WHY STUDY JAPANESE?

Japan is one of the top economies in the world; the third largest after the United States and China, according to the International Trade Administration ^[1]. Japan is home to many famous multinational companies in the technology, automotive and manufacturing sectors. With Japanese companies being active around the world, knowledge of the Japanese language and business culture can be beneficial for your future career ^[2]. If you are considering a career in business, engineering, manufacturing, researching, or economics, there is a good chance you could end up working for or with a Japanese company! 

Did you know that over 125 million people speak Japanese as their native language? That makes Japanese the 9th most spoken native language in the world! ^[3]. Japan is also the only country where Japanese is the official language so nearly 99% of native speakers live in Japan! But nearly 5 million people around the world speak Japanese with profiency outside of Japan (Brazil, Canada, the United States, the Philippines, and many more!) Learning Japanese is a great way to connect to others as well as to immerse yourself in a rich culture!

JAPANESE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

Here at the University of Akron students will learn to value the Japanese language, culture, history and themselves as individuals. We offer a wide variety of courses to fit all learners. Those with previous Japanese study should consider contacting the Department before enrolling into courses so that they may be advised on which level would be best for them!

No prior experience, no problem! Students can enroll in Beginning Japanese I and continue their study through the Intermediate levels!