English proficiency has become a critical enabler of modern business. It supports cross border collaboration, drives organizational growth, improves employee efficiency and increasingly underpins effective use of AI.

Against this backdrop, the TOEIC^® program conducted a landmark study examining HR leaders’ perspectives on English in the evolving workplace, culminating in the 2026 TOEIC Global English Skills Report. This blog focuses on insights from HR leaders in Japan — a market where TOEIC assessments are deeply embedded in education and employment.

The growing importance of English communication in the workplace is felt especially strongly in Japan. HR leaders there are even more likely than their global peers to say English proficiency matters more today than it did five years ago. In fact, 96% of HR leaders in Japan report that English proficiency has grown in importance, compared with 92% worldwide.

While English proficiency is a strategic priority for HR leaders in Japan, many struggle to implement effective solutions.

HR leaders cite several barriers to improving English proficiency within their organization. More than half (53%) report difficulty scaling English initiatives. Forty-five percent say English skills are not sufficiently prioritized by leadership, and 42% struggle to find a trusted provider.

Most HR leaders agree (92%) their organization would be more efficient if better English language assessments were used in hiring. Despite this, current use of English assessments in Japan remains moderate and below the global average. Only 64% of organizations in Japan use English assessments for hiring or screening, compared with 78% globally.

Encouragingly, Japanese organizations that do use English assessments are more likely to rely on standardized assessments than their global counterparts. Among assessment users in Japan, 77% use standardized assessments for hiring, compared with 59% globally.

This distinction matters. Organizations that use standardized assessments report higher satisfaction with their competitive positioning and organizational growth. They also see stronger operational benefits, including improved workflow efficiency, greater employee professional growth, higher productivity, stronger retention and better employee engagement. In short, how English is assessed can be just as important as whether it is assessed at all.

As AI tools become more prevalent in the workplace, some may assume technology can compensate for gaps in language skills. HR leaders in Japan strongly disagree.

Compared with their global peers, HR decision makers in Japan are significantly more likely to say AI cannot make up for a lack of English proficiency across all four language skills.

• Reading: 74% of HR leaders in Japan believe AI will not be able to compensate for a lack of proficiency (vs. 60% globally)
• Writing: 73% of HR leaders in Japan believe AI will not be able to compensate for a lack of proficiency (vs. 59% globally)
• Speaking: 76% of HR leaders in Japan believe AI will not be able to compensate for a lack of proficiency (vs. 62% globally)
• Listening: 77% of HR leaders in Japan believe AI will not be able to compensate for a lack of proficiency (vs. 61% globally)

More importantly, AI is not reducing the need for English — it is intensifying it. Eighty-nine percent of HR leaders in Japan say AI integration increases the need for English proficiency,‑ compared to the global average of 81%.

This need is attributed to navigating AI tools that operate primarily in English, evaluating the accuracy of AI generated content, writing effective prompts‑ and adapting to shifts in roles and responsibilities due to AI automation. English proficiency is increasingly a prerequisite for leveraging AI strategically.

As the job market becomes more competitive, English proficiency is expected to play an even larger role in hiring and advancement decisions — particularly in Japan. Ninety-one percent of employers in Japan say a more competitive job market increases the need for English ‑proficiency (vs. 81% globally).

Although only 9% of organizations in Japan currently administer English language assessments to all new hires, 72% expect to do so within five years or less. Similarly, while 15% already use English assessment scores from university transcripts, 65% anticipate adopting this practice within five years.

In Japan and around the world, English proficiency is rapidly evolving from a functional skill into a strategic organizational capability. It enables global collaboration, improves employee efficiency, supports AI optimization and fuels growth. For HR leaders, English is the connective skill that makes progress possible.

To explore more insights from global HR leaders, download the full TOEIC Global English Skills Report and discover why English is the essential skills connection for today’s workforce.