iStart Japanese is currently the #1 Paid App in the UK (Education category), and was #2 in the US, Canada, and Australia!

Here is a short selection of the most recent comments on the iTunes App Store:

• Wonderful – by KatieKDOT (UK)
  I’ve just started with this app and the praise it receives is justified. I visited Japan last Christmas and my partner has family in Japan – so I hope to visit many times and understand the language – this app is perfect for me to begin to learn in earnest – and I’m excited about using it!
• Amazing – by Bennybo100 (UK)
  Absolutely amazing, I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
  More lessons please.
• A nifty little app! – by Neon Blonde (UK)
  This is actually a very good app, I had my doubts because I’ve tried learning the basics from the Japanese language before and failed miserably. It’s do easy to use and the way it breaks things down and repeats them over really helps me learn. Oh and the quiz is a good idea too, possibly more questions than 5 should be asked other than that I can’t grumble!
• Excellent! – by TomHothersall (UK)
  Awesome app considering I take my phone everywhere! Now I have NO excuse for not learning every day.
• Great app – by Kaystar9 (UK)
  This is my favorite app by far, I use it everyday. It’s very handy and you can use anywhere. It very fun and easy to use. I’m already speaking Japanese and I’ve had 2 lessons x x
• Fantastic – by kim3er (UK)
  It’s the most effective form of self learning I have found so far. More lessons please!
• Great app! – by Suviiana (UK)
  Very good app. I’d recommend it for anyone who wants to learn Japanese from scratch.
• Good tutor – by Zen123 (US)
  Been trying to learn japaneese as a 3rd language. This app is like a pocket rosetta stone.
• Amazingly simple and effective! – by Anistream.net (US)
  Directed towards complete beginners, it allows for mistakes to be made and let’s the user pause or stop the tuition if needed. This is essential for beginners to go at a pace they feel comfortable. As the lessons progress it continues to use previous lesson contents in examples with new content for a gradual and sustainable learning experiance. A must have for any person wishing to visit Japan or an anime fan!
• Brilliant!!! – by Barriguita (UK)
  Extremely easy and intuitive to use!
  I really enjoy using it, it’s amazing how they have done it so user friendly and at same time an effective learning tool for Japanese.
• Amazing – by DrBadger (UK)
  Perfectly paced and very clear the English speaker is very good and so Is the native Japanese speaker. Shows the way to write the symbols perfectly very well made I have enjoyed this app very much worth every penny.

We will be uploading new lessons very soon which will be available to you via the in-app purchase facility!

Get iStart Japanese! on the iTunes App Store Now!!!

It is the best known official Japanese test, having been around since 1984.

Currently, the JLPT has 4 levels, with Level 4 being the most basic and Level 1 the most difficult.

The test is administered by Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES, part of the Ministry of Education), inside Japan, and by the Japan Foundation, outside Japan.

The JLPT test is divided into three sections:

1. Characters and Vocabulary (100 points)
2. Listening Comprehension (100 points)
3. Reading Comprehension and Grammar (200 points)

The duration of the test depends on the Level. For example, the total length of the Level 4 test is 100 minutes, and the Level 1 test is 180 minutes long.

For Levels 4 through 2, the examinee needs at least 60% to pass, but for Level 1, the pass rate rises to 70%.

In most countries, the JLPT test is held just once a year.

For more information, go to this website: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/index.html

1. Japan — A Market of Enormous Potential – Japan is an enormous market, the world’s second largest in terms of economic scale (2007: US GDP 13.8 trillion, Japan 4.4 trillion, Germany and China 3.3 trillion). The scale of the economies of the country’s individual regions rivals that of some countries. Japan’s regions also offer an attractive market and extensive business opportunities.

2. Sophisticated Consumers with High Purchasing Power and Discerning Tastes – In addition to possessing high purchasing power, Japanese consumers are early adapters and move quickly to stay on the cutting edge of the latest technologies.

3. Promising Markets and Industries – Japan’s industries are globally competitive, and, as can be seen in the automotive sector, the nation’s industrial structure is extremely broad-based, with a large number of smaller companies functioning to support the world heavyweights. For foreign companies, Japan is not just an attractive sales market; in all of its sectors, Japan offers foreign companies extensive opportunities.

4. Home of the World’s Top Companies – Japan is home to many of the world’s top companies. These companies have established bases throughout the world and continue to expand their procurement, production and sales networks. And they are continuing to offer unique and innovative products and services as a result of active investment in R&D, conducted to enable them to enhance their international competitiveness and maintain growth.

5. SMEs Possess Unique Technologies – Japan hosts a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which, while perhaps small in scale, are tremendously innovative. Many of these SMEs work in areas of basic production that support the international competitiveness of major companies, supplying, for example, equipment and parts that rely on high-precision machining technologies. Other SMEs may possess unique technologies, enabling them to occupy niches that major companies find difficult to enter.

6. Innovation Ushering in the Future – In recent years, there has been an increase in cooperation between foreign companies and Japanese companies, universities and other organizations in the fields of research, technology and product development. Research and development supports industry, is the wellspring of future competitiveness, and is an area of vigorous activity in Japan, involving extensive cooperation between the government, businesses and universities. In addition, Japan’s expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP is the highest of any advanced nation.

