General Education Course: Public Society: University-Wide Regional PBL IV, Visit to Komatsu Ibaraki Plant(Thursday, June 12)

In the General Education Course, 'Public Society: University-Wide Regional PBL IV”, taught by faculty members of the Center for Global Engament, students are engaging in project-based learning to explore the challenges of multicultural communities. With the support of the Hitachinaka International Association’s Japanese language class “RunRun,” the course encourages students to consider what they can do as members of a diverse society.

As part of this project, students are visiting local workplaces in Hitachinaka City that employ foreign workers, together with learners from the RunRun. The findings from these visits will be presented at an event hosted by the Hitachinaka International Association in July.
On Wednesday, June 12, two students enrolled in the course and two learners from the RunRun (originally from India and China) visited the Komatsu Ibaraki Plant. During the visit, they interviewed staff from the General Affairs Department, two Filipino engineers, and their supervisor.

The group gained valuable insights into topics such as the global expansion of Japanese companies, systems for accepting highly skilled foreign professionals in Japan, and the personal experiences and perspectives of foreign employees. One particularly memorable moment was when the Indian participant shared advice based on her own experience regarding support systems in local elementary schools—highlighting the importance of educational support for children of foreign workers.

This visit provided students with a meaningful opportunity to hear directly from those involved and to deepen their understanding of the realities and challenges of multicultural coexistence.