It's kind of fun to do the impossible

・・・・Today, I would like to congratulate the University of Cambridge ESOL and STEP or Eiken for having arrived at concluding an agreement between themselves to launch STEP-BULATS. As introduced, I come from the business world, and as you know, in this globalized or increasingly globalized economy, there is no doubt that English has become the common business language.
I believe that it has become so not just because the Anglo-Saxon world dominates the business world, but really because English is the language which is most suited for business negotiations, business transactions and business contracts. I therefore believe that even though the world may change, or the global scene may change, English as the business language will remain.

In my capacity as a Director of IBM, I have gotten some knowledge about translating machines, which are increasingly improving every day. But even there, it is impossible to translate business thinking, business views, business negotiations and this has to be done based on proficiency of language. And I believe that the STEP-BULATS is in the right direction of this. It tests not just reading and writing, but speaking and also listening essential for the business world. I am sure that through the new testing system, not only will English proficiency amongst the Japanese business people improve and therefore, we will become more competitive in the world, but it will also serve to bring together Japan and Britain, and Japan and the international world.