Education

After listening to today’s presentations and reading what the new Minister of Education in the newspapers. Please read the opinion in the December 6th International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/06/opinion/edkumiko.php　Do you agree with the writer? Why? Give at least 3 examples to support your answer.

I can agree the auther. First, I can understand "Japan's economic prowess, and how many Japanese travel and work overseas, the country has a surprisingly low level of fluency in English." I think that Japan is not concerned with the major economic power of the world top-class either , and unless there was the person who could speak English fluently. Compare Japan with the people of other Asian countries, score of TOEFL is low. Is it ashamed? They have taken education since they are eLementary students, so we should follow them, too.
Second, I can understand "The competition now faced by Japanese company A is not another Japanese company, but Chinese or Korean or American. The embarrassingly low level of English spoken by Japanese managers, while a mere embarrassment before, is now a major business liability." Naturally, they had better have dealings with the person who can speak English than can't speak Engrish. In this situation, I wonder we are defeated by China and Korea in busines.
Finally, I understand "To forge ahead, Japanese students will also have to overcome their shyness in trying out new words." When They speak English in public, Japanese students are shy very much. Of course I am so, too. I think that I must review Japanese English education fundamentally so that a student does not become like this.