This collection of papers includes the following: "Second Language Acquisition Research in Japan: Theoretical Issues" (Peter Robinson, Mark Sawyer, and Steven Ross); (2) "Focus on Form: Implicit and Explicit Form Focused Instruction Incorporated into a Communicative Task" (Hitoshi Muranoi); (3) "A Task that Works for Negotiation of Meaning" (Terefumi Fubata); (4) "Noticing Output and its Effects on Learner Production" (David Aline); (5) "Implicit and Explicit Instruction of L2 Complex Request Forms" (Satomi Takahashi); (6) "Literacy as an Anchor for the Spoken Language: Evidence from Adult Attriters of L2 Japanese" (Lyne Hansen and Jesse Newbold); (7) "Relationships among Attitudes, Motivation, Anxiety and English Language Proficiency in Japanese College Students" (Amy Yamashiro and John McLaughlin); (8) "Investigating the Role of Aptitude in an EFL Course in Japan" (James Sick and Kay Irie); (9) "The Role of the Language Teacher: Cross Cultural Perspectives" (Stephen M. Ryan and Veronica Makarova); and (10) "Japanese Secondary Students Attaining Oral Proficiency: Interviews with More and Less Proficient Individuals" (Jacqueline Beebe). (Papers contain references.) (SM)