Newsletter

Established in 2022 as Japan’s first Japanese language school specializing in career support, ISI Career and Language Academy is part of the ISI Japanese Language School, the largest Japanese language school group in Japan. Going beyond language education, ISI Career and Language Academy cultivates global talent capable of succeeding in Japanese companies by offering learning experiences closely connected to real-world business practices. Many of its graduates are already making meaningful contributions at companies across Japan.

This collaboration with the Gakken Group was realized as Gakken Co., Ltd. strengthens the overseas expansion of its content as part of its growth strategy, aligning with both the demand for foreign talent with multicultural perspectives and work-ready Japanese language skills and ISI Japanese Language School’s career education philosophy.

• Program Period: October 23~November 18, 2025
• Venue: ISI Career and Language Academy, Shibuya-Harajuku
• Participants: Career Japanese Course (Intermediate ~ Advanced Levels)
• Partner Companies: Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd. / Gakken Co., Ltd.
• Instructor:
  ・Ms. Misumi, Global Business Division, Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd.
  ・Mr. Sanbongi, Human Resources Planning Office, Gakken Co., Ltd.

Students selected one of Gakken’s popular book titles—Shimashima Guruguru, Chikyu no Arukikata, or Saikyo-Oh Zukan(The Ultimate Tournament)—and developed an overseas expansion plan for one of the following markets: India, Turkey, or Indonesia.
Students were responsible for the entire process, from preparing proposal materials to delivering a presentation in Japanese and participating in a Q&A session.

The program consisted of five sessions and was delivered through a combination of Japanese lectures by representatives of the Gakken Group and student-led group work.

【Session 1: Company Research】

• Research on the business activities of the Gakken Group

【Session 2: Guest Lecture】

• Lecture delivered in Japanese by representatives of the Gakken Group on “The Current State of Overseas Business” and “Global Expansion of the Publishing Business”
• Based on the lecture, students selected a book title and target country for their overseas expansion proposals.

【Session 3: Student Group Work】

• Overseas market research
• Set the target
• Review of pricing and sales strategies for the selected books
• Preparation of presentation materials in Japanese outlining the project proposals

【Session 4: In-Class Selection】

• From the proposals submitted by all classes, seven groups were selected as representatives of the school.

【Session 5: Final Presentation】

• Each selected group delivered a five-minute presentation in Japanese to representatives of the Gakken Group.
• The presentations were evaluated by Gakken Group representatives based on criteria such as project originality, market understanding, and presentation skills.
• Awards were presented in three categories: the “Gakken Award”, the “Student Award” determined through online voting by students, and the “School Award”.
  Some teams went a step further by redesigning the book layouts themselves and creating an actual page mock-ups, receiving high praise from the company representatives, who commented that the work was “of a quality comparable to proposals presented in actual planning meetings”.

Comment from Ms. Misumi, Global Business Division, Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd.
“Every team showed a high level of creativity, offering ideas from perspectives we do not usually encounter. Despite differences in Japanese proficiency, the students’ analytical and planning abilities were highly impressive. Many of the proposals provided valuable insights that will be useful as we continue to expand our overseas business.”

Comment from Mr. Sanbongi, Human Resources Planning Office, Gakken Co., Ltd.
“Some teams incorporated book design elements and photographs to express their ideas visually, and we were impressed by their highly polished presentation. We could see that the program places great emphasis on cultivating essential business skills, and we look forward to seeing the students’ careers in Japan continue to grow.”

Comments from Students

•”We found it challenging to connect market analysis with product value, but working as a team made it a valuable learning experience.”
•”I gained a better understanding of Japanese business practices, which gave me confidence.”

ISI Career and Language Academy will continue to expand its collaborative courses with corporate partners and further promote the development of global talent equipped with language proficiency, practical skills, and multicultural understanding.
Companies interested in collaborative projects are welcome to contact us at any time.

Founded in 1946, Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd. is a holding company engaged in education, healthcare, and welfare-related businesses. In the field of education, the Group operates classroom and cram school services such as Gakken Classroom, publishes educational content—particularly in the areas of Science and Learning—and provides products and services for kindergartens and schools, including textbooks and childcare supplies. In the field of healthcare and welfare, the Group operates serviced senior housing, dementia group homes, and childcare support services such as nursery schools and childcare programs. The Group conducts educational and healthcare and welfare activities in more than 150 countries worldwide.
For the fiscal year ended September 2025, sales totaled ¥199.1 billion, with 82 consolidated subsidiaries. The company is listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code: 9470).
URL: https://www.gakken.co.jp/en/index.html

・Company Name: Gakken Co., Ltd. (Gakken Inc.)
・Location: 2-11-8 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 〒141-8416
・Representative: Tatsuya Nanjo, President&CEO
・Business: Publishing and content businesses; global business operations; medical and nursing related publishing and content businesses; services for kindergartens and schools; classroom related businesses; e-commerce and online businesses; and advertising businesses
URL：https://www.corp-gakken.co.jp/en/

Operated by WEWORLD Inc., the school is one of the largest Japanese language schools in Japan. With campuses in four cities—Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagano—it enrolls more than 10,000 international students each year. The school offers a wide range of programs, from daily conversation and preparation for university and graduate school entrance examinations to business Japanese, supporting students adapt to life in Japan.
※Based on in-house research using data from the Japan Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education
URL：https://www.isi-education.com/

・Company Name: WEWORLD Inc.
・Location: 12F Sumitomo Fudosan Shinjuku Grand Tower, 8-17-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 〒160-0023
・Representative: Masaaki Ogino, President&CEO
・Business: Japanese language education; operation of vocational school; operation of university; preparatory school; recruitment services
URL：https://www.weworld.co.jp/en/

WEWORLD Inc.
Marketing Division
Mail: koho@weworld.co.jp