DUSHANBE, September 18, 2015, Asia-Plus — Along with its programs aimed at macro-economic development in Tajikistan, JICA supports Senior Volunteers to come to the country.
According to JICA Tajikistan, Mr. Yoshiaki Muramatsu was dispatched to Tajikistan last year to teach the Japanese language at the Russian-Tajik Slavic University and the Institute of Languages. It is worth mentioning that there is enough number of people in Tajikistan who want to learn the Japanese language and culture. Therefore, in coordination with Government of Tajikistan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and kind support of the National Library, it was decided to expand Senior Volunteer’s activity and organize free Japanese language classes at the National Library of Tajikistan for interested students and the staff of the Library from September, 2015.
Besides teaching Japanese, Yoshiaki Muramatsu has been actively cooperating with the Embassy of Japan and JICA Tajikistan office to conduct speech contests among the students and prepare them to take part in similar events abroad. So, on September 10, there was conducted speech contest among the students of the Institute of languages. According to Japanese people observing the contest there is improvement in language skills of the participants. Out of many interesting speeches, the winner was decided. This was a third-year student Rozigul Alibekova who will participate in the speech contest to be held in Moscow in October 2015.
Mr. Muramatsu has burning desire to contribute to the spread of the Japanese language and culture in Tajikistan. “I will stay in Tajikistan till February 2016. While I am here, I would like to teach Japanese to as many people as possible” – says Mr. Muramatsu. He is sure that those who learn Japanese will have more opportunities to go to Japan and study or work there. He hopes that his activity will contribute to the improvement of friendship between Tajikistan and Japan.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international cooperation.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) started providing technical assistance to Tajikistan in 1991, and Representative Office of JICA in Tajikistan was established in 2006.

