English only: Japan colleges teach how to speak with the world

Four universities mix foreign students and overseas study into liberal arts

20191220N Akita International University library

Akita International University, which has this library open around the clock, has an English-centered education. (Photo courtesy of Akita International University)

SAIJI UGAJIN, Nikkei staff writer

January 12, 2020 03:35 JST

TOKYO -- Nestled in the wooded mountains of Japan's northwest lies a small liberal arts college that has pioneered an all-out method to raise the English-language skills of its students -- total immersion. All classes and daily interactions are conducted in English at the school.