The failure of Japanese language learners to reach foreign language learning goals set by Monkasho is commonly attributed to poor teacher training and ineffective teaching methods and curricular design. Language education in Japan, can, of course, be improved, but an exclusive focus on this area misses societal factors that may be even more important in determining the "success" or "failure" in language learning on a wide scale. Examining societal factors impacting language learning in other countries can help allows us to draw comparisons in Japan and realistically assess what we are "up against" in promoting language learning in Japan. In particular, we need to assess what we can do in educational and societal realms to promote the "reality" of foreign languages for the society as a whole and learners in particular.
