Japanese as a Second Language for Indonesian Migrant Worker Candidates: Linguistic and Intercultural Challenges in Pre-departure Training

This study examines the linguistic and intercultural challenges faced by Indonesian migrant worker candidates learning Japanese as a second language (JSL) in a pre-departure training context. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and open-ended questionnaires involving 20 participants enrolled in a Japanese language training program. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal three interconnected challenges. First, learners experience difficulties in acquiring Japanese literacy due to the simultaneous learning of multiple writing systems (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), which results in cognitive overload and reliance on romaji. Second, pronunciation-related difficulties—particularly vowel length, gemination, contracted sounds, and pitch accent—interfere with meaning-making and reduce learners’ confidence in spoken interaction. Third, learners face sociopragmatic challenges in using politeness strategies (keigo), interpreting indirect expressions, and adapting to hierarchical and non-verbal communication norms in Japanese workplace contexts. These findings highlight the close relationship between linguistic competence and intercultural communicative competence in migration-oriented language learning. The study contributes to Japanese as a second language and second/foreign language education research by foregrounding migrant worker candidates as a distinct learner population and by emphasizing the need for integrative pre-departure training models that combine literacy, pronunciation, and intercultural pragmatics.