Is teaching in English the right way to go for Japan's universities?

I saw an article today via The Japan Times about more of Japan's universities moving to teach courses in English. The article mentioned that the University of Tokyo's graduate school of engineering is planning to teach all of its classes in English from 2026, an announcement that sparked quite a bit of debate online (and understandably so).

Many commenters argued that most Japanese students have studied almost entirely in Japanese up to that point, so expecting them to suddenly learn complex technical subjects in English feels far too unrealistic. Faculty members also may not be equipped to switch to teaching advanced material in a second language overnight.

Living near the International University of Japan (IUJ), a graduate school that already teaches entirely in English, I found the discussion especially interesting. IUJ has long attracted students from around the world, but there are also many Japanese students who choose to study there. For them, I'm sure the adjustment can be tough at first, but the payoff is pretty clear. They graduate able to think, discuss, and collaborate across cultures, which are skills that feel increasingly essential in today's world.

Maybe less of a challenge than the English instruction is the mountains of snow we get in winter ;)

While the University of Tokyo's move might seem a bit daunting, I think it has real potential if handled thoughtfully. Beyond improving language ability, I think it could help bridge Japan's universities more directly with the global academic community. 

What do you think of some universities here in Japan opting to teach only in English?