English proficiency is valued in Japan for its facilitation of participation in the international community. However, average proficiency remains low despite strategic efforts of Japan's Ministry of Education. Based on research indicating that culture may impact learning, this quantitative study investigated the impact of culture on English proficiency among 119 freshman Japanese students at a Japanese university. The Cultural Dimensions of Learning Framework (CDLF) (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010), based partly on Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, was used to measure cultural learning preferences categorized as social relationships, epistemological beliefs, and temporal perceptions. English proficiency was determined through self-reported TOEFL ITP scores, and a correlational, explanatory design was used, which investigates the association between two variables. No strong preferences were found for six out of eight cultural learning preferences, and no statistically significant relationships were discovered between cultural learning preferences and TOEFL ITP scores. The findings may be indicative of diversity in learning approaches and/or limitations in the instruments, while preferences for social relationships may impact social interaction, not measured by TOEFL ITP. As such, the findings solidify the argument for reporting non-significant data, which mandates a critical evaluation of current thinking about the complex and multifaceted relationship between culture and language proficiency.