For those of you who may not know, today English is one of the most popular extracurricular activities for children in Japan. Families want to prepare their kids for the future and often sign them up for English conversation classes.
As a Japanese-American family raising a child in Japan, people often assume that bilingual education is an obvious choice for us. In truth, our decision has very little to do with test scores, entrance exams, or their future career paths. The rise of AI has made us think even more carefully about why we want our child to learn English.
One thing that constantly reminds us of the value of language learning is our daughter’s relationship with her American family especially her grandmother. Video calls are a regular part of our family life and our daughter frequently interacts with her grandmother in the US. Even though she’s still very young, it’s heartwarming to hear their laughter during those conversations as they find ways to communicate with one another despite the long distance. Watching those moments unfold reminds us that language is about more than exchanging information: it’s about building relationships.
English Education is Still Popular in Japan
It isn’t difficult to understand why English remains such a popular subject. In Japan, children spend years studying English as part of their mandatory curriculum in school and often as an extra curricular activity too. Despite that, many adults still feel uncomfortable speaking English. This isn’t necessarily because they didn’t study the subject hard enough. Learning a language that is so different from Japanese can be challenging especially when opportunities to use it in daily life are limited here in Japan.
Many Japanese parents believe that English can:
• Improve future career opportunities.
• Make studying abroad easier.
• Help children participate in a global society.
• Give them skills that may be useful throughout life.
These are all valid reasons to learn English however technology is changing the conversation today. Real-time translation tools are advancing at an unprecedented rate. AI can already translate conversations, documents, and websites faster than ever before.
In response to this, I believe parents should stop and ask an important question:
If AI translation is evolving to translate so much then why do we still want our children to learn another language?
For our family, the answer is surprisingly simple.
Reason #1: We Want Our Daughter to Build Real Relationships With Her Grandparents
This is our biggest reason. Our daughter has grandparents in both Japan and the US. Of course, conversations are possible even when people don’t share a language. Parents can translate. Applications can translate. AI will continue to improve. But none of those options create the same experience as a direct conversation.
When our daughter speaks with her American grandparents, we don’t want every conversation to pass through us first. We want them to tell stories, share jokes, and build memories together. Most of all, we want that relationship to belong to them.
I often think that language is much more than a tool for exchanging information. Language is a bridge between people. Speaking to someone in their native language also shows respect for their culture, background, and life experiences.
Could our daughter communicate through translation? Probably.
Would it feel the same? I don’t think so.
One of our goals is for our daughter to feel equally connected to both sides of her family. For us, that alone makes bilingual education worthwhile.
Reason #2: We Want Her World to be Bigger
Many people think of English as a subject. We think of it as a tool.
For example: a hammer is most useful if it helps you build something.
A language is most useful if it helps you connect with people.
Learning another language gives someone access to different cultures, viewpoints, communities, relationships, and more.
Growing up in Japan, our daughter will naturally be surrounded by Japanese language and culture. We want her to have opportunities to explore beyond that as well. Not because Japanese culture isn’t enough, far from it, but because understanding multiple cultures helps people see the world from more than one perspective. When you can communicate with people from different backgrounds, you start to realize that there are many ways to think about life, family, work, and happiness. We hope learning English helps our daughter develop curiosity about the world rather than fear of it.
Reason #3: Communication is Simply More Fun
This may sound strange to some people but communication itself can be enjoyable.
A good conversation has rhythm, timing, and even humor.
When people can communicate naturally, interactions become smoother and more fun.
As someone who enjoys gaming, I’ve seen this firsthand. In fast-paced online games, communication often happens in a matter of seconds. A slight delay can mean the difference between avoiding danger and getting hit by an attack. If a teammate warns you about an incoming enemy but you only understand the warning after you’ve already been hit, the message hasn’t really helped.
The same is true for everyday communication.
Language isn’t only about understanding the words being said. It’s also about sharing reactions, emotions, and moments in real time.
Whether you’re playing an online game, discussing a hobby, or chatting with friends overseas, conversations flow differently when you can participate directly rather than relying on translation.
Could AI help? Absolutely. But using a translator is different from expressing yourself.
Part of the joy comes from being able to think, react, joke, and communicate in real time. We want our daughter to experience that feeling in both Japanese and English.
The Reasons We Don’t Find Very Convincing
Interestingly, some of the most common arguments for bilingual education are not the reasons we focus on it.
“Because It Will Help With School”
Academic success is important but learning a language is a long journey. If the only motivation is getting better grades, children may struggle to stay motivated once studying becomes difficult. A language needs a purpose not just a grade.
“Because Children Learn Languages More Easily”
There is certainly some truth to this. Children often absorb pronunciation and speech patterns more naturally the earlier they start learning. However, starting early is not enough by itself. Children still need meaningful reasons to use the language. Without purpose, it can easily become just another after-school activity and forgettable.
What We Really Want Our Daughter to Learn
In many ways, this article isn’t really about learning English. It’s about purpose.
Learning a language requires a lot of effort. There will be days when it feels frustrating. There will be days when it feels easier to quit. When those moments come, we hope our daughter understands that English is more than a school subject.
It’s a way to speak directly with her grandparents, understand another side of her family, connect with people she may never have met otherwise, and feel comfortable in more than one culture.
Most importantly, it’s a way to build relationships.
A Question Every Parent Should Ask
When parents think about multilingual education, they often ask:
“What’s the best method?”
Or
“What’s the best age to start?”
Those are important questions, but I think an even more important question comes first:
“Why do I want my child to learn another language?”
Every family will have a different answer. Some parents may value academic achievement. Some may value future career opportunities. Some may value cultural understanding.
For our family, the answer is family, connection, and belonging.
Once you understand your reason, choosing the method becomes much easier.
Final Thoughts
We are not raising our daughter to get higher test scores, compete with AI, or become a translator.
We are raising her so she can talk to her American relatives and grandparents without needing our help, feel at home in both Japanese and American cultures, build meaningful relationships, and experience a bigger world.
For us, bilingual education is not about creating an advantage, it’s about creating connections.
And in an age where technology can translate words instantly, those human connections may be more valuable than ever.
