Studying Philippine languages and cultures in a Japanese university

TOKYO University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) is one of Japan's top-ranking institutions for the study of languages and linguistics, as well as related fields in the humanities and social sciences. The university, which turns 150 years old this year, has grown from its humble beginnings as a foreign language school in the early years of Japan's modernization. It is now a leading institution for language research not just in Japan but also in the world. Students can study 81 languages and specialize in 28 languages toward earning a degree.

TUFS is also one of only two universities in Japan where one could major in Philippine studies for his or her bachelor's degree and also study Philippine languages. The Philippine studies program is led by Dr. Kyosuke Yamamoto, a linguist who also teaches in the program and specializes in Tagalog and Ilocano, as well as Papuan languages. There is also Prof. Wataru Kusaka, an ethnographer, political scientist and anthropologist specializing in Philippine politics and Filipino culture. Florinda Palma Gil teaches Filipino and does research on the sociolinguistics of Filipino language and Japanese language education, and is also very active in work involving Filipino migrants in Japan.