Python and language learning: How did Python help me get the JLPT N1
In April 2026, Japan added a JLPT N2 language requirement for some Engineer/Specialist visas. Most IT engineers are exempt, but these tighter rules highlight that Japanese proficiency is increasingly important for living and working in Japan.
This talk presents my wrestling with the Japanese language and how, from being an international student frustrated that I could only speak English, I, ten years later, led an engineering team in a mostly Japanese-led firm. What did I learn during this time? How has language learning evolved with the arrival of LLMs? And how can we use the king of scripting languages, Python, to customize our studies? I will talk about my experience, open-source Python libraries (genanki, onsei, and others).
Tell us about your own experience with this topic
My name is Jose, and I’m a Peruvian Software Engineer Manager living in Japan for eight years.
I have studied Japanese for ten years and have tried different methods, from the traditional books, Duolingo, Anki, and, most recently, Claude Skills. At the moment, I have the N1 certification and plan to test my tools with the Kanken (日本漢字能力検定) next.
What discussions can you have with attendees through this talk?
Do IT engineers living in Japan really need Japanese? How far can we learn a language with the current tools available? Is it better to use a tool or write one that fits your learning style?
With nine years of software development experience, I currently serve as a Lead Software Engineer at Soda. Been in Japan since 2019.
I love learning and alpacas!
- X: https://x.com/jota12x
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanjo12x/
- GitHub: https://github.com/jota12x