Expanding from English Beginners: Making English a 'Life Infrastructure'

We endorse "April Dream," an initiative that aims to make April 1st a day to share dreams. This press release represents the dream of "Eikaiwa Passport."

Eikaiwa Passport aims to realize a society where everyone can naturally connect in English. In an era where auto-translators and smartphone translation features are continuously evolving, we continue to face the "value of speaking in one's own words."

In recent years, the accuracy of translation devices and smartphone translation apps has significantly improved, rapidly lowering language barriers. On the other hand, a growing number of people are saying, "Since conversations can be established just with smartphone apps, there is no need to learn English anymore." Indeed, if the goal is merely to "convey meaning," the situations where technology can substitute are increasing.

However, communication in English holds a value that transcends mere information transfer.
- The ability to share the atmosphere and nuances of the moment
- The distance between you and the other person instantly shrinks
- The ability to convey your thoughts and feelings directly

The depth of the relationship and experience born from a conversation mediated by translation differs greatly from a conversation exchanged in your own words. Speaking English is both a "means of conveying" and a "power to connect with people."

If English became something everyone could use as naturally as a smartphone, how would society change?
- Natural conversations with foreigners would occur on the streets
- Direct access to overseas information and values
- The ability to communicate on equal footing with people all over the world

A society where English is not just a skill for a select few, but a "life infrastructure" blended into daily life.
That holds the potential to significantly shorten the distance between Japan and the rest of the world.

For over 20 years since its founding, Eikaiwa Passport has been providing lessons specifically designed for English beginners. Our goal is to make English not something to "study," but something to "use naturally."
- One-on-one lessons exclusively for beginners
- Careful support by Japanese instructors
- Practical conversation environments in cafes or online

Through these, we are increasing the "experience of using" English in the daily lives of beginners.

Just becoming able to speak a single word in English gradually changes your daily life.
- Being able to answer naturally when asked for directions by a foreigner
- Enjoying conversations while traveling
- Creating opportunities to connect with people from overseas

The accumulation of these experiences will transform English from a "special skill" into a "matter of course."

Our company envisions a society where everyone can naturally connect with the world, rather than a society where life choices are dictated by whether or not one can speak English. We want to increase the number of people who engage with the world using their own words, rather than solely relying on translation. We believe this is the first step toward turning English into a "life infrastructure."

Furthermore, we want to deliver the experience of direct human connection through English to as many people as possible. We will continue our challenge to realize a society where everyone can naturally feel the "connection" that cannot be obtained through the use of translation devices or smartphone apps. Moving forward, we will proceed with initiatives that further increase opportunities for beginners to use English in their daily lives, and expand an environment where English is used naturally across the country.