It's worth noting, though, that in Japan students are required to study English starting from the beginning of junior high school. The thing is, English education in Japan is often not sufficient for a variety of reasons, including emphasis on grammar for tests, rather than conversation proficiency, and learning from teachers who may not themselves understand or speak English very well. Yes, it's unfair to expect people to learn yours as a secondary language, but also Japan is aiming for greater English proficiency, and in line with this goal is a need for better English education.