Engineers Must Have English Skills to Succeed
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8 THE JAPAN TIMES MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2009 (3) japan times forum on english education Engineers must have English skills to succeed With the continuing trend of economic interdependence prevailing on a global scale, Japan is increasingly interwoven with the rest of the world on many fronts. Overseas production of goods for Japanese companies has been steadily growing during the past few decades while the number of non-Japanese nationals working in Japan has reached nearly half a million, or close to 1 percent of the total workforce, as of October 2008. Against this backdrop, it is becoming inevitable for Japanese researchers and engineers to communicate directly with non-Japanese people, not only their counterparts but also businesspeople, customers and even government officials. In reality, however, their communication ability in English, the de facto international language in business, is far from meeting demand. Despite the remarkable achievements in science and technology in recent years, highlighted by the granting of several Nobel Prizes and significant breakthroughs made in laser optics and iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells), Japanese researchers and engineers are considered by and large not competent enough in English communication skills. In an attempt to identify real problems Japanese researchers and engineers are faced with in English communication, and hopefully to offer some hints to their solutions, The Japan Times brought together four noted figures engaged in English education for researchers and engineers. They were Michihiro Hirai, a language education consultant and freelance translator as well as a lecturer of technical English at Kanagawa University and Waseda University; Masaharu Hiraga, a former adviser to Sanden Corporation; Laurence Anthony, a professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Waseda University; and Atsuko Yamazaki, a professor at Shibaura Institute of Technology. Masafumi Otsuka, the CEO of MANABI Ltd., served as moderator. Expert panel: Professionals at the forefront of Japan’s education of English to researchers and engineers get together recently for a Japan Times round-table discussion. They are (clockwise from left) Masaharu Hiraga, an ex-adviser to Sanden Corp.; Laurence Anthony, a professor at Waseda University; moderator Masafumi Otsuka, CEO of Their discussions follow: MANABI Ltd.; Michihiro Hirai, a language-education consultant; and Atsuko Yamazaki, a professor at the Shibaura Institute of Technology. YOSHIAKI MIURA Moderator: Can you tell us how the responsible for transferring a certain engineers directly went abroad to sell nuances of messages they receive. ample jobs for engineers at the levels skills,’’ according to a 2008 study con- recent economic changes have af- technology into a new production site their core technologies to clients. But Laurence Anthony: Another factor from the top to the middle that normally ducted by Ikuo Koike, an honorary pro- fected Japanese researchers and en- and had to do everything by themselves now R&D centers are scattered around is the trend toward outsourcing. In his require relatively high-level language fessor at Meikai University, and his gineers who use English in their from scratch. Considering the complexi- the world in order to fulfill each market’s book ‘‘The World is Flat,’’ Thomas capability and even for the production group as a Grants-in-Aid for Scientific jobs? ty of the work and the time constraint, needs. And now, non-Japanese engi- Friedman explains how countries are line engineers, who now use only a min- Research project. Also, when asked, Michihiro Hirai: I was with Hitachi there wasn’t the option of hiring an inter- neers are at the forefront of dealing di- beginning to outsource their noncore imal vocabulary at best when communi- ‘‘Which English skill drastically needs to from 1965 to 2002. During this time, I preter. The role of Japanese engineers rectly with clients. So Japanese engi- IT/engineering tasks to firms in places cating, such as on line operation stan- be improved in the coming decade?’’ witnessed many changes in the roles of is drastically changing from solely engi- neers must communicate with these like India and China. You can see this in dards. The majority of those engineers over 73 percent of the respondents people being sent overseas. Back in the neering to managing, discussing and non-Japanese engineers. The interest- Japan, too, where, for example, more are at the risk of losing their jobs. When I pointed to ‘‘listening and speaking ’70s and ’80s, Japanese companies negotiating with various professionals. ing part is that the majority of the non- and more firms are now outsourcing was working for companies in a group, skills.’’ Finally, when asked about their mostly exported their products, so it was desires for college English education, mainly the service and support engi- ‘There is a huge gap in what corporations want and what the current education over 70 percent replied that they wanted neers who needed to communicate in universities to teach practical language English. This role drastically changed system provides. Current English education in Japan focuses too much on passive skills that can be used from day one. during the ’90s, when companies start- There is a huge gap in what corpora- ed producing their products overseas. skills: reading and listening. But the demand in the real world tions want and what the current educa- More and more Japanese engineers tion system provides. Current English who worked in manufacturing were sent is active skills: speaking and writing. I’m afraid this gap education in Japan focuses too much overseas to oversee the new production on passive skills: reading and listening. sites while the design and development largely stems from the overdependence on the TOEIC test But the demand in the real world is pro- departments still remained in Japan. ductive skills: speaking and writing. I’m But due to the burst in globalization, as the sole indicator of English skills both in industry and academia.’ afraid this gap largely stems from the product design and development have overdependence on the TOEIC test as begun to move overseas as well. Now, Also, due to regulations in some devel- Japanese engineers are also non-na- their software development overseas. the engineers there asked me to teach the sole indicator of English skills both in engineers have to talk directly to foreign oping countries, some countries require tive English speakers. So it becomes What was once a business collabora- English to them. They were highly moti- industry and academia. While TOEIC is customers, work closely with the sales foreign companies to incorporate locally even harder to convey delicate nuanc- tion involving two countries has expan- vated engineers, but to my regret, I in itself a handy and perhaps good pas- and marketing people, and often times and hire local CEOs. Many group lead- es. Here, I would dare to say that this sit- ded into one involving multiple coun- found their English communication sive skills test, I am very concerned negotiate with people inside and out- ers at engineering sites are also non- uation normally works as an encourag- tries. And as a result, English has be- skills alarmingly low. about the way it is used in Japan today: side the firm. Japanese. So there is a growing need ing factor because the barrier the Japa- come the common language people Yamazaki: If you take a look at the People mindlessly use it beyond the Atsuko Yamazaki: I visited factories for Japanese engineers living in Japan nese engineers feel seems lower than use to communicate. average test results of the broadly scope it is originally designed to test. As operated by Japanese manufacturers in to communicate with non-Japanese when facing native English speakers. Moderator: Will this trend continue? adopted Test of English for International a result, productive skills training, which Southeast Asia and the United States workers abroad. Yet still I believe they should aim at the What will happen 10 years from now? Communication (TOEIC) classified by is crucial to fostering Japan’s competi- and found exactly what Mr. Hirai just Masaharu Hiraga: In the past, the high-level communication with native Yamazaki: I only see this trend accel- profession, you will see that the average tiveness, is greatly neglected. stated. The Japanese managers were major R&D centers were in Japan, so English speakers who expect to receive erating. There is now a ‘‘Little India’’ in scores for people who work in engineer- Anthony: I don’t think TOEIC is a bad Nishi-Kasai (Koto Ward, Tokyo). More ing and production are around 440 and test. The problem is how we use it. Com- and more skilled engineers are coming 360, respectively, the lowest of all pro- panies say that they need people with to Japan. In 2007, I witnessed a Japa- fessions. Low-skilled factory workers do productive English skills, but they are on- nese automobile company transferring not even take the TOEIC test, so these ly using the TOEIC score to measure its CAD (Computer-Aided Design) divi- people are the very people Mr. Hiraga is these skills. The TOEIC is very conve- sion to Vietnam. The Vietnamese who talking about. In contrast, the average nient since it’s easy to take and gives a took over this job had all graduated from test score for Japanese people who numerical score so progression can be Hanoi University, which is equivalent to work in international business depart- tracked easily. As a result, most compa- Tokyo University. Japanese engineers ments is around 670. nies require students to put their TOEIC are pressured to produce outside Japan Hiraga: As Ms. Yamazaki said, most score on their resumes. But TOEIC only but must be able to compete with bright of the new technologies are introduced measures general proficiency.