7. A Gateway to the Asian Market – As the East Asian market grows rapidly, the economic integration between countries in the region continues to strengthen. The sustained high growth of the region is increasing its influence on the world economy, while regional exchanges of personnel, goods and funds are intensifying and economic relationships grow closer at every level of industry. Against the backdrop of a rapidly growing East Asian region, Japan is becoming ever more important for companies from around the world as a location for regional headquarters and R&D bases to support their push into Asia.

8. Foreign Companies Expanding Business in Japan – Japan is a business destination that offers abundant potential for foreign enterprises to increase their profit. The number of firms seeking to expand their businesses in Japan with a long-term investment strategy is steadily increasing.

9. Mature Investment Infrastructure – Recent years have seen a steady increase in foreign investment in Japan. Japan’s industrial structure and business environment are similar to those of Europe and the US, and this makes it simpler for foreign companies to establish themselves here and to expand their businesses within the country than it is in other Asian countries. The Japanese government is also making considerable efforts to improve the investment environment.

10. A Secure, Comfortable Living Environment – While home to a very unique culture, Japan has also welcomed elements of many foreign cultures. This coexistence of what is uniquely Japanese with cultures from around the world makes life in Japan constantly fresh and exciting. The nation also possesses all the elements required for a comfortable life, including stable infrastructure, clean and safe urban environments, and efficient social systems. Japan welcomes its guests with a secure and comfortable lifestyle, rich with the potential to enjoy the diversity and beauty of nature in all its seasonal changes.

Modified from JETRO:
http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/whyjapan/

Kabuki performances run the full gamut of human emotions by making extensive use of various sound effects, distinctive costumes and hairpieces, stage settings and props, and other stage mechanisms.

Kabuki can be described as a performing art that symbolizes the male urban culture of the Edo period (江戸時代 1603 – 1868).

Kabuki still remains relatively popular today (it is the most popular of the traditional styles of Japanese drama), and there are major theatres in the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Interest in kabuki has spread to the West, and kabuki troupes regularly tour Europe and America.

For instance, do you know how to say the following phrases in Japanese?…

• Good morning!
• Goodbye!
• Pleased to meet you.
• Cheers!

If not, head over to the BBC Japanese Language and listen to these phrases in Japanese!
(links to a webpage outside of Mirai English).

iStart Japanese! is the long-awaited iPhone and iPod Touch Application aimed at beginner-level learners of Japanese. The App is produced by Mirai Japanese, the Japanese-language specialists of Mirai Language Systems! There is simply no better way of learning Japanese!

Mirai Language Systems: “Changing the Way People Learn Languages.”

What is special about iStart Japanese!?

• The Application comes with full audio tutoring in the form of a dialog between native speakers of English and Japanese, clear explanations on how to write Japanese script which includes animated stroke order diagrams, vocabulary training with examples and native pronunciation, and short and enjoyable interactive quizzes for every lesson!

iStart Japanese! comes packed with 10 full lessons for learners of Japanese with no previous knowledge of the language.

• The interface of the program provides you with a innovative, fresh, and enjoyable user experience! Some of the unique features of iStart Japanese! are:

  -While you are listening to the audio of the dialog, the speech bubbles automatically move in synch with the audio!

  -You can toggle between viewing the Japanese text in romanized form or Japanese script by simply tapping on the speech bubble in question!

You will love these unique features of iStart Japanese!

Why iStart Japanese! is right for you…

• “iStart Japanese!” is like having your own personal Japanese tutor in your pocket, at a fraction of the cost of having a one-to-one lesson! Listen to clear and simple dialogs between a native English tutor helping you with understanding the basic meaning of words and grammar, and a native Japanese guide helping you with correct Japanese pronunciation. There is simply no better way to learn Japanese!
• The pace is geared towards complete beginners, and everything is explained in a simple and comprehensive way, so that you have complete confidence in your understanding of what you have learned from the very beginning. The program is structured so that your knowledge of the language builds up gradually, and you will gain good pronunciation habits from the outset with the help of the native Japanese speaking guide. You will be surprised how easy it seems to learn Japanese!

Summary of the great features of iStart Japanese!

• 10 fun lessons covering beginner-level language points, packed with audio and interactivity!
• Each lesson has a tutor section, with native English and Japanese speaking guides.
• The material in the Tutor and Writing sections on the App come with full audio!
• The Tutor section shows text in speech bubbles, which move in synch with the audio, so that you can follow along with the lesson easily!
• Also, the speech bubbles with Japanese content can be toggled between romanized words and Japanese script by simply touching the speech bubbles!
• The Writing section for each lesson explains how to write Japanese script in detail. You will find the animated stroke order diagrams for correctly writing Japanese script especially useful!
• Five core vocabulary items with Japanese audio pronunciations are given for each lesson.
• You can add words quickly to your own list – “My Vocab”. You will be able to boost your vocabulary by 100 words quickly using this App!
• You can test yourself and consolidating what you have learned by way of a short interactive quiz after each lesson, where the questions change each time you play!

iStart Japanese! boasts nearly one thousand sound files to make your language learning experience so much more real and enjoyable! Get iStart Japanese! now!

Why is iStart Japanese! by Mirai Japanese so different from other Japanese-learning systems?

Mirai Language Systems devise cutting-edge language-learning software based on three fundamental principles:

• language learning should be fun, stimulating, and enjoyable;
• language instruction should be logical, well-paced, and consistent; and
• language-instruction and learning should be balanced and goal-oriented.

Using these underlying principles, Mirai Language Systems creates inspiring and extremely effective language courses.

Get iStart Japanese! on the iTunes App Store Now!!!