“I chose to receive teacher training because …” Motivations for teaching and career aspirations among teacher education students in Japan

In the teacher education literature, studies focusing on the developmental origins of teaching career aspirations in prospective teachers are limited. This study explores the motivations and potential career aspirations of Japanese teacher education students, within the context of higher education. Using an adapted FIT-Choice scale, the research assesses the model's applicability in the Japanese context, identifies motivational characteristics and examines the differences based on potential career aspirations. The FIT-Choice model was successfully replicated with modifications. Japanese teacher education students primarily draw motivation from past teaching and learning experiences, emphasising intrinsic value within the teaching profession and altruistic motives in working with children and adolescents. Conversely, respondents dismiss external opinions about a prospective teaching career and are less inclined to view it as a fallback option, aligning with the findings of global studies. Furthermore, choosing a teaching career early on correlated positively with perceiving it as a field demanding expertise and led to overall satisfaction with the chosen career. The implications highlight the crucial role of interactions in sustaining prospective teachers, such as colleagues’ support, encouragement from students’ parents and the personal fulfilment derived from these interactions. This study postulates that practical work experience and a clear understanding of personal career values emerge as crucial factors in aligning prospective teachers’ expectations with the realities of future working environment.