ABSTRACT

Over the last 25 years, since the original A Handbook for Teaching English at Japanese Colleges and Universities was published, there has been anxiety over Japan’s low birth rate, declining population, and dwindling number of college-age students. In such an environment, many readers of this new Handbook might wonder, “Why pursue a teaching career in Japan at all?” Looking at the trend line in Figure 1.1, one would certainly be forgiven, demographically, for climbing aboard the panic bandwagon.