抄録
The internationalization of the Japanese economy is progressing very rapidly; Japanese companies are being closely intertwined into the network of the world economy. Business-English education should be reformed to cope with the drastic changes in this environment.
In order to find how to deal with the situation we must study the history of education since the beginning of the Meiji Era. This paper is the first step in this study and is primarily focussed on the educational method used at Shoho Koshujo (1875-1984).
Originally, all commercial subjects were taught there in English by an American, well-experienced in practical business education. Later, the emphasis was shifted toward first training students in Japanese for domestic business; but the English language was also taught extensively as preparation for their future study of foreign trade which was taught entirely in English. Commercial correspondence and business conversation were included in their study of foreign trade.
This was the beginning of business-English education in Japan and we can learn valuable lessons through studying this program at Shoho Koshujo.
