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The introduction of 'foreign language (English) activities' for fifth and sixth graders in 2011 is currently one of the priorities of educational authorities in Japan. In the early 2000s, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started the implementation of new strategies and action plans regarding the improvement of English abilities among Japanese students, however, with slightly less than two years to go before the course commences, there are some important challenges that have not yet been overcome. The effectiveness of the new reforms involves the central government, boards of education, parents and students, and above all, English teachers, who are the key actors in this process. Most of them are aware of their additional forthcoming responsibility, and are taking immediate preparatory action. In this article, we argue that the quality and success of English education in Japan requires continuous support from all the institutions involved in education, in addition to suitable materials and teacher training.