ABSTRACT
With regard to English in Japan, in particular two issues have drawn much attention in the past: English as a foreign language and English in the linguistic landscape. This chapter begins with a summary of the research in these two fields before moving on to discuss problems of language learning in formal education and the role of the English learning industry in Japan. These topics are intertwined with changing language policies towards English. Ideologies underlying these policies, but also popular attitudes and beliefs towards English in Japan, are discussed next, in particular, beliefs about English as the global lingua franca and racialized views about English in Japan. The chapter then moves on to discuss two macro-ideologies that have received less attention, namely “internationalization and nationalism in US–Japan relations” and “neoliberalism” and how these impact attitudes, uses and policies towards English in Japan. The chapter concludes by calling for more synergy between research and policies on English in Japan.
