The Japan Association of National Universities (JANU) has adopted its new English proficiency benchmarks for entry into state-run universities, which now measure English speaking and writing skills, giving high school students a better grasp of the language before entering college.
The new standard approved by JANU on Tuesday, stipulates that scores on private-sector English tests that assess across-the-board English skills, such as the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), should ideally account for at least 20 percent of the English proficiency assessments used for university admission.
The benchmark, which will be introduced in January 2021, is not binding, meaning the degree to which private-sector test results are incorporated may vary among universities, association members said at JANU's general assembly held Tuesday in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward.