Question #1: Is it practical to learn Japanese for a future career in this global economy?

Answer: Yes, because Japan is the world’s 3rd largest economy, and its GDP (Gross Domestic Product to indicate a nation’s economic power) is larger than Germany, France, England, Italy or Spain.

Also, Japan’s PER CAPITA INCOME is larger than the U.S., and 6 times larger than China’s.

Japan is a world leader in -

• Energy
• Medical research
• Material science
• Environmental technology
• Robotics
• Transportation
• Telecommunications
• Digital imaging
• ANIME and MANGA culture that has been appealing to millions of young people in the world these days.

To support the claim above, here’s just one indication of scientific advancement - the number of NOBEL PRIZES in the last 25 years. Japan won 25 of them. In the past 5 years alone, Japan has won 7 Nobel prizes in science; compared with that, U.K. 4, France 2, Germany 1, and the only other Asian country which won a Nobel prize has been India with 1.

Americans can visit Japan easily, needing just a valid passport but not a Visa (not the credit card ;-).

By comparison, most American visitors need an official permit to visit a foreign country such as Russia or China.

Japan has also been the 2nd largest investor (in Foreign Direct Investment) in the U.S., just after U.K., with $149 billion., compare with that of China’s FDI, $3 billion, over the past 10 years.

Japanese companies own many famous American brands -

• 7-Eleven convenience stores
• Firestone Tires
• Jergens soap and personal products
• Shaklee vitamin and home products
• Jim Beam whiskey
• Columbia Pictures

Question #2: Are there many world famous people who have been influenced by Japanese culture?

Answer: Absolutely yes. To name a few -

• A famous painter, Vincent Van Gogh was influenced by Japanese wood cut print called ‘UKIYO-E’
• Frank Lloyd Wright in architecture
• Star Wars creator George Lucas embedded various Japanese themes in his films (e.g. master-student relationships, sword-fighting, a few against many).
• Steve Jobs’ famous simplicity in design has been known to come from the path of Japanese Zen Buddhism, etc.

The best way to learn Japanese culture is through learning the language since there will be no need of a translator to appreciate it.

Question #3: Are there many Americans learning Japanese?

Answer: In 2012, there were over 160,000 students at all levels, including 80,000 pre-college level which increased in enrollments 20% between 2009 and 2012.