The population of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners has increased significantly in higher education settings in the United States today. It has been reported that Japanese ESL students are generally unsuccessful when studying in English speaking countries. The typical way of reading in English for Japanese students is the grammar-translation method in which the students would depend on English-Japanese dictionaries and translate from English to Japanese word by word. Having this learning background, many Japanese ESL college students have reading difficulties when they enter the United States. They try to find some strategies that work for academic reading in ESL settings as college students. This study explores the need for better academic reading strategies for Japanese ESL college students in the United States. The author used a qualitative collective instrumental case study design to explore the views of two Japanese ESL students regarding their academic English reading. The perceptions of the Japanese students are classified into three categories: (1) learning strategies; (2) motivation; and (3) environment, with additional sub-themes in each category. The study shows that the students experienced and perceived their academic English reading in the United States differently from their experiences and perceptions in Japan. After analyzing the findings, the author offers recommendations that ESL college students, English teachers, and professors and instructors of ESL college students in the United States can consider and apply.