Best degree for becoming an English teacher?

Hello! I'm planning on getting a Bachelor's Degree so that I can eventually work as an English teacher in Japan, and I know a degree in English would obviously be a good choice, but I heard from someone that if you're wanting to teach English in Japan, it doesn't have to be a degree in English, and that a Bachelor's Degree in English is more expensive and time consuming than other degrees. So now I'm at a loss. Anyone teaching English in Japan who can give me some advice? What kind of degrees do any of you have? Of course I'm planning on taking a course on teaching English abroad so that no matter what I have a degree in, I'll still have the knowledge to teach people.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I think it depends on what you're thinking of when you say "English Teacher".

If you're just wanting to be an ALT like many of the people teaching English in Japan now, who are placed in ES, JHS, or HS team-teaching with a Japanese teacher, it doesn't matter what degree you get. Actually, people who have a degree in education often say that being an ALT is frustrating because you're only often assisting the Japanese teacher or home room teacher, and not actually running your own classroom.

But if you wanted to get an actual degree related to teaching English in Japan (whether as an ALT or an eikaiwa teacher or something), a degree in education would be good, and some schools even have specific classes on ESL teaching.

Say you wanted to open up your own school, in addition business classes or a business degree would actually be really helpful.

If you are open to different fields of study not necessarily directly related to teaching, getting a degree in something like Anthropology can actually be really helpful in every day life in Japan. And obviously it goes without saying that degrees related to Japanese, language or culture, will only help your life in Japan. So there is really a lot you can do.

(By the way, getting a degree in English is a fine arts degree mostly concerned with literature... I'm thinking you mean a degree in education.)

Hi. It doesn't make any difference at all what degree you have. Absolutely anything is fine. If you also have a TEFL cert or EFL teaching experience, this will be very useful.

Cambridge English certificates are the gold standard for EFL teachers in my opinion. But don't make the mistake of thinking this is a graduate level job; it's not. In fact, the degree is for the visa, many many schools will happily hire you without the degree provided you have some other residence status that allows you to work.

In other words, study what you are interested in because for most people, teaching English in Japan is not something you do for the rest of your life.

Get the degree you want for the job you desire after you burn out of teaching here.

95% of grads who come here last less than 5 years, then end up burning out and going home to start their 'real life'.
You may not think that'll apply to you, but statistically.....

There are only so many times you can utter "this is a pen".