Dec 19 (Japan Times) - Finance Minister Taro Aso and education minister Yoshimasa Hayashi agreed on Monday to increase the number of English teachers at public elementary schools by 1,000 in fiscal 2018, which starts next April.
The move is in line with the government’s plan to make English an official elementary school subject starting in fiscal 2020.
The overall number of teachers at public elementary and junior high schools across Japan will be reduced by a net 2,861 due to factors such as the nation’s low birthrate.