JAPAN 7 DAYS / Archives

Jul. 10, Sat.

MATTER OF FACT: LOOKING OUT, LOOKING IN

Rakuten, a major on-line shopping mall operator in Japan, has decided that English will become its official workplace language by the end of 2012. Other Japanese corporations expanding their overseas operations are taking similar steps. However, Japanese scores on an international test of English are almost the lowest among 30 Asian countries. And many young Japanese say they prefer the comforts of home to going abroad.

That fissure between business expectations and individual preferences may undermine Japan's international competitiveness. By contrast, in China and South Korea, the enthusiasm to advance overseas appears to be shared by companies and youth. We will explore the topic with a consultant who has been involved in developing personnel resources across borders.

Guest: Tsuyoshi Komori, Mercer Japan Ltd president