The Introduction of English Speaking Tests into Entrance Examinations : A Historical Analysis of Japan's Central and Local Governments

This study investigates the policy-making processes through which the national government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBE) sought to introduce English speaking tests into their respective entrance examinations. While prior research has often highlighted prominent actors—such as the prime minister and business leaders at the national level, and the governor and central government in TMBE’s case—this study demonstrates that neither initiative can be attributed to a single influential figure. The policy process unfolded incrementally, involving a wide range of stakeholders and progressing through deliberations in various collaborative forums. Consequently, even a seemingly bold reform like the English speaking test was not necessarily the result of abrupt intervention by powerful individuals, but rather emerged through the gradual, consensus-oriented mechanisms typical of bureaucratic institutions.