The event was attended by representatives from various Japanese alumni associations and public organizations, including "Jugamo" and "JDS". This event marked an important milestone in the history of academic exchanges between the two countries.
According to MiddleASianNews, this year marks the 50th anniversary of when the first Mongolian student began studying in Japan under a Japanese scholarship. Diplomatic relations between Japan and Mongolia were established on February 24, 1972.
According to "Secret Order No. 26," issued on February 11, 1975, the teaching of the Japanese language began at the Faculty of Linguistics of the National University of Mongolia.
The first six students from the Department of Mongolian Language began studying Japanese, laying the foundation for training specialists in this field. From 1975 to 1990, elective courses were offered at the National University of Mongolia, where three teachers worked, and the number of graduates reached 53. Between 1990 and 2010, Japanese was taught in 90 schools, with 350 teachers, and in 2006, 12,620 students completed their studies, marking the peak popularity of the Japanese language.
Just five years after establishing diplomatic relations, Mongolia began sending its students to Japan. In March 1975, six students went for training for the first time.
Looking back over the past fifty years, it can be noted that Mongolia's transition to democracy and a market economy in 1990 significantly changed the nature of relations between Japan and Mongolia. Interaction between the two countries became more active, and interest in studying the Japanese language increased significantly, leading to an improvement in the level and quality of language proficiency.
Mongolian students studying in Japan choose a wide range of fields, including culture and art. The Japanese language has become deeper and more diverse in its use. For example, the "Higher Engineering Education" project is being implemented with the help of a preferential loan from Japan, under which training for future Mongolian engineers and specialists in technology will begin this spring, contributing to the further growth of specialists in the Japanese language in the natural sciences.
Fifty years is just the beginning of the journey, and in the future, the teaching of the Japanese language will continue to develop, preserving traditions and introducing new technologies. I am confident that the pioneers and teachers have overcome many difficulties and will continue to work together with the younger generation to find solutions and develop the training of specialists proficient in the Japanese language in Mongolia.
