Designed for the busy professional who has been exposed to some Japanese but who now wants to begin using a moderate amount of the language in a business context. The book focuses on the common situations that the professional will face, preparing them for the questions likely to be asked, cultural assumptions likely to be made, as well as appropriate comments to make. Areas covered include welcoming everyone to a meeting; discussing financial performance; bringing a meeting to a close; discussing retainer fees or volume discount; presenting your own position; and working to meet a compromise.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
AN ONLINE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
Could you tell us a little about your background? "I was born in Washington D.C. and moved to Japan when I was 7 years old. We then moved to Hawaii where I lived until I went to Yale College at age 16. I majored in Chinese Studies and went on to receive my masters degree in East Asian Studies, also from Yale. I then graduated from Columbia Law School and have been practicing law for 21 years.
"Although I am Chinese-Korean, both of my parents are fluent in Japanese. My parents used to use Japanese at home when they didn't want us (the children) to know what they were talking about. Of course, that was the greatest motivator for learning Japanese!"
What motivated you to write this book? What got you started? "When I moved to Tokyo to set up the Tokyo office of my law firm in 1990, I saw so many of my friends who did not speak Japanese struggling to try to learn some basic business Japanese. Most of the available textbooks were for college students rather than professionals. I was constantly advising friends as well as non-Japanese clients about Japanese business culture and felt that it would be useful to combine the cultural advice with the basic language learning in one textbook."
Tell us a little about the contents of the book. "The book is designed for the business person, lawyer, or accountant who can speak some Japanese but has little knowledge of the language as it is actually used in the business context. It emphasizes language that is appropriate for various business settings. It presents common business situations and in addition to teaching vocabulary, phrases and expressions, tries to improve the learner's listening comprehension. It also provides cultural notes."
What is the centerpiece of the book? Why is the book important? "In addition to what I mentioned just above, the book is especially useful for the busy professional who does not have more than several hours a week for study. It can be tailored to fit the specific needs of the learner. The lessons do not have to be followed in strict numerical order. Lessons can be selected that are particularly relevant."
What people or books were influential in writing the book? "My father, Dr. John Young, a linguistics professor who authored Learn Japanese, a leading college textbook for learning Japanese, was the major influence in writing this book."
About the Author
Nancy Young is a partner in a New York-based international law firm. She has lived and worked in Japan for five years, most recently as resident partner for her firm. She is a graduate of Yale University, where she also received a master's degree in East Asian studies. She earned her degree in law from Columbia Law School.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Basic Business Japanese,
By A Customer
This review is from: Basic Business Japanese: Textbook (Paperback)
I think this book is the first one of its kind that really covers what you need to know when you are interacting with Japanese on business situation. I used this book as a reference to explain what non-Japanese should know. (Yes, I am Japanese and some of the thing covered in this book is something that I have been taken for granted...) Although, just reading and practicing using this book may not make you 100% comfortable on the real occasion, having studied with this book will make you look and act much more natural. I think it's a good book!
4.0 out of 5 stars
dialogues are very specific,
By Sparks (United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Basic Business Japanese: Textbook (Paperback)
Im not a business person, but checked this out from the library because the dialogues (written in kanji, romaji and English) make great reading practice. Topics include: negotiating unit price, default, arbitration, etc so I can see how this would be very helpful to business people.
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