English in Japan

[Northern Comfort]

What sort of percentage of the Japanese population actually speak fluent English?

 

[Buckethead]

My guess is 33%

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I would guess ....

Japanese people who can listen to and understand some English out number fluent speakers of English. I would guess only 1 or 2%?

Frank

☝

 

[Ewok85]

Your guess is horrible. Lets take my current workplace - on my floor of about 80 people, all intelligent people who work with computers and networks, university educated, etc etc, only 2 speak fluent English. Thats about 3% - and I would consider this to be around about right.

The only reason why these 2 people speak English is because they worked in overseas branches and it was required.

Everyone else here would have studied English for a minimum of 3 years, possibly about 7 if they continued it into University, but without a reason to use English you dont remember it.

 

[NANGI]

Konnichiwa Infection_san!

I think most of all Japanese can not speak English. Because Japanese don't study English conversation at school. I can write simple sentence in English but can not speak at all.

NANGI

 

[godppgo]

I know Japanese who major in English still have some trouble in conversational English so I think 1~2%... It's very hard to become fluent in a foreign language if you don't live in that country as I am finding that problem myself....

 

[Northern Comfort]

Thanks for your replies so far. How many people do you think can speak enough English to give you directions, etc?

 

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for your replies so far. How many people do you think can speak enough English to give you directions, etc?

If you mean barely getting enough out for "Turn right" or "Go straight"....I dunno it depends on the age of course but probably around 15-20% in Tokyo, a few more for anyone that can manage a little Japanese themselves.

 

[Ewok85]

Its not the number of people who would be able to give directions, its the chances of you being able to single them out. Just buy a decent map and tourist book and you shouldn't have the issue, or, a novel idea, you can teach yourself some Japanese so you can ask any one of the millions of people here how to get somewhere
(go straight, left at the third right, its all you need)