Interview with Alexander Binner

Interview with Alexander Binner the founder of Asahi Nihongo in August 1999 on March 10th 2010

● Why did you came to Japan?
> I came here for a sailing training　camp for Laser class in Sakaiminato　on September 1996

● What do you think about Fukuoka?
> Fukuoka is a great place to live; the city is safe, clean and has a mild weather. The food is delicious and healthy. The residents of Fukuoka are very friendly and optimistic, and they have a great sense of fashion. Fukuoka is very convenient for visitors because the main Airport is very near to the center of the city.

● Why should foreigners　come to study Japanese in Fukuoka?
> Fukuoka is a very traditional Japanese city, unlike the big cities in Japan like Tokyo or Osaka, which are similar to big cities in Europe. In Fukuoka people can really experience the Japanese culture hands on. Fukuoka is a great place to enjoy city life and nature. It only takes 30 minutes to get outside the city. Also Japan originates from the island of Kyushu, so Japan is made from Kyushu. Kyushu is the oldest known maritime port in Japan.

● What kind of school is Asahi Nihongo.
> The school was founded in August 1999 and Asahi Nihongo was the first school in Fukuoka, which targeted westerners by using a new method of teaching. We do not only teach Japanese, but also organize all the accommodation arrangements with a Japanese host family; flat shares, or dormitories. We too offer internships in Japanese companies, cultural activities and we a have a Marine Sports division. With our sister school Ritter we organize international interaction parties　that are well known and established among the business atmosphere of Fukuoka.
Asahi Nihongo is internationally recognized as a place where students can take educational leave programs.

● What is the goal of Asahi Nihongo?
> We want to be sure our students make the best out of their stay in Japan. Not just by teaching but also by creating possibilities where our students can actually use their Japanese skills.


● What kind of people come to Asahi Nihongo?
> Our classes are small with around 2-6 students per class. Our students come from Europe, North America, Australia, and from the rest of the world.　We have over 90% of returning students. Some of them have come back to Asahi Nihongo for the 8th time.
Our clientele is mainly European from German speaking countries, however we are changing this to create a much more culturally diverse atmosphere

● Which teaching style do you use in the Japanese classes?
> Our classes are taught by native speakers, and they use the target language to teach it. A good teacher can teach Japanese in Japanese and this is commonly referred to as the direct method.　Some explanations may be required in your native language, but the overall emphasis should be on the target language.

●What do your students feel while taking lessons at Asahi Nihongo?
> First they are kind of afraid, but after a while, they learn how to stop translating and just talk fluently.

●What do students do after the lessons?
> Since Asahi Nihongo works together with our sister Language school Ritter for Japanese people, we can offer students many opportunities to interact with the local residents by joining our cultural activities like the tea ceremony, Ikebana, Manga, shopping, experiencing a bicycle tour or going to a gym or to the beach.

●Where do the students stay during their studies?
> We provide our students with a single room in a host family, a share flat or dormitories.
All the accommodations have their advantages to make our students` stay in Japan as pleasant as possible.

●What is the benefit of staying with a host family?
> Living with a Japanese host family provides a great opportunity to use your Japanese
language skills in daily conversations and practice what you have
learned in your lessons.

●Why do students choose a flat share?
> Our apartments are the ideal accommodation for young people, who want to come in contact with other students or interns quickly.

●Why does Asahi Nihongo offer Internship programs?
> We believe that studying Japanese is not enough. You need to immerse yourself in the Japanese daily and working life.

●What kind of Internship program do you offer?
> Asahi Nihongo’s internship program will give you the advantage of doing an internship will local companies and businesses in the Fukuoka prefecture, allowing you to participate in more demanding tasks rather than small chores in bigger companies in other parts of Japan.

●What kind of Staff do you have?
> We are serious professional teachers with a strong background in education. In our school your teacher will seldom change, ensuring the lessons are designed to accommodate your needs.
We counsel our students in order to adjust our courses to their needs

●What is special about your teachers?
> Our teachers and other staff love their job, our students and our school. They are serious about providing a high quality service.


●What is the benefit of studying at Asahi Nihongo?
> We will help you with any of your needs or weaknesses at the free tutorials once a week. The International Interaction Tandem partner program cooperates with our sister language school Ritter where German and English are taught. Students who study Japanese can meet students who study German and English to exchange languages and focus on practicing.

●Which Japanese rules should students have in their mind?
> Sometimes it is better to accept things the way they are instead of trying to get everything right. In Japan you need to listen and pay attention to a lot of subtle voices and movements which cannot be heard if you make too much noise. Japanese people are very sensitive and they will understand if bad　things happen.

●How do students use their Japanese speaking ability in the future?
> Most of our students get a job related to Japan in various fields such as teaching positions, trading, IT or politics.

Thank you very much!