The Ohio State University launched a language training program customized for a Japanese company in May, 2014. This program targets approximately 340 Japanese workers transferred from Japan to Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Teaching materials are delivered online and we provide digital classrooms so that they could study English wherever they are. In addition to the typical challenge in ESP – matching content with their needs – and the language distance between their L1 Japanese and L2 English, we have many challenges that relate to working adult learners’ perceptions of English learning and their learning styles. This article discusses Japanese working adult learners’ needs and learner characteristics in comparison with young Japanese undergraduate students without full-time work experience.