The proposal to make English Japan's official second language has been hotly debated over the past few months, but panelists at a recent symposium say it is Japan's leaders — not necessarily the general public — who need to master the language.
The symposium, which discussed English as an international language, was organized by the nonprofit English-Speaking Union of Japan, established in 1998 to promote international understanding through the use of English.
According to Yasushi Akashi, a former U.N. undersecretary general and vice chairman of the ESUJ, in order for Japanese business and political leaders to have "real negotiations," they need to be able to speak with foreign leaders without the use of interpreters.