As consultant specialized on oriental languages and cross cultural communication I well know how it’s important for professionals to manage good level about foreign language, in particular when it allows us get beyond common contents showing personal ability on handling specific argumentations whenever we need.

But I’m also aware that common studies and courses, even if you’ve attended good universities or well known specilized centres for language studies, sometimes could’t make you well trained on advanced steps, in particular for business matters, and that’s more true if we’re considering a such complicate language like japanese.

It’s not just a problem of being familiar with specific words that must be used according with professional fields (that’s for sure important for anybody wants to get specific expertise) but that’s really hard part that involves practice and natural perception about keeping the right “harmony” towards speakers (whom you will have for sure to negotiate or propose something..), how to show respect  ( in japan business must follow always specific known background of symbols and situations and it’s important to respect mutual positions in this game) and in particular awareness about own role inside the dialogue / relation  (according with confucian wave in Asia, then through more concrete “bushi – education” that influenced  japanese business world, everybody got specific role in the world, being humble and aware about own position can help to introduce with communication needs and get benefits from interlocutors).

Now can you imagine how it’ll be difficult reach so deep / particular skills during regular academic course? in my case i’ve studied japanese at university for 5 years – passed always exams with best marks or pretty high scores and i’ve been in Japan with scholarships first and  joining intensive improvement courses around 3 times during my university preparation (in Japan also)  and i’ve never faced up with such contents that now I well recognize as fundamentals to get  successful access to business community in Japan. Sure I learned  in the past some key -words in keigo (or sonkeigo and kenjogo) that any student must manage during university training (お疲れ様です、畏まりました、致します、イタリアから参ります、お願い致します、待たせて下さいませんでしょうか etc) but it wasn’t really clear how it would go beyond mnemonic usage.

The opportunity to understand more about this matter, came around 6 years ago, during my first working experience in Tokyo in behalf of big multinational company that was doing research and recruiting on japanese market in occasion of the estabilishment of its japanese branch. I was chief manager for this project and I was really proud to work for some months in JETRO Tokyo for this company.

My japanese colleagues and staff from Japan External Trade Org after few weeks of reports and emails thought finally to win japanese embarassment suggesting me to that way to communicate on business matters (they said.. your japanese is totally correct.. and you don’t have any trouble about grammar but.. these reports and emails. are 作文 that means “compositions” and not business documents..) – That was the real  rebirth for my skills and for my career… I got quick intensive and good training as japanese people are also used to get after university when they got employed in  a common japanese company..

Well, when I founded Asian Studies Group I really wanted to do something of different about didactic services.. a group  first of all must be an opportunity of meeting to learn something of useful and concrete sharing skills (experience should be teaching for others… following the manner of good sensei) … so I tought why don’t get benefit for all our students through personal working experience got in the past? and That born our programme focused on concrete contents about Business Japanese –  it’s not only about what do you have to study but in particular how to apply it and  how to become independent on recognize / reply  in different business situations, managing the contents as survival’s key – features that will be part of your professional tools for real.

‘Cause learning these tips will have not any importance without trying to make them concrete, we include in our programmes also 6 weeks of internships in Japan, (free accomodation offered by our centre and japanese partners) and we’ll make you as our executive assistant for projects that partnered companies are managing in Japan with us.

i manage with my japanese colleague teacher 1 month of intensive classes in Milan (and soon in Rome) – everyday you’ll have lessons and we’ll discuss (in japanese) also not only about business compositions (依頼状　詫び状　見積書　稟議書etc) but we’ll analyze also specific situations that maybe you’ll have to manage directly as professional involved on marketing / commercial issues with japanese partners or clients in japan (corporate systems in jp, contractual matters, types of contracts etc)

Interested in such programme?  I hope to See you at level check days and remember that we’ll provide three sessions yearly (sept + october / jan + feb / may + june) – internship start around 3 weeks later the end of the programme in Italy

SAVE THE DATE for Next Session –  Level check on 26 / 27 of September –

Location: Asian Studies Group – Milan

Classes will start on 2 october and final test will be on 30 october 2013 (daily classes 36 hours)

For inquiries contact also info@asianstudiesgroup.net

and check link as follows

http://www.asianstudiesgroup.net/it/italiano/corso-di-specializzazione-business-japanese-e-stage

positions available also for foreign students from Eurozone with certified skills in japanese language (send cv before reserve you attndance for level check day)