In today’s business environment, non-native speakers of Japanese are increasingly required to communicate in Japanese. In such situations, a way of thinking similar to translation and interpretation is often necessary,namely deciding how to choose expressions and how to adjust meaning between one’s native language and Japanese.
Using the phrase “Traduttore, traditore” (“The translator is a traitor”) as a starting point, this course explores how professional translators and interpreters read meaning and convey intention. Through this lens, participants will examine the challenges and appeal of Japanese expression, as well as practical expressive skills useful in business settings.
ScheduledLearning Business Japanese Expression Skills from Translation and Interpretation
Lecturer
Shinichiro ISHIKAWA/ Kobe University(Professor)
Graduated from the Faculty of Letters, Kobe University. Completed graduate studies at the Graduate School of Letters, Kobe University, and the Graduate School of Cultural Sciences, Okayama University. Holds a Ph.D. in Literature.
Specializes in corpus linguistics and applied linguistics. Served as a lecturer at the University of Shizuoka, Hiroshima International University, and associate professor at Kobe University. Has held current position since 2004.
Vice President of the Mathematical Linguistic Society of Japan, board member of the Association for Japanese and English Language and Culture, and former president of the Japan Association for English Studies. Member of the Subdivision on the Japanese Language, Council for Cultural Affairs, Agency for Cultural Affairs, and Deputy Chair of its Language Resources Subcommittee. Regional Coordinator for the Kinki Block in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's project to establish training and development centers for Japanese language teachers.
Major works include ベーシックコーパス言語学 (A Basic Guide to Corpus Linguistics), ベーシック応用言語学(A Basic Guide to Applied Linguistics), and “The ICNALE Guide: An Introduction to a Learner Corpus Study on Asian Learners’ L2 English”. Translations include “Corpus Linguistics: Methods, Theory, and Practice” and “Words and Phrases: Corpus Studies of Lexical Semantics (Language in Society)” and “The Complete Short Stories of D.H. Lawrence”, Vol. 4 ("Two Blue Birds").
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* Preliminary materials, lecture materials, and lecture videos may not be available.
* The viewing deadline for lecture materials and videos is 7 days including the date on which they became available for viewing. (*It will be available within 7 days from the course date.)
* In order to attend the course, you need to answer the pre-questionnaire. To view the materials on the day, you need to complete both the pre-questionnaire and the post-attendance questionnaire. The deadline for answering the post-attendance questionnaire is 7 days, including the day of the lecture.
Course outline
Lecture nameLearning Business Japanese Expression Skills from Translation and Interpretation
Date and timeFebruary 24, 2026 (Tuesday) , 01:00 PM (JST) 〜 February 24, 2026 (Tuesday) , 02:30 PM (JST)
Lecturer
Shinichiro ISHIKAWA
Kobe University(Professor)
Kobe University(Professor)
TargetInternational students or employees with Japanese proficiency equivalent to JLPT N2 or above.
* Non-Toyo University students can also take this course.
* Participation from abroad is highly welcomed.
* Non-Toyo University students can also take this course.
* Participation from abroad is highly welcomed.
Capacity1,000 participants per lecture (first-come-first-served basis)
Streaming service
Zoom
FeeFree
Application periodJanuary 07, 2026 (Wednesday) , 12:00 AM (JST) ~ February 28, 2026 (Saturday) , 11:59 PM (JST)
Precautions
- Courses will be conducted entirely in Japanese.
- You can freely choose to participate in only one course or multiple courses.
- Those who responded to the questionnaire after the course will be able to view the materials and videos used in the course only if the instructor has given permission to distribute them. (This time all courses will provide the materials and videos.)