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▼ Japan’s English Proficiency Drops To New Low
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Japan ranked 96 out of 123 countries and regions in an English proficiency index, dropping from low to very low for the first time, according to a recent report.
Japan ranked alongside Afghanistan among the non-native-speaking countries and regions classified as “very low” in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025 released by EF Education First, a global association of education companies headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
Among the 25 Asian countries and regions covered by the index, Japan ranked behind neighbors China and South Korea.
The latest edition of the annual index, published in November, was based on data from 2.2 million takers of a free, online test in 2024. The index included results from optional speaking and writing assessments offered for the first time.
Japanese test takers scored an average of 446 points across reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, compared to the global average of 488. The average age of test takers was 26.
A drop of eight points from the previous year left Japan in the very low classification for the first time since the index began in 2011. Top-ranked Netherlands, where English proficiency was classified as very high, scored 624 points.
People with low proficiency can give a simple self-introduction, including their name, age, and country of origin, according to the index. They can also give basic directions and understand simple signs, among other related tasks.
While early editions of the index ranked Japan’s proficiency as moderate, it has largely been in decline since, as the number of countries covered by the index has increased.
Japanese learners are not alone in struggling to make progress with their English, however. The index creators said that while demand and investment in developing English skills have not dropped, progress in proficiency has stalled globally. The index has not reported global proficiency gains since 2020.
In order to expand the pool of talent expected to play active roles globally, the Japanese government aims to have at least 30 percent of public high school students graduate with the equivalent of Grade 2 or higher in the widely used Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency by fiscal 2027.
Eiken Grade 2 corresponds to between 400 and 499 points on the EF English Proficiency Index, classified as very low to low.
A survey conducted by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology found 21.2 percent of high school students to be at an equivalent level in 2024.
Japan ranked alongside Afghanistan among the non-native-speaking countries and regions classified as “very low” in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025 released by EF Education First, a global association of education companies headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
Among the 25 Asian countries and regions covered by the index, Japan ranked behind neighbors China and South Korea.
The latest edition of the annual index, published in November, was based on data from 2.2 million takers of a free, online test in 2024. The index included results from optional speaking and writing assessments offered for the first time.
Japanese test takers scored an average of 446 points across reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, compared to the global average of 488. The average age of test takers was 26.
A drop of eight points from the previous year left Japan in the very low classification for the first time since the index began in 2011. Top-ranked Netherlands, where English proficiency was classified as very high, scored 624 points.
People with low proficiency can give a simple self-introduction, including their name, age, and country of origin, according to the index. They can also give basic directions and understand simple signs, among other related tasks.
While early editions of the index ranked Japan’s proficiency as moderate, it has largely been in decline since, as the number of countries covered by the index has increased.
Japanese learners are not alone in struggling to make progress with their English, however. The index creators said that while demand and investment in developing English skills have not dropped, progress in proficiency has stalled globally. The index has not reported global proficiency gains since 2020.
In order to expand the pool of talent expected to play active roles globally, the Japanese government aims to have at least 30 percent of public high school students graduate with the equivalent of Grade 2 or higher in the widely used Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency by fiscal 2027.
Eiken Grade 2 corresponds to between 400 and 499 points on the EF English Proficiency Index, classified as very low to low.
A survey conducted by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology found 21.2 percent of high school students to be at an equivalent level in 2024.
- 19/12 19:09
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