On March 19, an event organized by the Japanese embassy took place in Ulaanbaatar, dedicated to the half-century anniversary of Mongolian students studying in Japan. Graduates who received diplomas through Japanese scholarships over the past five years participated in this solemn event. They were warmly welcomed at the embassy residence, where a reception and festive party were held.
According to information from MiddleASianNews, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of education for the first Mongolian student in Japan under a Japanese government scholarship. Representatives of Japanese alumni associations and public organizations, such as "Zhugamo" and "JDS," operating in Mongolia, were present at the event.
Diplomatic relations between Japan and Mongolia were established on February 24, 1972.
According to "Secret Order No. 26," issued on February 11, 1975, by the Chairman of the State Committee for Higher Specialized Secondary Education of the Council of Ministers of the Mongolian People's Republic, the Japanese language was first included in the curriculum of the State University as an elective subject.
The first six students of the Mongolian language department began studying the Japanese language, paving the way for the training of specialists in the Japanese language in Mongolia.
From 1975 to 1990, the State University of Mongolia introduced elective courses in the Japanese language, taught by three teachers, and 53 students completed their studies. Between 1990 and 2010, this subject became available in 90 schools, where 350 teachers worked, and in 2006, more than 12,620 students were trained, marking the peak of Japanese language instruction.
Just five years after the establishment of diplomatic relations, Mongolia began sending its first students to Japan, and in March 1975, six students went for training.
Looking back over these fifty years, it can be noted that Mongolia's transition to a democratic and market-oriented system in 1990 fundamentally changed the relations between the two countries. The ties between Japan and Mongolia have strengthened, and interest in studying the Japanese language has significantly increased. Cooperation has become more active in various fields, and the level and quality of Japanese language knowledge among Mongolians have significantly improved.
Mongolians studying in Japan choose diverse specialties. They have achieved success in areas such as culture and art, including sumo and visual arts, and proficiency in the Japanese language among Mongolians has become deeper and more varied. It is also worth noting that the "Higher Engineering and Technical Education" project is being implemented with the help of a concessional loan from Japan, and starting this spring, training for future Mongolian engineers and specialists in technology will begin, which will contribute to an increase in the number of specialists in the Japanese language in the natural sciences.
Fifty years is just the beginning, and the teaching of the Japanese language will continue to develop, preserving traditions while simultaneously incorporating modern technologies. I am confident that all of you, pioneers and educators, have overcome many challenges and will continue to seek solutions together with the younger generation for the further development of training specialists proficient in the Japanese language in Mongolia.
