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NEWS: Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs Opens Web Database for Manga, Anime, Games

The website is Japanese only.

Maybe they'll make an English version later.

Hopefully some entity can get an English version going.

High school English ability below govt. standards

Mar. 17, 2015 - Updated 02:54 UTC-4

An education ministry survey shows that the English writing and speaking skills of nearly 90 percent of Japanese high school seniors failed to meet government standards.

The ministry recently tested about 70,000 high school seniors across Japan, to determine their listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities in English.

It found that 27.3 percent met the proficiency standard in reading and 24.1 percent in listening comprehension. However, only 13.5 percent reached the level in writing and 12.8 percent in speaking skills. The survey also showed that lower test results were associated with students who were not enthusiastic about learning English or had little opportunity to speak the language in class.

Ministry officials say the results highlight the fact that Japanese students are not acquiring practical English skills. They say they will review the education guidelines and university entrance exam methods to promote English learning.

English for third graders lagging

JUL 9, 2014

Since the education ministry announced its plan in October 2013 to start English education from the third grade of elementary school, more than half a year has passed and the ministry still has not decided when to start. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, Japan faces the problem of how to improve and enrich English education. I think English education at an earlier age is key to globalizing Japan.

Japan is putting the English-from-the-third-grade plan into practice too slowly compared with other countries. According to the ministry, other countries including South Korea, France and Thailand have already implemented English education programs from the lower grades. And in South Korea, TOEFL scores have improved rapidly. In Japan, fifth-grade students started in 2011, but TOEFL scores have not improved. This shows how ineffective English education is at present. Japan should start English education at an earlier age.

Furthermore, communication skills for Japanese people are low in general. English is how we communicate with people from other countries, so it’s important that younger elementary school students begin learning how to communicate with others, and that schools help them understand how important and fun English education is. English education is not just about words and grammar.

To show results in improving English skills before the Tokyo Olympics, Japan should start English education from the lower grades in school as soon as possible.

ANN wrote:

The website is Japanese only.

Which is not going to help non-Japanese fan if they want to look up something. Well good luck to whoever use the new database.

I assume that if an official Agency arranged for an English translation, they would hire professional translators.

The skill or lack of skill of Japanese high school students has nothing to do with this article.

You seem to search out every negative thing you can find about Japan and just look for a chance to post it. It gets a bit tiring to read your constant negativity.

There are plenty of us non-Japanese fans who have sufficient understanding of the language to browse around the site. I'm just trying to think of information I'd want to know that the site can offer...

So, it's like a Japanese ANN Encyclopedia.

Then, it'd be nice for the English-speakers if they had an English version.