Japanese for Busy People Series
Japanese for Busy People (JBP) textbooks have been used by 2.4 million students worldwide since its initial publication.
The title says it all – a tool for busy people who want to learn Japanese effectively and efficiently.
What's New!
Japanese for Busy People (JBP) – New Revision!
Volume Ⅲ of the textbooks and workbooks are now available:
・"JBP Ⅲ Revised 4th Edition" (hard copy)
・"JBP Ⅲ Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition" (hard copy)
"Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ Revised 4th Edition"(electronic versions) ,
"Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition"(electronic
versions), and "Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ Teacher's Manual for the Revised 4th
Edition" (electronic versions) will be available soon.
Japanese for Busy People comprises the following features:
- A fully integrated three-level series with related supplementary materials, which is suitable for both self-study and classroom use, forms a comprehensive course in basic Japanese.
- The Japanese for Busy People series requires about 300 hours of classroom instruction. At each level, enough vocabulary and grammar has been provided to enable the learner to easily communicate in uncomplicated adult Japanese.
- Students who have completed all three levels of this series will acquire language skills generally equivalent to Level 4 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
- Audio for the short conversations and phrases in the textbooks are available to download from the Kodansha USA web site. The natural speed of the Japanese narration helps to improve listening skills.
Japanese for Busy People Ⅰ Revised 4th Edition
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Romanized Version
Kana Version
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Volume 1 Features Unit Structure Volume 1 includes 24 lessons, which are broken into 10 units. Each unit covers a specific theme. Culture Notes Illustrations About 500 illustrations in the textbooks make for a stimulating and effective learning experience. Sound Files Sound files are now available to download from the Kodansha USA web site for more convenient learning. Students can listen to conversations and phrases found in the textbooks.
How to Use the Textbook Cultural Background Information on the Japanese culture at the beginning of each unit helps students deepen their understanding of the country and its people. Grammar Speaking Students acquire practical conversation skills with step-by-step lessons on Key Sentences, Word Power, Speaking Practice(s), and Target Dialogue.
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*Download from the link below:
Sound Files for "JBP I Romanized Version" Sound Files for "JBP I Kana Version"
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People Ⅱ Revised 4th Edition
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Volume 2 Features Unit Structure Like the JBPI, the book's lessons are organized into 8 units, each of which covering a specific topic. They will help expand the student's breadth of conversation with increasingly more complex subject matters. Illustrations Casual Style In this section, students will learn to apply the grammar presented in some lessons in casual conversations. Sound Files Sound files are now available to download from the Kodansha USA web site for more convenient learning. Students can listen to conversations and phrases found in the textbooks. Kanji This edition presents a new method of studying kanji. Each lesson offers about 7 topic-specific kanji to add to the vocabulary. Kanji Worksheets for kanji practices are available for download on Kodansh USA website.
How to Use the Text Cultural Background Information on the Japanese culture at the beginning of each unit helps students deepen their understanding of the country and its people. Grammar Speaking Students acquire practical conversation skills with step-by-step lessons on Key Sentences, Word Power, Speaking Practice(s), and Target Dialogue. Listening & Reading Students improve their speaking, listening, and reading skills on Listening Practice and Reading Practice. |
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ Revised 4th Edition
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Volume 3 Features Unit Structure Volume 3 is similar to Volume 2 and comprises 8 units of study topics. Students are gradually introduced to various aspects of the Japanese society while also learning the syntax and vocabulary required for the intermediate level. Casual Style In this section, students will learn to apply the grammar presented in some lessons in casual conversations. Sound Files Sound files are now available to download from the Kodansha USA web site for more convenient learning. Students can listen to conversations and phrases found in the textbooks. Kanji This edition presents a new method of studying kanji. Each lesson offers 10 topic-specific kanji to add to the vocabulary.
How to Use the Text Cultural Background Information on the Japanese culture at the beginning of each unit helps students deepen their understanding of the country and its people. Grammar Speaking Students acquire practical conversation skills with step-by-step lessons on Key Sentences, Word Power, Speaking Practice(s), and Target Dialogue. Listening & Reading Students improve their speaking, listening, and reading skills on Listening Practice and Reading Practice. |
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People The Main Textbooks : Contents for Each Volume
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General Language Objectives |
Grammatical Structural Goals |
Situational Function Goals | New Vocabulary | Class Time | |
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1,050 words |
50-60 hours |
| Ⅱ |
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about 1,380 words |
100-120 hours |
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Ⅲ |
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1,670 words |
100-120 hours |
Japanese for Busy People Workbook
Use the following workbooks and study materials with the textbooks for more effective learning.
