Japanese is a mixture of syllabic characters and ideograms which can be recognized instantly by readers without a need for sub-vocalization.

However, linguistic research shows that speed reading is not actually better for comprehension because less material stays in long-term memory. Speed readers tested against “normal” readers who read the same passages remembered the gist but didn’t recall many important details. The general consensus now is that speed reading is more of a novelty but that normal reading where you allow your inner voice to “speak” each word is necessary for effective study.

While I thoroughly enjoy how Japan continues to push the limits of human abilities in the most absurd, yet interesting ways, always striving to be the fastest at something (sticking coupons into a newspaper stack, calculating a pile of papers’ sums together, fastest typer, fastest etc.).

In my opinion, this is what causes suicide rates to rocket in Japan. The pressure to become super human from parents and society around Japanese. A bit much, and I can understand why a lot of the Japanese friends I have here in NY hate Japan and hope to never go back – the ability to move at your own pace is nigh impossible…just what I hear.

I feel like English, with it’s fewer characters, would be easier to speed reed as the mind comes in contact with the characters more often than Japanese (less characters, higher frequency), though at the same time Kanji, once mastered, might actually be faster to read. :/