Gifu residents Kazunaga (75) and Kiyomi (67) Okita are busy volunteers supporting young people who have come to Japan from Myanmar. Loved and called "sensei" by those they help, they have diligently continued to do what they can on their own, teaching Japanese and computer skills and supporting study and work in Japan.

Their connection with Myanmar began in 2012. After retiring from a career as an elementary and junior high school teacher in Gifu Prefecture, Kazunaga applied to a MEXT senior dispatch program and was appointed principal of a Japanese school in Yangon. Kiyomi accompanied him. They both taught Japanese as volunteers while in Myanmar, but with so many passionate students, Kiyomi launched MJBD (Myanmar Japan Business Development) as a school for learning Japanese and computer skills that would lead to employment at Japanese companies in Myanmar. At first, she ran the school out of part of their home, but as the number of young students continued to grow, she had to rent a larger space to offer classes. Meanwhile, Myanmar's economy grew, and many young people were employed by Japanese companies in the country.

In 2015, Kazunaga's term ended, and he returned to Japan, but Kiyomi remained in Yangon and continued her efforts. However, the situation changed dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic, and Kiyomi had no choice but to return to Japan in 2020. The following year, a coup took place, and Japanese companies withdrew from the country, making it difficult for Kiyomi to return to Myanmar. She shifted her focus to supporting study and work in Japan.

Currently, she works with sending organizations* and local staff in Myanmar to provide support for studying and working in Japan. Many young adults in Myanmar are seriously looking abroad for their futures. For these young adults, Japan has become one option in life. The Okitas receive a constant stream of inquiries from young adults who want to go to Japan. *Organizations that recruit, select, and send people to work in Japan

Kazunaga focuses on teaching Japanese, while Kiyomi handles office work and interacts with students. Their activities span a wide range of areas, including Japanese language education, student career counseling, employment support, and housing arrangements. Young adults from Myanmar come to Japan to study abroad and seek employment opportunities. The Okitas have supported more than 100 young people since they started.

The Japanese language courses are held online for young adults in Myanmar, with around 15 students per session. Kazunaga teaches two-hour Japanese classes starting at 8:30pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday using intermediate-level materials, and on Thursdays, he teaches Japanese used in caregiving settings. The couple has also used their personal connections to secure employment opportunities for the young adults, connecting them with companies in caregiving, construction, civil engineering, poultry farming, and more. They have helped students find work mainly in Gifu Prefecture, but also in Kyoto and Ishikawa Prefectures. Myanmar has a culture of honoring and caring for seniors, and this attitude is highly valued in caregiving workplaces, where labor shortages have become a social issue. As a result, many young people obtain qualifications to work in caregiving. To help young adults live in Japan, the Okitas provide housing in a residential building they purchased near their home. They also deliver food once a month to young Myanmar adults living in Gifu Prefecture and invite them to their home to share meals.

Kiyomi received a message a few days ago: "I will never forget my gratitude to you, sensei." She feels glad she has taken on this work whenever she sees the smiling faces of the men and women she supports. Kazunaga, who prays for peace, helped build world peace poles in Myanmar and Thailand in 2016 to commemorate the victims of the Pacific War. "The young adults in Japan now will go back to Myanmar in 10 or 20 years. When they do, I hope they will work together to build a peaceful country."

As interest in foreign nationals grows in Japan, the Okitas' support for young adults from Myanmar is remarkable: they support them not as abstract "foreigners," but as familiar neighbors. Their grassroots support at the local level and their approach of engaging with people as individuals have the power to broaden understanding of diversity. Their work is also commendable and significant as an effort to support the contributions of people from Myanmar, given that many are helping sustain Japanese society through work in areas such as caregiving.