English education in school has been a controversial issue in a long term. It can't be denied that necessity of English is going to increase in the world where the free trade principle is prevailing in a great speed and the spread of internet where communication is normally taken place in English does not seem to stop for the time being. The world is getting smaller and smaller, as result Japanese have been afraid of getting behind of the times due to their lack of English skill. Then, they decided to introduce English education in elementary school. However is it really edible? I doubt it, and I think what they need is passion and enthusiasm to learn.

I do not believe that English education in elementary school lifts English skill of Japanese, because Japanese people do not need English in Japanese society. For example, Japanese learn science from elementary schools to high schools, the total period of 12years, but most of them may remember almost anything of they had learned, because they do not need science in the actual life. On the other hand, people in European countries need English to communicate with others in the multi-racial society. Indians are also good at speaking English because there are so many dialects in India that they need English to communicate each other.

What Japanese need to master English is not to start English in elementary schools, but a passion and enthusiasm to learn what they want. For example, a professor in the university said, returnee students, who can speak English very fluently and passed the entrance examination of the university, tend to be lazy and overtaken on English subject by students who passed the general examination and have been used to study hard. I agree with his opinion. In fact, a lot of E.S.S. members who have not had experience of living in foreign countries but they are eager to master English get the prize at speech contests where returnee students participate.

In conclusion, it is difficult for Japanese to master English even if they start English education in elementary schools. That is because they do not need English in ordinary life in Japan. What they need is passion to learn. If they have it, I think they can master English anytime.