English-language education in Japan: Difference between revisions

'''English-language education in Japan''' began as early as 1600 with the [[Nanban trade|initial contacts between the Japanese and [[Nanban trade|Europeans]]. Almost all students graduating from high school in Japan have had several years of English language education; however, many {{By how much|date=February 2024}} still do not have fluent English conversation abilities.

Japanese students experience great difficulty in studying English, due to fundamental differences in [[grammar]] and [[syntax]], as well as important differences in pronunciation. [[Japanese language#Sentence structure|Japanese word order]], the frequent omission of [[subject (grammar)|subjects]] in Japanese, the absence of [[article (grammar)|articles]], the functional absence of [[Plural|plural forms]], as well as [[Japanese speakers learning r and l|difficulties in distinguishing l and r]] all contribute to substantial problems using English effectively.<ref name="Dougill1">{{cite journal|last=Dougill|first=John|title=Japan and English as an alien language|journal=English Today|year=2008|volume=24|issue=1|pages=18–22|doi=10.1017/s0266078408000059|s2cid=145471291 }}</ref> Indeed, the Japanese have tended to score comparatively poorly on international tests of English.<ref name="Kowner1">{{cite journal|last=Kowner|first=Rotem|author-link=Rotem Kowner|title=Japanese Miscommunication with Foreigners: In Search for Valid Accounts and Effective Remedies|journal=Jahrbuch des Deutschen Instituts für Japanstudien|year=2003|volume=15|pages=117–151}}</ref>

An additional factor has been the use of English in daily life for "decorative" or "design" rather than functional purposes.<ref name="Ikeshima1">{{cite journal|last=Ikeshima|first=Jayne Hildebrand|title=Some perspectives on the phenomenon of "Engrish"|journal=Keio Journal of International Studies|date=July 2005|volume=15|pages=185–198}}</ref><ref name=blair /> That is, for Japanese consumption, not for [[Gaijin|English speakers]] per se, and as a way of appearing "smart, sophisticated and modern".<ref name=blair /><ref name="Dougill2">{{cite journal|last=Dougill|first=John|title=English as a decorative language|journal=English Today|year=1987|volume=3|issue=4|pages=33–35|doi=10.1017/S0266078400003126|s2cid=145079203 }}</ref> Indeed, it is claimed that in such decorative English "there is often no attempt to try to get it right, nor do the vast majority of the Japanese population{{nbsp}}... ever attempt to read the English design element in question{{nbsp}}... There is therefore less emphasis on spell checking and grammatical accuracy."<ref name="Melin1">{{cite journal|last=Melin|first=Tracy|author2=Rey, Nina|title=Emphasizing Foreign Language Use to International Marketing Students: A Situational Exercise That Mimics Real-World Challenges|journal=Global Business Languages|year=2005|volume=10|pages=13–25}}</ref> Thus exposure to English encountered in daily life in Japan is unlikely to be helpful as a learning aid. (see [[Engrish]])

Another difficulty is the potential fear that allowing the English language to assimilate into Japan will take away its distinctiveness and force them to comply with Western culture. They see English language as an extension of Western civilization. The English language is seen as an aggressive and individualistic language which is the opposite of the Japanese language and culture. For a more reserved Japanese citizen to force themself to be more 'outgoing' and 'outspoken' when they speak English, it is a direct conflict of how they should talk in the Japanese government's minds. If students learn to speak more 'outspokenly' and 'individualistically' too young, it might affect their Japanese speaking skills and influence their native language too strongly. It could cause the Japanese language to become Westernized instead of staying pure and strictly only Japanese.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hashimoto|first=Kayoko|date=2000-04-01|title='Internationalisation' is 'Japanisation': Japan's foreign language education and national identity|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/07256860050000786|journal=Journal of Intercultural Studies|volume=21|issue=1|pages=39–51|doi=10.1080/07256860050000786|s2cid=145785337 |issn=0725-6868}}</ref>

According to the [[Ministry of Finance (Japan)]], in the 2004 [[fiscal year]] (FY) the General Account expenditures<ref>"Understanding the Japanese Budget 2004." Budget: Ministry of Finance. 22 July 2008. Ministry of Finance Japan. 28 Nov. 2009. <http://www.mof.go.jp/english/budget/brief/2004/2004e_03.htm#4 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324033237/https://www.mof.go.jp/english/budget/brief/2004/2004e_03.htm#4 |date=24 March 2011 }}></ref> for measures related to education and science were ¥6,133.0 billion (or roughly $70.8 billion). Japan is ranked 22nd in the world in the UN [[Education Index]], but scores highly in science according to [[PISA]].

In April 2011 English instruction became compulsory starting in the 5th grade of elementary school (age 10).<ref>{{cite news | title= Japan launches primary push to teach English |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/mar/08/japan-launches-primary-english-push|access-date=2011-03-13 |location=London |first=Justin |last=McCurry |date=8 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Elementary schools to get English |work=[[The Japan Times]]|url= http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110226f1nn20100629i1.html |work=[[The Japan Times]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110806093925/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100629i1.html |archive-date=2011-08-06 |access-date=2011-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Are schools ready for English? |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/02/26/national/are-schools-ready-for-english/ |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=26 February 2011 |access-date=2011-03-13}}</ref>

Private language schools for English are known as [[eikaiwa school|eikaiwa]]. The largest of these chains were Aeon, GEOS, and [[ECC (eikaiwa)|ECC]]; only ECC and AEON have not yet filed for [[bankruptcy]]. The industry is not well regulated. Nova, originally by far the largest chain with over 900 branches in Japan, collapsed in October 2007, leaving thousands of foreign teachers without money or a place to live. Other teachers work in universities, although most university positions now require a graduate degree or higher.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hendrickx|first1=Chelsea|title=What Are The Basic Requirements To Teach English in Japan? |url=https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/blog/what-are-the-basic-requirements-to-teach-english-in-japan |website=International TEFL Academy |date=2023 |accessdate=18 December 2023}}</ref>

Employees of the [[Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme]] are sponsored by the [[Government of Japan]] to assist language teachers at Japanese high schools and elementary schools in Japanese cities and rural countryside.<ref name=itefla>{{Cite web |title=What is the JET Program (Japan Exchange & Teaching Program)? |url=https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/blog/what-is-the-japanese-exchange-and-teaching-program-jet |website=International TEFL Academy |date=2023 |accessdate=18 December 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=blair>{{cite journal|title=The Role of English and Other Foreign Languages in Japanese Society|url=http://iteslj.org/Articles/Blair-EngJpn.html|last=Blair|first=R. Jeffrey|workjournal=The Internet TESL Journal|volume=3|issue=7|date=July 1997|access-date=24 January 2014|quote=Multilingual commercial texts used for sentence level communication almost always supplement the native Japanese with English or French (...); English evokes an image of quality, reliability, (Haarman, 1984a and 1984b) and modern living (Haarman 1986 and Loveday, 1986)...}}</ref>