From the Japan Times:
Poor English skills and coordination with visiting English speakers are just two of the problems worrying elementary school teachers as the government's two-year transition period to inaugurate weekly classes in the English language for Japanese elementary school students begins next month.
The new classes, officially titled Foreign Language Activities but more commonly referred to as English activities, officially kick off in April 2011 for fifth- and sixth-graders, or 10- to 12-year-olds, requiring schools to run 35 periods a year.
Full article:
Elementary school English in Japan: Ready or not | Japan Times
Note: There is a related article on the same page called "
Businesses step up with learning tools to cash in on new language needs" which may be of interest to some English teachers in Japan.