Rethinking English Language Education at Japanese Public High Schools: Perspectives from Alumni

English has become the most widely spoken language worldwide, with approximately 14.6 million speakers, including four million native speakers. In response to this global trend, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) has undertaken a review of its English language curriculum, aiming to enhance proficiency across the four core language skills—speaking, writing, reading, and listening—at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. As part of these reforms, foreign language activities have become mandatory for students in grades 3 and 4, while formal foreign language instruction has been introduced as a subject starting in grades 5 and 6 (Kokubu, 2022). However, despite these reforms, many university students in Japan do not achieve even middle school-level English proficiency (Uchida, 2012). Additional challenges are present in Japan’s public high schools, which serve approximately 70% of Japanese teenagers. English education in these schools is often teachercentered, emphasizing preparation for university entrance exams rather than fostering intercultural education (Hosoki, 2011). The present study investigates the challenges in English language education within Japanese public high schools through a phenomenological analysis of university students’ personal experiences. It aims to assess the impact of the existing educational framework and provide insights into more effective teaching methodologies to promote English language skills and intercultural competence. The findings revealed the gap between the ideal English education for high school students and the current state of English instruction. The findings underscore the need for further reforms in English education, emphasizing an approach that enables students to use English in real life encounters rather than merely as an academic subject. This approach could positively impact students' learning outcomes and support their journey toward becoming global citizens. Keywords: English education, English proficiency, Japanese public high schools, reforms, teacher-centered