School Letters in Japan: Translation Help for Parents
What foreign parents can do when school letters in Japanese are hard to understand.
- Do Not Ignore Letters
- Ask the School
- Use Local Support
- Keep Important Notices
- Prepare Common Words
Do Not Ignore Letters
School letters may include deadlines, money, events, emergency contact, health checks, or items your child must bring.
Ask the School
Tell the teacher that Japanese is difficult and ask for simple Japanese, furigana, translation, or explanation.
Use Local Support
Some cities, international associations, or schools have interpreters or multilingual support.
Keep Important Notices
Keep letters about money, health, enrollment, trips, and meetings. Take photos if paper is easy to lose.
Prepare Common Words
Learn words for deadline, bring, payment, absence, meeting, lunch, and emergency contact.
This article is based on official public information and is written in simple English. Procedures may differ by person and city. Please check the official page or a consultation office for your own case.
Source: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/clarinet/003.htm
