Task-based language teaching

Abstract This systematic review synthesised 150 empirical studies on task-based language teaching (TBLT) conducted in Japan between 2008 and 2025. Unlike global syntheses that often rely solely on English-language databases, this review analysed studies drawn from both international (Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science, and LLBA) and domestic Japanese databases (CiNii and J-STAGE) following PRISMA 2020 guidelines ( Page et al., 2021 ) and the SMART Protocol ( Chong, 2025 ). Results show a predominance of university-based research and speaking-oriented tasks, with limited evidence from compulsory education. Notably, the analysis suggests a divergence in theoretical orientation. While international publications tended to prioritise mainstream TBLT frameworks and theoretical orientations, domestic studies more frequently anchored these principles in local policy and pedagogical practice. Approximately 30% of studies were found to have a combined theoretical orientation that integrated global principles with local contexts. These findings suggest that practitioners frequently employ internationally recognised frameworks alongside domestic scholarship and policy guidelines to navigate implementation challenges. This indicates an adaptive effort to align task-based principles with local educational realities rather than a weakening of theory. By integrating these domestic perspectives, the review offers a more comprehensive and context-sensitive account of how task principles are adapted to classroom reality in Japan.