News On Japan

Japan Ranks 92nd in English Proficiency, Lowest in History

TOKYO, Nov 14 (News On Japan) - EF Education First, a global education organization, published this year’s English Proficiency Index on Wednesday, ranking nations worldwide. Japan’s ranking stood at 92nd among 116 countries and regions, continuing a 14-year trend of record lows.

Other countries in Asia have shown rapid improvements in English proficiency, contributing to Japan’s declining position.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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