As you know, I travel all around Japan for my business. That means that I meet many Japanese businesspeople. I used to have a kind of preconceived notion (先入観) that most people were concerned with attaining 730 on the TOEIC. Or actually, as an interim step, maybe even 550 or 600. To be honest, I think that this still represents the majority of Japanese businesspeople. As we all know well, many companies have in place a policy that anyone wishing to be promoted must have a certain TOEIC score, usually 730. 
But what I am realizing recently is that there is another huge group of English learners: those who are targeting over 900 or even higher. I previously thought that this group comprised mainly English teachers or people whose hobby was English. But the reality is that this group is growing rapidly. And I guess that it is understandable.
Let me tell you a story. A couple of years ago I was in Kariya in Aichi prefecture. I was having my breakfast at the Kariya Park Hotel (a very reasonable and clean hotel to stay at, by the way). At a table near me there were five Asian people having breakfast, speaking in English. Their English sounded so native-like that I initially thought they might be from my home state of California. (As you know, California's population now is more than 12% Asian.) But the more I eavesdropped on their conversation, the more I realized that they were not native speakers of English. That really piqued my curiosity, so I went over to talk with them. Four Koreans and one Chinese. Speaking at a level that initially fooled me into thinking that they were native speakers. That's the reality of the business world and it will become even more of a reality in the coming years.
So, I think it is also understandable that there will be a huge market for challenging TOEIC materials that will help this group take their English abilities to the next highest level. That's why I think that Kenkyusha, particularly my editor Kaneko-san, is prescient in recognizing this future need by introducing a comprehensive series of high-level TOEIC books, planned to hit the market later this year. I am very proud to be a part of the team that is producing these materials and I hope that they will be useful for you, too, in your quest to attain the TOEIC score that matches your ability.
Robert
But what I am realizing recently is that there is another huge group of English learners: those who are targeting over 900 or even higher. I previously thought that this group comprised mainly English teachers or people whose hobby was English. But the reality is that this group is growing rapidly. And I guess that it is understandable.
Let me tell you a story. A couple of years ago I was in Kariya in Aichi prefecture. I was having my breakfast at the Kariya Park Hotel (a very reasonable and clean hotel to stay at, by the way). At a table near me there were five Asian people having breakfast, speaking in English. Their English sounded so native-like that I initially thought they might be from my home state of California. (As you know, California's population now is more than 12% Asian.) But the more I eavesdropped on their conversation, the more I realized that they were not native speakers of English. That really piqued my curiosity, so I went over to talk with them. Four Koreans and one Chinese. Speaking at a level that initially fooled me into thinking that they were native speakers. That's the reality of the business world and it will become even more of a reality in the coming years.
So, I think it is also understandable that there will be a huge market for challenging TOEIC materials that will help this group take their English abilities to the next highest level. That's why I think that Kenkyusha, particularly my editor Kaneko-san, is prescient in recognizing this future need by introducing a comprehensive series of high-level TOEIC books, planned to hit the market later this year. I am very proud to be a part of the team that is producing these materials and I hope that they will be useful for you, too, in your quest to attain the TOEIC score that matches your ability.
Robert