How English is changing Japan

In August, major Japanese companies announced they would be adopting English as their official and has created mixed reactions in the Japanese community.

The influence of English in Japan has been quite temperamental. Japan has adopted many phrases from the English language in day-to-day conversations termed as ‘Japlish’, however problems with English education in Japan have also been deep-rooted.

During exchange in Japan, when stuck with words in Japanese, I could easily use English words and pronounce them in a Japanese accent to express myself. Although most Japanese people deny they know how to speak English, many English expressions slip through conversations unnoticed. Words like Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do stand for McDonald’s and su-pe-rin-gu for spelling.

The English language is continually seeping into Japan, following closely behind Chinese influence. Back in the eighth century, the early part of Heian period was described as the peak of Japanese culture. The Chinese language was perceived as the best vehicle for literary expression in poetry and prose.

However, Japanese women found it hard to express their deep feelings in Chinese, so developed kana, simplifying basic Chinese characters. This saw the formation of the Japanese language, and the Heian period produced famous literary works including Tale of Genji and the Pillow Book, which detailed cultural activities.

The adoption of English in Japan has also vigorously increased. Besides from ‘Japlish’ expressions, recent announcements by two major Japanese companies have revealed they would be adopting English as their official in-house language by 2012. This is the mark of a dramatic change in Japan and has caused ripples in the Japanese community. It has raised fears and questions of Japan’s ability to master the English language.

Rakuten Inc, Japan’s largest online shopping mall and Fast Retailing Co, operator of a casual clothing chain have explained this is the best method of surviving globally. Recognising English as a universal language, Rakuten have put pressure on its employees to master the language in two years. The headquarters in Tokyo have begun implementing English labels on menus in its cafeterias and floor directories.

I find it hard to see how the Japanese community can reconcile such a decision by the companies even though this means the potential of expanding businesses internationally. The requirement of speaking fluent English in Japan working for a Japanese company is a heavy blow to the cultural pride built since the Heian period.

The prospect of mastering English in two years is daunting. The average Japanese student would have spent at least 10 years of their life studying English and still would not be fluent. This is because they acquire only textbook English, where grammar points are learnt for tests and university entrance examinations.

A recent proposal by the Meiji University was the ‘Cool Japan Summer program’, seeking to promote Japan internationally. However to be in line with the rest of the world, more focus should be put on improving the quality of English teaching methods in Japan rather than drawing people into the country. Realistically, the actual process of mastering English in Japan is difficult. Whilst English is taught as a subject in most schools, English education has turned out to be fruitless as students are poorly coached.

Learning the English language and being fluent at it also poses a threat of making Japanese inferior to English. ‘Japlish’ comparatively is harmless, as it is all about playing around with English and incorporating some of it into Japanese with the fusion creating a tinge of sophistication.

There is great comfort some English words are already used in Japanese conversations. Instead of mastering the English language, perhaps ‘Japlish’ will suffice. In the words of McDonald’s Japan Co, ‘I-em-ra-bin-it-to’ (I’m loving it). This will protect the cultural integrity of the country.

This was submitted as part of an assignment.