Tokyo Vice (Rogers, 2022-2024) is a television series loosely based on a memoir about an American crime reporter working in Japan (Adelstein, 2009). Jake Adelstein is the first foreign national to work for a major Japanese newspaper, and the series portrays both his professional and personal life in Tokyo. Jake navigates the challenges of living in Japan as he acculturates. This paper analyzes the discourses circulating in this series and focuses on their significance related to acculturation and intercultural communication. Discourse theory and Berry’s theory of acculturation were utilized to analyze the series (Berry, 2008; Davies & Harré, 1990; Fairclough, 2015; Foucault, 1972; Reynolds, 2008). The discourses circulating in these series include foreign otherness, individualism, egalitarianism, sempai-kōhai, and integration/assimilation. By drawing on these discourses, Jake Adelstein constructed an integrationist identity. The process of shifting from a more American to a Japanese identity was not always linear. At times, Jake’s single-minded pursuit of a news story involved drawing on more American discourses of individualism and egalitarianism. At other times, Jake drew on alternative discourses of sempai-kōhai and constructed an integrationist identity. Jake’s interaction with these discourses reflects how identity formation is a recursive process in social interaction. The study of film and television series has significant implications for intercultural communication. The original story is set in the 1990s but recreated in the 2020s for a global audience. Therefore, the series reflects how Japan is represented to this global audience. Jake’s acculturation to Japan is represented as a process that exists on a continuum. Jake moves from cultural marginalization and separation to integration through interacting with others and adapting to Japanese culture.

In university-level Japanese language courses for international students, the standard teaching format typically involves one teacher instructing multiple students. However, some courses incorporate “support students” who are native Japanese speakers. These students assist international students in their learning. They often participate in courses individually or in groups by engaging in various activities to aid the learning process. The content of support varies from each educational institution and course, and is often left to the discretion of the class teacher, but information on the utilization of support students has not been widely shared. This small-scale questionnaire survey of Japanese-language teachers was conducted to collect basic information on the actual status of support student utilization. The results showed that about 90% of the teachers had experience using support students in their classes. The survey also revealed that teachers expect support students not only to serve as “students who support learning,” such as conversation practice partners and realistic resources of Japanese culture and language for their peers, but also as “students who learn together,” participating in class on an equal footing with the international students.

On the other hand, challenges such as unapproved absences and misalignment in role expectations were reported, indicating potential issues in classroom management. These findings emphasized the importance of prior preparation and follow-up, as well as the need to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of support students to avoid misunderstandings and disruptions.

While utilizing support students provides valuable learning opportunities for both international and support students, it also increases the workload for teachers. Moreover, a portion of teachers and learners expressed that support students were unnecessary in their courses.

These factors must be considered to optimize the effective integration of support students in Japanese language education.

This study aimed to evaluate factors influencing interpersonal relationships during cross-cultural adaptation by conducting a questionnaire survey of 162 Chinese residents in Japan. Factor analysis identified three dimensions associated with interpersonal relationships: “private relationships”, “attitudes toward Japanese people”, and “public relationships”. Path analysis indicated that Japanese language proficiency, frequency of contact with Japanese people, and social support had positive effects on adaptation in private relationships, while the length of stay in Japan had a positive effect on adaptation in public relationships. However, attitudes toward Japanese people and adaptation in public relationships were negatively impacted by experiences of discrimination. Furthermore, social skills, specifically “extroverted communication skills,” were found to have positive effects on all three dimensions of interpersonal relationships in cross-cultural adaptation.

This paper explores how integrating the three tenants of Radical Hope̶deep communal/family ties, cultural identity, and faith/spirituality, central to the African American community̶with Japanese concepts like 生き甲斐 (ikigai, the joy of purpose),和 (wa, harmony), 我慢(gaman, endurance), and 家族 (kazoku, family) can create a robust framework to address Japan’s suicide epidemic. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, initial interviews with Japanese undergraduate males reveal an intrigue with Radical Hope and a perceived lack of these elements in their lives. Drawing on African American community insights, Japanese research on suicide, and limited interviews, preliminary findings suggest that introducing Radical Hope may encourage deeper reflection on overcoming life’s challenges. This perspective aims to guide future Japanese researchers in creating culturally sensitive suicide prevention programs by leveraging African American resilience strategies and empowering Japan’s intercultural identities.