Core Points
- Improves oral fluency, and enables nonnative students to speak Japanese at normal conversational speed
- Can be used for homework and self-review
- Coordinated with the exercises and quizzes
Japanese for Busy People Ⅰ The Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition
・Basic Japanese sentence pattern
・Encourages basic oral fluency
This workbooks provide practices for using the vocabulary and grammar in the textbooks, including conversation Exercises, Speaking Practices, and Target Dialogues, which are accompanies by a large number of illustrations.
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People Ⅱ The Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition
・Complex sentence patterns
・Expands vocabulary and increases sentence patterns and expressions
・Students will improve their speaking, listening, and reading skills.
This workbook provides practice problems on the grammar and vocabulary covered in each unit of the textbook. There are also practice problems for listening comprehension and reading comprehension. Reading materials include a blog written by a Canadian living in Japan. Each entry covers the lessons presented in a unit, and there is a field for adding comments on the entry.
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ: The Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition
・Complex sentence patterns
・Expands vocabulary and increases sentence patterns and expressions
・Students will improve their speaking, listening, and reading skills.
This workbook provides practice problems on the grammar and vocabulary covered in each unit of the textbook. In several sections (units), the students read about people’s experiences, describe in Japanese the situations presented in illustrations, and describe their own experiences. At the end of each unit, students work on listening and reading quizzes that cover new words and concepts being introduced.
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Japanese for Busy People Kana Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition
・Effective mastery of hiragana and katakana
・Fully integrated with Japanese for Busy People I
・Free audio files enhances oral fluency
The Kana Workbook includes exercises for helping the student learn to recognize, pronounce, and write each hiragana and katakana. The student will learn one character at a time and move onto reading and writing words and simple sentences. The student will also learn interesting facts about Japanese characters, traditional Japanese tools and crafts, and English words that have originated in Japan by reading the notes, written in English, throughout the book.
*Download from the link below:
＊Available on Amazon and other bookstores.
Ebook & App
Japanese for Busy People Series : Enhanced Book & Ebook
Enhanced Edition
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E-books for the following versions of Japanese for Busy People are now available: ・Volume I, Romanized Version Revised 4th Edition ・Volume I, Kana Version Revised 4th Edition ・Volume I, Workbook for the Revised 4th Edition
Following formats are supported: ・Enhanced Ebook (with sound files) ・Ebook
Digital version offers the following features: (1) A table of content with links to the chapters (2) Links in the text that are highlighted in blue (3) Highlighting, note taking, copying, and online search capabilities (4) Enhanced Ebook allows the reader to browse while listening to |
※ Pricing and purchasing information available on Kodansha USA
JBPⅠ4th : App
・Lite Version (Free):
App for all lessons (Lesson 1 through Lesson 5) in "JBP I Revised 4th Edition"
Available to download from both the App Store and Google Play.
・Full Version:
App for all lessons (Lesson 1 through Lesson 24) in "JBP I Revised 4th Edition"
Available to download from both the App Store and Google Play.
iOS version: Use the keyword "AJALT" to look for the app.
Requires iOS 15.0 or later.
Android version： Use the keyword “Japanese for Busy People” to look for the app.
Requires Android 8.0 later.
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Each lesson includes Word Power, Target Dialogue, Speaking Practice(s), and Quiz. |
Japanese for Busy People : Teacher's Manual (Japanese version only)
A comprehensive and practical resource for all instructors using Japanese for Busy People series
Japanese for Busy People Ⅰ
Teacher's Manual for the Revised 4th Edition : Ebook (Japanese version only)
Japanese for Busy People Ⅱ
Teacher's Manual for the Revised 4th Edition : Ebook (Japanese version only)
Japanese for Busy People Ⅲ:
Teacher's Manual for the Revised 4th Edition : Ebook (Japanese version only)
* It will be available soon.
◆About textbooks and materials including purchasing on Kodansha USA
◆About the contents (AJALT)：TEL：(03)3459-9620 FAX：(03)3459-9660 Contact us
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3-25-2 Toranomon Minato-ku,
Tokyo 105-0001, Japan
