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Nikkei Asia
15 hours ago
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
NIKKEI Film: Why learn English in the age of AI?
WATARU ITO TOKYO -- AI can correctly answer about 90% of the University of Tokyo's English entrance exam questions and is capable of achieving a 900 out of a 990 perfect score on the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication). The average TOEIC score for Japanese in 2023 was 561. Developments such as these are significant enough that AI translation researcher Eiichiro Sumita asserts, "Practical English for business use should be left to AI." Meanwhile, English-language education has accelerated in Japan in order to better nurture people who can play active roles in the world -- a move that has received a strong push from the business community. English-language kindergartens and international schools are also popular, and parents are enthusiastic about English education. However, these advancements in AI have raised an intriguing question: Is English-language education even necessary anymore? NIKKEI Film explores the future of English learning in the age of AI, with the help of a class of fifth-grade elementary school students just starting to study English.
Japan Forward
12-06-2025
- Japan Forward
How a TOEIC Exam Scam Exploited Japan's Testing System
このページを 日本語 で読む Wang Likun (27), a Chinese national and graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested for attempting to take the TOEIC exam while impersonating another person. In May, Tokyo's Nakano Police Station received a tip from the test operator who reported suspicious activity. Specifically, some examinees were seen using identical photos under different names. That prompted police to launch an investigation. On May 18, undercover officers were stationed at a test site in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, when Wang arrived wearing a mask to conceal his identity. As expected, he approached the reception desk and claimed, "I forgot my test admission ticket." Police apprehended him on the spot. In Japan, university entrance exams and other qualification tests often allow examinees who forget their admission ticket to receive a provisional one. Typically, they do not conduct strict identity checks. The system operates on a presumption of good faith, prioritizing access to the test over concerns about potential cheating. But this leniency appears to have been exploited by a group of perpetrators. Believed to be Chinese nationals, they took advantage of the loophole for fraudulent purposes. Nakano Police Station (Wikimedia Commons) A fluent English speaker posing as someone else would use the provisional slip to gain entry into the test site. Once inside, they would attempt to relay answers to a fellow "compatriot" seated in the same room. Since TOEIC assigns test venues based on postal codes, the accomplices coordinated their applications carefully. They all registered using the same address to ensure they'd be placed at the same location and could sit the exam together. In total, 43 individuals, including Wang, had listed that single address. The mask Wang wore to hide his identity contained a small embedded microphone. Authorities suspect he used the device to transmit answers to his accomplices. He is believed to have been recruited through an illicit part-time job scheme. He was reportedly taking instructions from a Chinese-speaking handler. The case offers a glimpse into the wider business of fraudulent test-taking. It highlights how Japan's lenient verification procedures are turning it into a target for overseas applicants seeking academic credentials. Wang also took the TOEIC at a different Tokyo venue this past March. At that time, ten individuals registered using the same address. TOEIC is widely recognized in Japan and often used for university admissions, job applications, and even to waive English exam requirements at the graduate level. In China, high TOEIC scores are considered a valuable asset for career advancement in both the public and private sectors. As a shortcut to securing these credentials, cheating through stand-in test takers and other methods has become widespread. Chinese social media is saturated with posts from vendors offering such illicit services. However, according to journalist Zhou Laiyou, who closely tracks developments in China, cheating has become increasingly difficult. This is largely due to the introduction of AI-powered facial recognition and fingerprint authentication in testing environments. Those who are caught face harsh penalties, including prison sentences. In contrast, Japan has yet to adopt fundamental countermeasures, such as blocking smartphone signals during exams, despite a string of cheating scandals. Some observers warn that the cases uncovered so far may be just the tip of the iceberg. Zhou cautions: "As the United States, which has long accepted large numbers of Chinese students, begins tightening restrictions, more may look to nearby Japan as a destination to obtain academic credentials." He emphasized the urgent need for Japan to bolster its monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. JLPT Japanese Test Results 'Inconclusive' After Answers Leaked Author: Yuto Sato, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
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![[김대균의 영어산책] "Flex" – 뽐내기와 자신감의 영어 표현](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
[김대균의 영어산책] "Flex" – 뽐내기와 자신감의 영어 표현
Flex란? 요즘 젊은 세대 사이에서 'flex'는 하나의 문화가 되었다. 'Flex'란 원래 '근육을 구부리다(자랑하듯 보여주다)'**는 뜻이지만, 요즘에는 비싼 물건, 능력, 라이프스타일 등을 자랑하다는 의미로 자주 사용된다. Flex (v.): to show off, to boast confidently or playfully 예: "He's flexing his new iPhone." 그 사람 새 아이폰 자랑 중이야. Flex 표현이 쓰이는 상황들 명품을 자랑할 때: 'She was flexing her Louis Vuitton bag at the party.' (파티에서 루이비통 가방 뽐냈어.) 운동 후 근육을 보여줄 때: 'Time to flex these gains!' (운동 성과 좀 보여줄까?) 재능이나 능력을 드러낼 때: 'He flexed his piano skills at the talent show.' (그 친구 재능쇼에서 피아노 실력 뽐냈지.) Flex 관련 재미있는 명언/유머 표현 센스 있는 영어 문장들 I don't mean to flex, but I just finished a 100-question TOEIC test in 20 minutes. 자랑하려는 건 아닌데, 토익 100문제 20분 만에 끝냈어요. Flexing isn't just about money—it's about confidence. Flex는 돈 자랑이 아니라 자신감의 표현이기도 하다! 'Not to flex, but I've memorized all TOEIC Part 5 vocabulary.' 자랑은 아니지만 토익 파트 5 단어는 다 외웠어요. (자랑 맞음 ) 유머 섞인 "Flex" 상황들 Friend: 'Did you just buy another pair of sneakers?' You: 'Yeah, just a little weekend flex.' 친구: 또 운동화 샀어? 나: 주말 기분 전환용 flex야~ "He posted his lunch on Instagram again. That's his daily flex." 또 점심 인스타 올렸네. 걔의 데일리 플렉스야. "Your English is so good!" "Oh, thanks! Just a little TOEIC flex." 영어 너무 잘하시네요! 아, 감사합니다. 그냥 토익 실력 좀 뽐낸 거예요~ Flex로 끝나는 명언 패러디 'To flex or not to flex, that is the question.'(To be or not to be , that is the question) 윌리엄 셰익스피어가 '사느냐 죽느냐 그것이 문제로다'를 빗대어 '자랑하느냐 마느냐, 그것이 문제로다' 'With great flex comes great responsibility.' 능력자라면 겸손도 필요합니다! 'I flex, therefore I am.'( I think, therefore I am.) 데카르트의 '나는 생각한다. 고로 나는 존재한다' 를 빗대어 '나는 자랑한다. 고로 나는 존재한다.'
