Thammasat Journal of Japanese Studies

Exploring the Influence of Native-Speakerism on Out-of-Class L2 Anxiety: A Comparative Analysis of PLCS and TLCS among Japanese Learners in ASEAN Countries

Masashi Umemoto, Wutichai Wutiwatcharanard, Vo Phuong Linh Le — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines the impact of native-speakerism (Holliday, 2006) on second language (L2) anxiety among ASEAN learners of Japanese in an online intercultural exchange program. Previous studies have indicated that native-speakerism may cause L2 anxiety among EFL learners; however, how it affects Japanese learners’ L2 anxiety remains to be addressed. We compare interactions with native speakers (Partner Language Contact Situations, PLCS) and non-native speakers (Third-party Language Contact Situations, TLCS). Through semi-structured interviews with five participants from Thailand and Vietnam, we identified seven key anxiety-inducing factors: lack of speech fluency, grammatical accuracy, fear of evaluation, comprehension ability, breakdown in communication, intelligibility, and interaction with unfamiliar partners. Findings revealed that in PLCS, participants experienced anxiety mainly related to linguistic performance. In contrast, TLCS-induced anxiety stemmed primarily from their perceived responsibility to sustain mutual understanding and maintain the conversation flow. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the anxiety experienced in PLCS is rooted in learners’ internalization of native-speakerism, whereby native speakers are viewed as ideal linguistic authorities and non-native speakers as deficient users of Japanese. Pedagogical implications suggest that before engaging learners in interactions with native speakers, educators should provide opportunities to explore the diversity of language varieties. Such preparatory activities may help learners enter cultural exchange with greater confidence and consequently reduce L2 anxiety related to linguistic performance.

A Study of Japanese Collocation Usage by the 12th Grade Japanese Language Program Students

Nannapat Nontanok, Suneerat Neancharoensuk — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates the use of noun + を + verb structure collocations among 200 twelfth-grade students enrolled in a Japanese language program at seven high schools in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. Collocational errors influenced by the learners’ first language (L1) are categorized into four groups for analysis: 1) “wearing,” 2) “opening and closing,” 3) “taking medicine,” and 4) verbs with multiple meanings. Research instruments include a demographic questionnaire, collocation usage test, and interviews with students and instructors.

The collocation usage test indicates that students scored an average of 5.15 of 17 points (30.26%). When analyzed by category, the percentage of correct responses was 23.60% for “wearing,” 17.00% for “opening and closing,” 17.00% for “taking medicine,” and 44.91% for verbs with multiple meanings. These findings indicate that students’ knowledge and understanding of collocations remain at a low level. Interviews indicate that students who perform well tend to memorize collocations as lexical chunks. Additionally, schools implementing chunk-based vocabulary instruction have higher average scoring than those utilizing a word-by-word or meaning-separated teaching method. These findings suggest that chunk-based vocabulary instruction may enhance student collocational competence and improve language proficiency. Therefore, instructors should learn chunk-based teaching strategies to promote accurate, contextually appropriate vocabulary use among learners.

The Study of Refusal Strategies of Japanese Speaking Thai Tour Guide and the Related Factors

Kamalas Keeratinanwatthana — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This research aims to study the following: 1) to study the refusal strategies toward requests, invitations and permissions among of Japanese tour guides in Thailand. 2) to study impact of factors such as intimacy and seniority on refusal strategy. Data were collected from a group of 15 tour guides through a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) and in-depth interview. The questionnaire DCT consisted of 4 situations, divided into 1 refusal of a request, 1 refusal of an invitation and 2 refusal of permission. All 4 situations were determined by factors such as intimacy and seniority.

The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1) Tour guides employed a variety of strategies to refuse Japanese tourists. The five most common strategies were: (1) apologizing, (2) providing reasons, (3) evading responsibility, (4) directly refusing, and (5) issuing threats. Factors such as intimacy and seniority influenced the choice of refusal strategies and the level of politeness in speech. From the interviews, it was found that most tour guides claimed to be highly aware of the level of familiarity when using language. However, the actual speech acts showed that they paid less attention to familiarity. Nevertheless, their stated awareness of familiarity was still higher than that of seniority. In actual practice, however, the tour guides used polite expressions that reflected a greater consideration for seniority than for familiarity.

