Japan’s shrinking population, talent shortages, and rapid globalization are forcing executives to ask a critical question: Where will our future English-capable leaders come from—and how do we empower them to succeed on global teams?
Despite decades of government investment and company-sponsored English classes, many professionals still struggle to speak confidently, especially in high-stakes meetings and presentations.

This page examines the real causes behind the problem—and how organizations can build practical, confident English communicators from within.

For decades, the Japanese government has poured significant funding into English education. Yet results remain limited. At the same time, Japan faces a deep demographic shift. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projects the population to fall 21% by 2049, reaching only 100 million.

Meanwhile, 日本企業 (Japanese companies) are expanding abroad and require English-speaking talent to compete internationally. The question is urgent: Where will English-proficient professionals come from?

Mini-Summary: Despite long-term investment, English ability has not kept pace with Japan’s global needs—creating a widening capability gap.

Not anymore. Before the 2008 Lehman Shock, over 80,000 Japanese students studied overseas each year. After the crisis, the number fell to 50,000, and has only partially recovered to around 60,000.

Even more concerning:

• 70% of outbound students today stay abroad for only one month—far too short to develop real proficiency.

• Over 60% of high school students and more than 50% of young adults report they do not want to study abroad.

Mini-Summary: The next generation is less globally mobile, reducing Japan’s pipeline of naturally bilingual talent.

Increasingly, from inside your organization.

Large companies send employees abroad for assignments, helping them develop global awareness and stronger English. Historically, returnees faced resistance within headquarters because their international mindset felt “too different.” While this is improving, many still change employers to find an environment that values their strengths—often joining 外資系企業 (foreign-affiliated companies) or organizations like Dale Carnegie where cross-cultural skill is an asset.

Mini-Summary: Companies must nurture and retain global-minded employees rather than allowing them to leave for environments that value their skills more.

Events such as:

• the 1999 Yamaichi Securities collapse,

• the 2008 Lehman Shock,

• the 2011 earthquake/tsunami/nuclear crisis,

• the 2020–present pandemic,

have normalized mid-career hiring (中途採用 / mid-career recruitment).
Because many workers lost jobs through no fault of their own, the stigma around switching companies has faded. This benefits employers searching for bilingual or globally capable talent.

Mini-Summary: Mid-career hiring is now normal, giving companies better access to employees with stronger English and international experience.

Many companies offer internal English classes, but executives still see the same challenge:
Employees will not speak up in English—even when their ability is sufficient.

Common behaviors include:

• Filling slides with text and reading them word-for-word

• Avoiding eye contact

• Speaking too softly

• Relying entirely on written scripts

Mini-Summary: The barrier isn’t grammar—it’s confidence and fear of making mistakes.

The root cause is perfectionism driven by fear of mistakes.
Japan values accuracy and error-free performance. In this cultural context, speaking imperfect English feels like an unacceptable risk.

However, foreigners working in Japan rarely expect perfect English. They simply adjust mentally and continue the conversation—this is normal in multicultural environments.

Mini-Summary: Japanese speakers fear mistakes far more than foreign listeners notice them.

How Can Companies Help Employees Communicate Effectively in English?

The fastest improvement comes from shifting focus from language to communication.

We encourage professionals to:

• Speak a little louder to project confidence

• Use pauses to control pace

• Treat slides as prompts, not scripts

• Maintain 6 seconds of eye contact (アイコンタクト / “eye contact”) with each listener

• Use gestures naturally to reinforce key points

These techniques create credibility and audience connection—regardless of English level.

Mini-Summary: Effective English communication relies on delivery skills more than linguistic perfection.

Why Should Companies Invest in Presentation and Communication Training?

Japan has limited access to employees who have lived abroad. Therefore, organizations must develop communicators internally, beyond language classes alone.

With the right support—such as presentation training (プレゼンテーション研修), leadership development (リーダーシップ研修), and executive coaching (エグゼクティブ・コーチング)—employees become:

• more confident in global discussions,

• more willing to present in English,

• more able to collaborate across borders, languages, and cultures.

Mini-Summary: Communication training transforms hesitant speakers into globally functional team members.

• Japan’s demographic decline and globalization demand stronger internal English-communication capabilities.

• Younger generations are less globally mobile, reducing natural exposure to English.

• The true barrier is fear and perfectionism—not language proficiency.

• Skill-based communication training enables Japanese professionals to perform confidently in international settings.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI.
Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, continues to empower both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-affiliated companies) to develop globally capable leaders.