Regarding the May 11 editorial "Good example of English use": For the Japanese education ministry to promote such a limited and belated use of English — as, say, hiring an English speaker to help with meetings — may fall hopelessly short of the "good example" evaluation that the headline writer has so generously conferred.
Top Japanese marketers like Rakuten are roaring ahead in an all-English-milieu work environment, national and international sports teams are being competently coached by non-Japanese speakers, and some of the most successful businesses are ably run by foreigners. Perhaps the ministry is at least getting part of the message: More creative and constructive thinking is the best way out of its self-contained box.
Japan must commit to unlocking its English education system and wholeheartedly follow the many examples in society — scientific, cultural and recreational — that have already demonstrated the potential of a more open-door policy.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.