[3] Many parents send their children to these schools in the hope of improving their child's prospects for higher education, or to provide exposure to the ways and manners of people from other cultures.
[6] The large chains run extensive advertising campaigns in print and on television; they sometimes feature Japanese or international celebrities in their promotions and have a very high profile and strong brand recognition often built on the personal and professional qualities of the foreign staff currently contracted to work for them.
[7][failed verification][8] A 2008 assessment of the language study market for fiscal year 2007 showed it had shrunk by over 61%, an effect of Nova's collapse, although demand for some services like software and lessons for children had increased.
[14] The collapse of the troubled Nova chain in 2007 left thousands of western foreigners with no source of income and, in the majority of cases, no accommodation after their contracts were abruptly cancelled.
[12] In 2014, Eikaiwa chain Gaba, famous for its "man-to-man" (one-to-one) lessons, came under fire from local print media for its handling of sexual harassment complaints against students.