Do Japanese speak English not well ?

Question

Some people tell me that Japanese do not want to speak English instead of there own language in bussiness. Because they consider they are the most powerful countries in the world so others have to learn their language. Is it true?

Answer 1

Actually, most Americans are the ones that do not want to learn other languages and feel that everyone else should speak English. In business, the Japanese are almost always the ones who will speak in our language (English). It's uncommon to have the Americans speaking in Japanese.

Everyone PREFERS business to be done in their language, because they can understand everything and make better business decisions that way. The general attitude of the Japanese is definitely NOT as egotistical as you claim.

Answer 2

It may be true, depending on the person.

But it's not very different from how some English-speaking people think that "foreigners need to learn English, why should we learn their's?"

Also, many Asian people take their work seriously, so if they haven't mastered many skills in the English language, they would rather not worry about speaking in poor English and instead speak in their proficient language.

Study more...right? Well in this example of businessmen, they most likely have little free time to sleep, or much less study a language.

Businessmen who choose their native language for conducting business will most likely hire a translator, unless one or more of these business-partners are comfortable enough to use their knowledge of a second-multiple language.

Whatever the variables, (non-verbal) politeness and respect are all that should matter.

Answer 3

I don't know who told you that, but some Japanese people probably do think that. But I don't know where they get off thinking that other people have to learn THEIR language because they're supposedly the most powerful country in the world? First of all, Japan is NOT the most powerful country in the world-- the US and China are, that's well known. Secondly, that's still a rather arrogant attitude to want English-speakers to learn Japanese on the basis of power-rank, in which Japan lags behind. Anyway, it's incorrect to make generalizations about all Japanese business people, but those who actually hold the attitude you were describing are bigoted, arrogant blockheads.

Answer 4

Yes and no. Japanese and English are completely different languages, so yes, Japanese people often do not want to bother learning English at all. I doubt it has anything to do with how "powerful" they consider themselves.

Answer 5

Compared to Europe, Americans aren't too great in learning foreign languages, INCLUDING those descending from other countries.

I know in many Asian countries, learning English is encouraged (such as Hong Kong or South Korea).

Answer 6

Please dont generalize people. Not all japanese are close-minded. :P I know a japanese who speaks english quite well and i have tons of relatives who are interested to learn english and in fact wanted to study in US to be fluent in the language. Ja mata!

Answer 7

We shouldn't be generalizing here. There must be educated Japanese people who want to be a part of world culture. The arrogance that you mentioned comes from ignorance , from possessing little knowledge about the rest of the world .

Answer 8

Japanes traditionally believe that white people are Barbarians
and this does seem so at times
they have more style ,traditions ,cultural behaviour than we do
but there are many Japanese who have been educated totaly in English and speak it exelently

Answer 9

Yes. They have no bananas too. And English dress funny, have dirty feet. Never wash hands before eat sushi.

Answer 10

You're Japanese, right?