AI IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN JAPAN:

Abstract

This paper examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence tools into English Language Teaching (ELT) in Japanese university classrooms, focusing on what is pedagogically effective, what falls short in practice, and where human teaching remains irreplaceable. Drawing on classroom observation and educators, this study critically evaluates AI-assisted language learning tools, including writing assistants, automated feedback systems, and conversational AI, within the specific sociolinguistic and cultural context of Japan. Japan presents a distinctive case: a high-technology society with deeply rooted traditional pedagogical norms, where learner anxiety, cultural expectations around error and performance, and institutional conservatism shape how AI tools are received and used. The paper identifies pedagogical gains in areas such as grammar feedback, vocabulary reinforcement, and learner autonomy, while also documenting consistent limitations: AI tools frequently fail to address pragmatic competence, intercultural communication, and the affective dimensions of language learning that skilled teachers navigate intuitively. Crucially, this study argues that the boundary between productive AI assistance and over-reliance is not merely technical but ethical and pedagogical. Teachers must actively mediate AI use to preserve student agency, critical thinking, and authentic communicative development. The paper concludes with evidence-informed recommendations for ELT practitioners and institutional policymakers on how to integrate AI responsibly, sustainably, and in ways that keep human judgment at the center of language education.