In May 2014, the Japanese government announced its plan to attract ‘foreign talent’ as part of a campaign to further economic growth. The plan consists of three key points. First is a review of the ...

At this time of year, children all over Japan endure the pressure of entrance examinations. Over time, a more intense focus on testing their English-language ability has set in, with students ...

Earlier this month, the education ministry gave itself a big high-five after the results of a survey showed the English proficiency of Japan’s students is improving. The proportion of third-year ...

”Rei!” the young teacher commands her class of 23 high school students. They rise, bow and bid her good afternoon. ”Konnichiwa,” they say in a ragtag unison before being told ”chakuseki”-be seated.

Foreign language education primarily aims to cultivate learners’ competence to communicate in an additional language. However, the meaning of communication competence is not entirely transparent, ...

When traveling abroad, the language barrier can be pretty hard to get break through. Now, Japanese towns are rolling out multilingual hotlines to help tourists as the country sees a surge in foreign ...