[RawToast]

dizmox Wrote:I'm really not buying the "People from <Asian country> learn Japanese dramatically faster in the long term" story

Sure you need to study, but if there are similarities between Japanese and their native language then they will pick up the language faster.

Think of a Spanish speaker learning Italian or any other romance language. Or a Dutch speaker learning German, Frisian, or English.

I don't think it's that simple in the long term. The Asian people I've known tend to have had a nice headstart but after a while most people hit a wall after which everyone kinda progresses at the same rate respective to effort put in.

5 years living in the country is a long time. Anyone can become very fluent in that time if they try.