| Japanese is a language spoken by more than 120 | | | | firms, you will not only will be able to communicate |
| million people worldwide in countries including Japan, | | | | with your Japanese business associates, but you will |
| Brazil, Guam, Taiwan, and on the American island of | | | | also be able to better represent your organization in |
| Hawaii. Japanese is a language comprised of | | | | your business travels there. |
| characters completely different from the western | | | | If you want to learn Japanese in order to vacation |
| alphabet that makes up such languages as English, | | | | on the island, and if you have the time and the |
| French, Italian, and German. If you are required to | | | | financial resources, you might opt to learn the |
| learn Japanese for business reasons, or if you are | | | | Japanese language through an immersion program |
| planning a vacation to the Asian island, it might seem | | | | where you travel to Japan. This way, you will not |
| intimidating to learn a language so different for your | | | | only learn the Japanese language, but you will also |
| own. | | | | experience the fascinating Japanese culture. Learning |
| If you are required to learn the Japanese language | | | | Japanese where the language has its origins, you will |
| for your job, consider jumping into an immersion | | | | plunge yourself into the life and culture, and you will |
| program. There are immersion programs that are | | | | learn the language quickly. You will learn the |
| available for enrollment that do not require you to | | | | conversational and colloquial styles of the language. |
| travel to Japan, but are held in the United States. | | | | You will interact on a daily basis with indigenous |
| Master instructors who are native Japanese speakers | | | | Japanese people, who probably won't be willing or |
| will provide a short and highly intensive program in | | | | able to communicate with you in English. You will be |
| which you will live and breathe Japanese. Do not be | | | | immersed into the everyday life of the island nation. |
| intimidated. Immersion programs are known to be | | | | You will grow to understand and appreciate the |
| highly effective in very short periods of time. You | | | | Japanese culture, including the history, the art, the |
| might surprise yourself with how much you learn in | | | | architecture, the food, and the people. You will |
| such a short period of time. Not only will you come | | | | attend courses in which you will learn the alphabet, |
| away with a firm grasp of conversational Japanese, | | | | how to write it and read it. Learning the Japanese |
| but you will also understand the alphabet, and gain a | | | | language through immersion is a fun and ideal way to |
| little insight into Japanese culture. At the end of your | | | | go. |
| course, you might be tested on your newly acquired | | | | Whether you want to learn the Japanese language |
| knowledge. The Japanese government provides | | | | for pleasure, or you are inclined to do so for work, |
| standardized tests that measure written and | | | | learning to speak, read, and write Japanese gives you |
| conversational understanding, the most common | | | | the potential to further develop you career by |
| known as the Japanese Language Proficiency Test | | | | working abroad and make a good impression with |
| (JLPT). There is also a test available that measures | | | | overseas associates. Learning Japanese will also |
| comprehension of the language in business situations. | | | | enhance your travels in that you will be able to |
| It is known as the Business Japanese Proficiency | | | | appreciate the lives and culture of the Japanese |
| Test (BJPT). | | | | people. Learning the Japanese language is an |
| Learning the Japanese language will certainly help to | | | | intellectually and personally enriching pursuit that will |
| enhance your career. If your organization has offices | | | | provide you with career opportunities as well as an |
| in Japan, or you do business with other Japanese | | | | awareness of a culture other than your own. |