The Study of Strategies for Translating Titles of Japanese Novels into Thai

Kamolchat Chatkitipornchai, Somkiat Chawengkijwanich — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines translation strategies in 832 Japanese novel titles translated into Thai language between 2003 and 2023. Results are that among strategies, direct translation is commonest, followed by partial direct translation and partial adaptation; retitling novels; transliteration; and partial transliteration and partial direct translation. Insights from interviews with professionals involved in title translation suggest that the strategy choice is influenced by the need for titles to accurately convey content; maintaining natural, idiomatic terminology; and appealing to Thai readers. These findings offer practical guidelines for translators and publishers for crafting compelling titles for readers in Thailand; they may be applicable for analyzing title translation in other media, such as anime, movies, manga, and diverse publishing formats.

Working Conditions and Adaptation of Thai Workers in Japan

Phatchaya Suphachai — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This research aimed to study working conditions, problems encountered in the workplace and coping or adaptive strategies employed among Thai workers in Japan. The research was conducted based on a qualitative research design. Data were collected from conventical purposive sampling and in-depth interview with 10 Thai workers working in Japan. The study results indicated that most Thai workers were employed in two main occupational categories was service-related positions and company employees. The employment types were classified into three groups was permanent employment (80%), daily employment (10%), and freelance employment (10%). With regard to problems encountered in the workplace, consisting of 2 points: 1) an unclear compensation, welfare benefits, bonuses, and overtime pay, and 2) Income instability, particularly among freelancers and part-time workers. In terms of adaptation, Thai workers adopted diverse problem-solving methods and adaptive strategies. The analysis indicated that most Thai workers relied on individual-oriented coping strategies, reflecting their capacity for personal adjustment. Despite facing cultural and systemic differences in the Japanese working environment, Thai workers demonstrated flexibility, perseverance, and the ability to learn and adapt effectively to the Japanese work context.

Exploring Japanese Thought

Benjamin Ivry — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This publication by Sueki Fumihiko, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, is a thematic annotated historical anthology of influential thinking in Japan. It discusses writers over more than a millennium of Japanese history and culture, including Hirata Atsutane, Yanagita Kunio, Tanabe Hajime, Musō Soseki, Tominaga Nakamoto, and Suzuki Daisetsu, among many others. The author observes that the impact of Buddhism in Japan was more lasting than some historians have assumed.

Professor Emeritus Sueki has adeptly assembled a wide range of brief excerpts of noteworthy texts, adding his own personal comments to each. Seven chapters focus on such themes as People and Nature; Questions from the Dead; From Introspective Life to Secular Engagement; Views on the Physical Body; Redefining Buddhism; What Is “Japan”?; and Society and the State.

The further addition of brief biographical data and a short list of suggested further reading for each writer included is especially useful for international students. This analysis points to some debatable choices by the author, including omitting women thinkers despite their presence elsewhere in the literature.

And the Japanese Constitution, mainly written by American civilian officials after the Second World War, is included as a Japanese text, which is another arguable point. A minor, potentially confusing detail for Western readers is that the traditional East Asian age reckoning is used in this book to calculate the ages at time of death of the writers cited, which differs from the method of determining ages in the West.

Nevertheless, the range and variety of material that is included makes Exploring Japanese Thought relevant for anyone interested in the history of Japanese philosophy, Buddhism, and related subjects.

Watercolor Creations of Kyoto’s urban Landscapes and Its Relationship with the Philosophy of Ichi-go Ichi-e

Pilaiporn Nunma — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This academic paper employs Art-Based Research methodology to propose and justify the Ichi-go Ichi-e Visual Analysis Framework for interpreting the aesthetic and cultural significance of urban landscapes in Kyoto, Japan. The study addresses the gap in scholarship regarding the systematic application of this Japanese philosophy as a framework for visual inquiry. The research utilises watercolour paintings of nine specific Kyoto locations as conceptual practice exemplars to demonstrate the framework’s utility. The primary objectives are: 1) to establish the technical properties of watercolour as a philosophical medium embodying the philosophy of Ichi-go Ichi-e, and 2) to systematically analyse these artworks to interpret how Ichi-go Ichi-e informs the visual recording of unrepeatable encounters and inspiring locations. The findings, generated through a systematic visual analysis framework, confirm that the medium’s fluidity and non-repeatability serve as direct visual metaphors for the philosophy. This paper’s main contribution provides a methodological tool for future Art-Based Research in urban landscape, shifting the philosophical discussion from abstract theory to applied visual analysis.