Japanese is the official language of Japan, Australia's northern neighbour in the Asia region. Australia has a significant number of Japanese national residents, particularly in the major cities on the eastern seaboard. Japanese culture influences many areas of contemporary Australian society, including the arts, design, technology, fashion, popular culture and cuisine. Japan has been a close strategic and economic partner of Australia's for more than 50 years, and there is ongoing exchange between the two countries in the areas of education, trade, diplomacy and tourism.
Japanese has been taught in Australia for more than 100 years and is widely taught as a second language in Australian schools. The near-parallel time zones and the geographical proximity of Japan to Australia facilitate access, interaction and communication between the two countries. Student exchanges, community engagement such as sister-school and city relationships, and connections developed through other curriculum areas such as art, design and literature provide opportunities for Australian learners of Japanese to interact with Japanese people and to engage in cultural experience. Increasing numbers of students benefit from exchanges and in-country experience. Technology provides many additional opportunities for interaction and exchange with Japanese-speaking people and cultures.
At Coorparoo Secondary College we offer students experience in learning Japanese in Junior Secondary. Please refer to the relevant Junior Subject Handbook for more detailed information on the program.
*Please refer to the Online Learning section for LOTE subject options through BSDE.