Many Japanese companies attempt to make English their official language, discouraging employees from using Japanese at work. Some Japanese strongly believe that Japanese should be used as an official language at work. However, if employees learn English, it is possible to eliminate things that are peculiar to Japanese culture and are used to respect people who are older because it makes it easy to communicate with foreign companies.
First, allowing employees to speak only English at work helps them learn the language quickly. Some people in each country, when they know they have a choice of speaking their mother tongue, their first language, tend to resort to speaking their mother tongue because it is a lot easier for them to convey their message. Although it might be more convenient for the workers to use their mother tongue, it will not help them acquire the English skills the company needs to survive in the global competition. When considering the overall benefit of using English as the official language, companies forced to compete in the worldwide economy must force their employees to speak English even though it may be difficult.
In addition, using English at work can change how Japanese workers of different ranks and ages interact with one another. Using the Japanese language can often be an obstacle to fair and honest communication at work since the subordinate or youngest employees must speak to their bosses as politely and formally as possible. Even though this cultural idiosyncrasy has some advantages in specific contexts, in the workplace, it seems to have adverse effects (Al-Jamie, 2012). No matter how beneficial a new idea is for the company, it might not be approved if it is not presented to the superior with an appropriate degree of politeness. Although the English language has some formality rules, they are not as extreme as those of Japanese. By speaking English in the workplace, the invisible, steep hierarchy in Japanese companies can be sufficiently flattened to foster innovation and fair interactions.
Furthermore, by speaking English at work, the employees can forego the translation process when working with foreign companies, increasing the company’s overall efficiency. Operating in two languages can increase redundancy and, thus, waste time, as employees have to translate from one language to another to share information with foreign companies. Moreover, essential nuances and meanings can be lost in translation. From the perspective of organizational sociology, when such structural secrecy accumulates, it has the potential to cause administrative mistakes. In the age of globalization, Japanese companies are forced to communicate with foreign companies, which are not always equipped with Japanese-speaking staff. Therefore, by making English their functional language, companies will be able to maximize efficiency and optimize risk management (Matsui et al. 2018).
Today, the English language is secure as the standard language of global business. As Japan has one of the largest economies in the world, several companies must be able to compete with their international competitors by communicating in English. Many Japanese companies can use English as their official language to meet a variety of competitors in their globalized businesses.
First, their employees will be able to work with the four skills of English at work because they are always in an English-speaking environment.
Second, Japanese companies can eliminate the hierarchical society distorted by traditions, such as the spirit of respect for the aged. Therefore, it is possible to create an environment where people with excellent creativity can exchange opinions frankly.
Third, Japanese companies can use English to eliminate the hassle of interacting with foreign companies and improve work efficiency.
Therefore, it is clear that Japanese companies should require their employees to use English at work, as it is the best and only way to survive and thrive in the age of globalization.
Matsui, M., Onishi, A. and Hara, Y. (2018). Japanese companies try gentler approach to adopting English. [online] Nikkei Asian Review. Available at: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Japanese-companies-try-gentler-approach-to-adopting-English [Accessed 22 June 2022].
Al-Jamie, A. (2012). ENGLISH IN JAPAN’S WORKPLACE, www.tokyojournal.com, Tokyojournal. Available at: https://www.tokyojournal.com/sections/business-technology/item/163-english-in-japans-workplace.html [Accessed 22 June 2022].
