Language Learning and International Management Development in Japanese Corporations Available to Purchase

In recent years there has been a tendency to attribute multilingual capability to Japanese businessmen to account for their global business success. But those who subscribe to this point of view are inclined to ignore two influential factors: (a) the complexity of Japanese attitudes to dealing with foreigners and (b) the general Japanese lack of prowess at mastering foreign languages. A discussion of these factors sets the scene for presenting some findings of a survey about foreign language training and international development in a cross‐section of major Japanese companies. This survey concludes that UK and US firms, being so steadfastly monoglot in their international dealings, are inclined to underestimate Japanese determination to understand foreign markets through developing their capability in English and increasingly in other European languages.