Whose English, Whose Rules? Language Teacher Identity and Agency Under Policy Implementation in Tokyo

While research on language teacher identity (LTI) is extensive, a noticeable gap remains in poststructuralist-based studies within the Japanese context, specifically in exploring how non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) experience identity challenges and exercise agency within the national policy demands in secondary schools. This research explores the identity-related challenges faced by NNESTs and highlights the strategies they use to enact agency under English language policy mandates. Using a qualitative phenomenological research approach, the paper conducted semi-structured interviews with six Japanese English teachers in a Tokyo public high school. Data were analyzed through Reflective Thematic Analysis (RTA) to examine how educators experience, negotiate, and respond to policy demands and classroom realities. Identity-related pressures were identified, with teachers often shifting from authoritative roles to more facilitative ones in response to students’ communicative competence and policy demands. Their agency was reflected in adaptive strategies such as translanguaging, differentiated instruction, and self-directed professional development. Overall, the research demonstrates that Japanese NNESTs are not merely policy implementers, but also informed practitioners who exercise agency and balance language policy expectations with the needs of their learners. Language policy frameworks may incorporate teacher inputs, allow greater pedagogical flexibility, and provide institutional support to foster sustainable and context-sensitive instruction.