According to a recent announcement, high-ranking officials of the education ministry in charge of English education will begin conducting their meetings in English this month. The new policy of holding meetings in English may or may not improve the quality of English education in Japan, but at least it sets an example of how to use English in important ways.
To some observers of the poor level of English used in Japan, it might come as a surprise that the bureaucrats in charge of English education actually speak English at all. However, Tsuyoshi Enomoto, head of the ministry's International Education Division, noted that English meetings are already common, since many foreign guests and officials from abroad regularly attend meetings or give presentations.
The decision to conduct English-only meetings by senior bureau officials who rank above division-chief level may be more than just lip service to the idea of using real-world English. If decisions and plans are being made in English, it just might produce a more progressive and internationalized mindset. Although that mindset will be no substitute for practical guidelines, language requirements and English study policies, it might help ensure change actually happens.
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