It's exam season in Japan, and once again the problem of English language education is being churned over. This time the debate threatens to turn serious, for three reasons.
One is the shocking discovery that Japan ranks worst in Asia after Laos and Cambodia in English-language ability despite the vast resources and time spent teaching the language. Another is the Education Ministry commitment to encourage English learning from primary-school level (it has also set up a committee to consider English language education reform, with this writer as a member).
And now we have a prime ministerial advisory committee report saying English should even be elevated to the status of second official language in Japan. But will all this be enough to break the nexus of poor teaching and national self-centeredness? I doubt it.