INTERVIEW: Japan to See Growing Demand for English Speaking Lessons

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)--Demand for English conversation lessons in Japan is expected to grow in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, an executive at a Japanese online English education service provider, said. The number of people who need to learn English conversation has been increasing due to the internationalization of Japanese companies, Gaku Nakamura, vice president and chief operating officer at RareJob Inc., said in a recent interview with Jiji Press. "With the Olympics coming closer, the trend is set to grow further," Nakamura said. Demand from service companies, particularly those serving foreign visitors, is likely to increase, he added. RareJob, established in 2007, offers inexpensive English speaking lessons over the Internet with some 3,200 Filipino instructors. English is an official language in the Philippines. Students can have private lessons in any location via personal computers or other devices. The company has some 200,000 students, mainly those in their 20s to 40s. Nakamura said the company has been making efforts to develop simple and convenient education services by introducing a game element as existing services may be difficult for beginners. RareJob aims to go public within a few years in an effort to procure funds to expand operations and raise its name recognition, he said. END