This study uses the lens of Critical Whiteness Studies to examine how students and faculty at a Japanese university viewed 'global education' and 'internationalization'--two concepts that have been ardently promoted and pursued in Japan. This investigation and analysis focus on the critical juncture of the modern Japanese higher education system and Whiteness. It sheds light on the under-addressed issue of the racial power dynamics that affect one's perception towards race and race relations and, the impact of Whiteness on Japanese students' self-esteem and identity. By selecting and adopting privileged standpoints, higher education in Japan has reinforced "the White vistas that centuries of racism have carved in our society" (Ross, 2002, p. 255). The findings of this study suggest that views and attitudes toward English education are influenced by Japan's Westernization movement during the Meiji era (i.e., the second half of the 19th century) that privileged and pursued the cultural assets and linguistic capital of Western/White states.