Asahi Shimbun
26-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: From high-tech cheating to forged diplomas, fraud never ends
The building where the TOEIC English proficiency test was held. The Chinese graduate student visited this exam venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on May 18 and is accused of trespassing at the venue by impersonating another test-taker. (Noriki Nishioka) I remember wandering down a back alley in Beijing's university district more than 30 years ago and stumbling upon a stall selling fake diplomas. The counterfeit certificates weren't limited to those from China's elite institutions such as Peking University or Tsinghua University—they included diplomas from prestigious overseas universities including Oxford in Britain, all neatly displayed in a row. At the time, such illicit practices were widespread in China, treated almost as part of daily life. Curious, I asked the vendor—a man in a threadbare black suit—whether he had any Japanese diplomas. He flashed a sly grin and said, 'If you bring me a real one, I'll make you a copy for free.' So that's how it worked, I thought. To forge something convincingly, you first need an authentic model. It dawned on me once again that fraud of this kind rarely happens in isolation; there are always enablers. In this way, diploma forgery is not so different from exam cheating. What makes such misconduct especially troubling is its ambiguity: The victims are often invisible and those committing the acts tend to feel little guilt. Recently, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University was arrested at a testing site for the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). He reportedly admitted to taking the widely recognized exam—designed to assess the English proficiency of non-native speakers—on behalf of someone else. Investigators believe he hid a miniature microphone inside his face mask. Authorities are now examining the possibility that he used the device to transmit answers to another test-taker. In a society such as China's, where personal connections often dictate opportunity, access to influential networks are usually the privilege of the wealthy and well-placed. Those without such advantages—the children of ordinary or disadvantaged families—are left to stake their hopes on the meritocracy of exams. For them, relentless effort is the only path forward in an unforgivingly competitive world. And yet, that fragile sense of fairness is all too often betrayed by acts of deception like this. When I think back to that long-ago alleyway in Beijing, I wonder what became of those who bought fake diplomas. Did they use them to land a job or gain admission to a foreign university—robbing someone else of an opportunity they had rightfully earned? In a world already steeped in inequity, perhaps they convinced themselves that it didn't matter. But I can't help asking: Is that person—man or woman—who once paid for a counterfeit certificate actually happy now? —The Asahi Shimbun, May 26 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
20-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Chinese accused of impersonation to help others cheat on TOEIC
Tokyo police have arrested a Chinese graduate student who is believed to be a central figure in widespread cheating on the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). Wang Likun, 27, from Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, is accused of trespassing at a TOEIC exam venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward by impersonating another test-taker, the Metropolitan Police Department said May 19. He reportedly admitted to the allegations, saying, 'It is true that I was present at the test venue with an ID card that is different from my real name.' According to the Nogata Police Station in the capital, the suspect, in a conspiracy with others, entered the venue at 2:50 p.m. on May 18 without a legitimate reason. The test organizer had contacted police earlier this month, saying, 'Recently, we've been seeing test-takers with the same face photos but different names.' Police officers were on guard at the venue on May 18 when Wang showed up. He told the reception desk that he had 'forgotten his test ticket.' When the officers interviewed Wang, he admitted that he was pretending to be someone else. He said he was trying to create a spare admission ticket under a name that was different from the one he had used in previous exams. Wang also had a small microphone of 3 to 4 centimeters hidden in his mask, police said. CHEATING 'JOB' The exam organizers had earlier told police they suspected widespread cheating. 'There has recently been an unusual increase in Chinese people scoring over 900 points (out of 990),' one of them said. They also reported that one test-taker was muttering in Chinese at the exam venue. The MPD believes Wang was the mutterer who was revealing correct answers to other Chinese there. The suspect reportedly said he was looking for part-time work to gain money, and that he found this 'job.' Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the exam-cheating job and who else was involved. The Nogata Police Station plans to refer Wang to prosecutors on May 20 on suspicion of counterfeiting private seals and documents through his impersonation of another test-taker.
