Japanese - Described by Mr. Fukazawa

Mr. Fukazawa during the interview has provided his perspective on Japanese and shared valuable insights into its uniqueness, relationship with Mandarin, and the challenges one might face when learning it.

Japanese holds a strong bond with Mandarin. According to Mr. Fukazawa, Japanese and Mandarin share approximately 50% of their vocabulary. This implies that if you have some skills in Mandarin or other Chinese languages, you're already halfway there when you start learning Japanese words. However, the grammar in Japanese takes a different direction, making it seem dissimilar from Chinese. While there are occasional similarities, they only hold approximately 20% of shared grammar rules.

When Mr. Fukazawa was asked about the difficulty of learning Japanese, he believes that it's the easiest language on Earth to learn. He invites students who are confused to consult him for more details, suggesting that the level of difficulty might be misunderstood all along.

Furthermore, Mr. Fukazawa states the importance of immersion and exposure when mastering Japanese. Watching anime or Japanese movies can be helpful, as it provides real-world context and enhances language retention. He notes that the key to language acquisition is spending more time “being” in it.

According to Mr. Fukazawa, the hardest part of the language is the complexity of the writing. Japanese writing, which has a history across 15 centuries, comes with a number of rules that can be confusing. While all languages have their unique rules, Japanese seems to have more than the average, leading to occasional misunderstandings and difficulties for beginners.