2026Years1Month27On Tuesday, the 10th, we held an open lecture entitled "Perspectives and Practices for Understanding Different Cultures: Communication Skills Learned from Misunderstandings between 'Ready-to-Read Japanese' and Foreigners."
Professor Takuya Shimizu of the Department of Global Communication, Faculty of International Communication, served as the lecturer. He focused on the "reading the atmosphere" communication that is deeply rooted in Japanese society, and explained in an easy-to-understand manner from the perspective of cultural anthropology why misunderstandings are so likely to occur when interacting with people from different cultures.
On the day, people from a wide range of backgrounds, mainly working adults and educators who are interested in interacting with foreigners, attended the event, and provided the following feedback:
・The theory covered a wide range of topics, from abstract to concrete examples, and seemed like it could be used in my own research.
・It was good that there were specific exercises. The instructor gave specific examples and explained them in words, which made it easy to understand.
・"Reading the atmosphere" can sometimes be misunderstood or not understood. I had never really thought about that, but after hearing the theoretical explanation, I thought, "I see."
I think it's important to visualize words and think about whether they're being conveyed, not only to foreigners but also to Japanese people.
・I often come into contact with people with roots overseas at work, and there are many situations where I find it difficult to read the mood or deal with miscommunication, so this was very helpful.
In an increasingly multicultural society, the importance of "translating" the atmosphere and sharing assumptions and reasons in words and forms, rather than relying on tacit understanding, was reaffirmed, and the experience was a meaningful opportunity to reexamine everyday communication.
Our university will continue to take up topics of great interest to you and create opportunities for you to learn.
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