Why English Can Be Challenging for Japanese Speakers

A question I often ask fluent non-native English speakers, particularly Europeans, is:

"Why can you speak English so well? How did you study English?"
How did you learn to speak English so well?

The answers tend to fall into two groups:

I learned it at school.(Without necessarily majoring in it at university.)
I often watched television and films from English-speaking countries.

Japanese students also spend years learning English, so those answers can seem surprising. This historical column discusses four possible explanations. Some claims in the original require qualification, which is marked below rather than presented as established science.

Reason One: English and Japanese Are Very Different

Japanese, and Korean too, differ from English in grammar, word order, vocabulary, writing and pronunciation.

The original article suggests that some features of Chinese, including aspects of word order, may make parts of English learning more familiar, while Chinese characters can present a challenge to English speakers.

Many European languages also share recognizable vocabulary with English.

English belongs to the Germanic language family, explaining many similarities with German and Dutch. Other languages rooted in Latin, particularly Vulgar Latin, such as French, Spanish and Italian, also share words through historical contact and borrowing.

Both Germanic and Romance languages belong to the Indo-European language family.

The expression thinking in English can describe understanding English in its own word order and speaking without first translating everything into Japanese.

Developing that automatic understanding can support fluency. Differences in word order, vocabulary and pronunciation can make the process demanding for Japanese-speaking adults, although they do not make it impossible.

 

Dutch Speakers and English

Dutch shares Germanic roots, many related words and some word-order patterns with English, which can offer advantages.

The original column cites a then-current English proficiency ranking and figures attributed to the European Commission: 94% of Dutch people over fifteen speaking two languages, 77% three and 37% four or more. These figures are reproduced as historical claims from its cited source, not independently verified current statistics.

Source cited in the original:Okaeri Sister’s Note article on English education in the Netherlands

Language similarity is unlikely to be the only explanation for Dutch English proficiency, but the author sees it as one factor.

 

Reason Two: Familiar Sound Patterns Can Affect English Listening

The sound distinctions we become familiar with in one language can influence how we perceive sounds in another. Research on Japanese listeners’ perception of English /r/ and /l/ has examined this influence.

This does not mean that missing English exposure in early childhood creates a lifelong inability to hear it. Studies have found that adult Japanese speakers improved their perception and production of /r/ and /l/ through training. I value opportunities to enjoy English from an early age, while also believing that age alone should not define a person’s possibilities for learning.

References: Iverson et al. (2003) / Bradlow et al. (1997) / Bradlow et al. (1999)

Reason Three: Limited Everyday Need for English

For many people living in Japan:

These circumstances can reduce the immediate need to use English.

• Why Learn English? What Parents of Young Children Can Consider
  Parents can understand the purpose of early learning and support children’s positive engagement.

The original author argues that these circumstances are changing.

The column anticipates English moving from something needed for promotion to an expectation at recruitment, citing major South Korean companies as an example at the time. This is its outlook, not a universal hiring rule.

Fast-moving, internationally connected work can require access to original English information without waiting for translation or another person’s filter. Overseas information matters particularly for new international ventures.

International encounters are already common in places such as Tokyo.

Before COVID-19, visitor numbers had been rising, and the article expected more cross-cultural contact in both work and personal life.

It argues that reliance on domestic demand alone is no longer enough for sustained growth.

In that view, English is becoming more useful.

This leads to another theme.

 

Reason Four: The Approach to English Education

Many Japanese learners study English for six to ten years, and elementary foreign-language learning had also become part of schooling when this column was updated.

The article contrasts this with countries that may not spend vastly more years studying but often perform strongly in non-native English comparisons, including Nordic countries, where it highlights early exposure and the quality of education。

Learning English involves more than the age at which we begin: how we learn and opportunities to hear and use English also matter. In early childhood, I believe it is important to make those encounters enjoyable and positive.

 

For practical ideas to try at home, read how families can support their child’s bilingual education.

Conclusion

Language differences can create challenges for Japanese speakers. The author therefore calls for attention both to how English is taught and to opportunities in early childhood. Neither those challenges nor age alone determine an individual learner’s outcome.

• Early English Education: Six Benefits, Key Considerations and Supporting Both Languages
  A discussion of early English education in a global society.