How much English is in Asian countries?

[Alexander]

Okay, whenever you see products and advertisements from Japan, Korea,
China, etc., they're always full of English. Now, I understand that
this is in part to a) look cool because kids there think English is
neat and b) to possibly make sense to English-speakers, but there
seems to be an awful lot of English in important spots like the name
of the company and whatnot. Just how much English can an average
Japanese person understand? Can they read and sound out Latin
characters even if they don't understand what they mean?

Thanks

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Post by Alexander
Okay, whenever you see products and advertisements from Japan, Korea,
China, etc., they're always full of English. Now, I understand that
this is in part to a) look cool because kids there think English is
neat and b) to possibly make sense to English-speakers, but there
seems to be an awful lot of English in important spots like the name
of the company and whatnot. Just how much English can an average
Japanese person understand? Can they read and sound out Latin
characters even if they don't understand what they mean?
Thanks

Good question. I know that several "cool" t-shirts in Taiwan and Japan
sport English words that the owners sometimes do not know the meaning
of or reference.

Advertising and fashion do not have to follow logic; they must,
however, command attention. Or at least that's my take.