage students to start thinking about their future paths early while also expanding the network of participating companies and organizations, in order to co-create new opportunities.
To extend these opportunities across Japan, we are expanding partnerships to and with local organizations in various regions. Our decision to expand aims to connect students with peers beyond their own cities and provide access to professionals in region specific industries or occupations that may be difficult to reach locally.

#meet5000 campaign website: https://roots.katariba.or.jp/meet5000

Outcomes of Our Activities

We conducted a survey among high school students who participated in the Roots Internship during the 2024 fiscal year where results showed that participation in the program has helped students strengthen their confidence while also being left with a positive experience of the people and environment around them. In particular, participants reported a stronger positive feeling now that they have a support system when trying new things. We believe this serves as a vital foundation for their future engagement with society and their motivation to take on new challenges.

Enhanced “Resilience”: The Power to Overcome and Recover from Difficulties

Following the internship, the participants showed an increase in resilience—the power to overcome challenges. Students with foreign roots often face various challenges such as limited access to opportunities, stress of suddenly being in a new environment and insecurities regarding their Japanese language proficiency. The experience and sense of achievement gained through the program has appeared to help them overcome these existing challenges while also building the confidence to take on new endeavors. This is evident as many participating students have begun to take practical steps toward their future, such as applying for their first part-time jobs or exploring new fields like programming.

Positive Shifts in Perception of the Environment

The results have shown an overall increase in the number of adults the participants felt they could trust, alongside a stronger sense of a supportive environment that encourages them to take on new challenges. High school students with foreign roots often feel that their options in Japan are limited, and face uncertainty about whether they can realistically pursue work or further studies in their areas of interest. This uncertainty can lead to anxiety around making career decisions. Given these challenges, connecting them with adults who are willing to navigate future options alongside them reduces this anxiety by providing them answers while also serving as a vital bridge towards a more clear vision and confident engagement with society.

Please see following link for more details on the survey methodology and data: https://note.com/kataribaroots/n/nf64df1596af2

Collaborations

With Schools

We collaborate with a number of schools that offer designated admission quotas for students with foreign roots.
Beyond organizing the information sessions for the Roots Internship, we provide educators with unique insights such as students’ interests and concerns in order for schools to provide effective and tailored career guidance.
Our collaboration also extends to delivering school outreach sessions and providing support in response to inquiries from school social workers.

With Local Communities and Governments

In the 2023 fiscal year, Katariba entered into a partnership agreement with Gunma Prefecture to support the self-realization of students with foreign roots and in order to build a diverse co-creative community. As part of this initiative, we are driving the Roots Internship project forward through partnerships with businesses across the prefecture.

See below for more details on the collaboration with Gunma Prefecture:
https://note.com/kataribaroots/n/n0044c4885d3f
https://note.com/kataribaroots/n/n6d1a886a27dd

With Specialists

We collaborate with legal and financial specialists to provide support on residency status applications and renewals, as well as financial planning support for further education.

Sources

*1-2 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), August 2024: Regarding the results of the survey on the acceptance status of students requiring Japanese language instruction
https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/houdou/31/09/1421569_00006.htm