Results from a recent Japanese government survey indicate that, while Japanese school pupils and teachers’ English abilities are unlikely to reach the national target by the end of 2017, steady improvements have been observed in both groups.

With awareness of the relatively low English language level compared to other countries and with the aim to nurture global human resources, the Japanese government set national targets for school pupils and teachers’ English ability in 2013. The targets are for 50% of 3rd year junior high school students to reach CEFR Level A1 (IELTS 2.0) , and for 50% of 3rd year senior high school students to reach CEFR A2 level (IELTS 3.0) by the end of FY2017. According to the government survey, 36.1% of junior high school students and 36.4% of senior high school students had achieved the targets in 2016.

In terms of English teachers’ English proficiency the national target is for all teachers to have a minimum of CEFR B2 level (IELTS 5.5-6.5) by the end of FY2017. The survey shows that 62.2% of senior high school teachers and 32.0% junior high school teachers achieved the target level in 2016. The figures for 2015 were 57.3% and 30.2% respectively.

The survey also showed how the number of teachers enrolling in training programmes abroad has been gradually increasing in recent years. Between 2013 and 2016 the number of junior high school teachers participating in teacher training outside Japan increased from 230 to 288. Meanwhile, 305 senior high school teachers participated in overseas training programmes in 2016, which was double the 2013 number.

Overseas training programmes tend to be organised by the local government or board of education who in most instances will work with local study abroad agents in Japan that have direct links with overseas providers. Direct contracts between local government and board of education with overseas providers are therefore not common. However, funding support for individual teachers to enrol in training courses abroad is being made available. For example, the Metropolitan Foundation for Private Schools, an association of private schools in Tokyo, has annual funding for up to 200 teachers of English (up to approximately 7,000 GBP per person). With financial support such as this, and with government targets for improving teachers’ English ability still firmly in place, now is the ideal time for UK providers to promote their teacher training programmes in Japan.