Chadwick B. Hilton

Japanese International Business Communication: The Place of English.

This study focuses on one specific element of Japanese business communication: the use of English. Six research questions designed to clarify the position of English in Japanese business communication are addressed: (a) through surveys of 212 Japanese corporations and members of the Japanese Business English Association; and (b) through on-site interviews with Japanese corporate representatives. The results indicate that English is an important element of Japanese international business policy and that an awareness of both the Japanese corporate commitment to employee English proficiency and of the complexities of the use of English for special purposes will benefit business communicators involved with Japan.