A free Japanese class is currently underway in Honiara, with training's provided by the JICA coordinators, at the youth center in the National Museum from the month of August to October.
Solomon Times spoke to a participant of the program, Mr. Benjamin Leve on his experience."It is very nice, interesting and quite exciting to learn Japanese. Language lessons are never free in Honiara and to study Japanese for free is a chance of a life time. It's very inspirational to learn Japanese. It is great to have the opportunity, privilege and chance to learn Japanese, even though the pronunciation is hard, the chance may never come again so I am making the most of it", added Mr. Leve.
"On the long term it would really help the participants to know how too speak fluently and if we ever reach Japan, it'll be much easier because you have already learnt the basics of the language," continues Mr. Leve.
Currently the participants are learning the Japanese alphabet, Japanese pronunciations, sing Japanese lullabies, Japanese writing, Japanese greetings and other common words.
"The Solomon Islands language has many dialects and this makes it quite difficult but the Japanese language is quite simple if you understand the pronunciations. I find the Japanese alphabet to be much simpler than ours. Our Japanese teachers are very kind and helpful people, so this makes the language easier to learn," continues Mr. Leve.
At the end of the course the participants will be receiving certificates of completion, something the participants look forward to.