From our other sites
The story
On 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo G board, a poster who holds Japan’s highest English certification, Eiken Level 1, but doesn’t work started an “Ask Me Anything” thread. According to the poster, they have no work history, and since their parents have assets worth over ¥200 million, they’ll never need to work in their life. They said that even though they haven’t used English in a long time, everyday conversation is still no problem, but admitted that passing Eiken Level 1 itself hasn’t really translated into anything useful in society. The thread split between those who accepted a lifestyle built on parental wealth and those who called it “just kicking the can down the road.”
What people said
They're not crying.
I was raised being told money means I'd never have to work in my life.
Sounds like your parents have given up on you.
Don't blame your parents for this.
No work history.
Parents have money.
Do have some part-time job experience, though.
Doesn't really bother me.
Haven't used English in a long time, but everyday conversation is still no problem. Once you've made it all the way to Eiken Level 1, the fundamentals are locked in solid.
Sounds like if someone actually talked to you, only random words would come out.
If your parents have over ¥200 million, you're in the clear. If it were only ¥100 million, inheritance tax would eat into it and you'd end up on the lonely-death-halfway-there route.
It's over ¥200 million.
It's an English proficiency certification. Level 1 is the top rank.
It's true.
Got Pre-1 in my third year of junior high.
Got Level 1 in my sophomore year of university.
No way.
It's second nature to me by now.
Everyday conversation is a breeze.
Doesn't seem like it.
Unlike TOEIC or TOEFL, it's a certification exam.
Can't muster the motivation.
Besides, why would I want to work when I already have money?
I just wanted it as a credential.
It did help boost my self-esteem, at least.
I've got Level 2!
I got Level 2 in my first year of junior high.
Even having Eiken didn't do me any good…
At the end of the day, I'm just good at English.
There are plenty of NEETs out there more capable than me.
Honestly, the only one more impressive than you is probably Moritetsu (a well-known figure in Japanese NEET/hikikomori online culture).
It's nobody's fault.
It's your fault for not working.
If that's what you think, why don't you go get a job yourself?
I've got money, so I'm fine.
You're just kicking the can down the road.
I can live off it for the rest of my life, so there's no 'kicking the can' about it.
I'm not OP.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
Eiken Level 1 is considered the toughest rank within the Eiken system, with a pass rate that typically hovers around 10% each year. The poster says they earned Pre-1 in their third year of junior high and Level 1 in their sophomore year of university — the timing itself isn’t especially precocious, but the thread’s central debate centered on the fact that they’ve continued living as a NEET without ever putting the credential to use in a career. A rough calculation floated in the thread suggested that “if your assets exceed ¥200 million, you can still live comfortably even after inheritance tax eats into it,” but this is based solely on the poster’s self-reported claims — the actual size of their assets and the applicable inheritance tax rate could not be verified. Opinions in the thread were also divided on how much Eiken Level 1 really guarantees practical English ability, which is worth noting for readers, since the value of a certification and real-world proficiency are separate matters that are easy to conflate. Commenters split between those who defended this way of life and those who criticized it as “just kicking the can down the road,” but it’s worth remembering that all of this rests on nothing more than the poster’s own unverified account.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “I’m a highly educated NEET with Eiken Level 1 — ask me anything?.”
Leave a Reply