According to documents submitted to the Cabinet by the Immigration Services Agency on March 10, 2026, the number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record high of approximately 4.13 million at the end of fiscal year 2025, surpassing the 4 million mark for the first time. The population increased by about 360,000 during fiscal year 2025 alone and by over 1 million in the past three years.

Especially given these numbers, demand for Japanese language learning continues to increase as Japan’s economic, technological, and cultural influence remains significant and the country opens more to international business and tourism. Many professionals find that basic conversational ability is no longer sufficient. Companies increasingly expect foreign partners, managers, and specialists to have business-level proficiency, which is necessary for handling negotiations, formal correspondence, and culturally nuanced communication. Mastery of honorific keigo (敬語), industry-specific vocabulary, and implicit communication norms is particularly valuable because Japanese business culture relies heavily on subtle language cues to convey hierarchy, intent, and trust. Consequently, Japanese language study is shifting from a hobby to a strategic skill for individuals seeking to work effectively with Japanese firms or within Japan’s domestic market.

Our guest on today’s Real Gaijin AMA podcast knows first-hand just how challenging it can be to learn a foreign language—especially when your goal is to use it professionally.

Who is he?

While Real Gaijin‘s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series typically features one inspiring “real gaijin,” or foreigner, our guest today was a Japanese individual who has an extensive background working with foreigners. Shohei Yoshida (吉田菖平) was born and raised in Japan but always knew his mission was to bridge Japan and the rest of the world. He has taught Japanese at the university level in both Malaysia and the U.K. He started his own online learning academy called BizNihongo to offer clear, practical support for building confidence in Japanese business settings.

On the agenda

We traced Shohei’s journey from his hometown of Kumamoto, where TSMC is located, to the U.K. and Malaysia, and then back to Japan. Thus, he has personal experience with the challenges of improving his English while living abroad — the proverbial shoe on the other foot.

Although he is a native Japanese speaker, Shohei explained that he initially lacked confidence in speaking business Japanese while working and job hunting for Japanese companies. He then described how he overcame this obstacle using various resources. Just imagine how much more difficult this would be for a foreigner trying to get hired by a Japanese firm. This experience led Shohei to establish BizNihongo. He outlined how his specialized coaching program for business professionals is completely customizable depending on each student’s needs. The program offers coaching to build confidence and in-depth instruction in workplace honorific Japanese, or keigo. Shohei also reviewed BizNihongo’s supportive community, which is free to join. This community helps business professionals connect and share experiences. He also discussed his online course catalog and one-on-one consultation options.

Key takeaways

We could have continued for many more hours and certainly covered a lot of ground during the podcast, but some of the big takeaways were the following:

* Business Japanese is fundamentally different from everyday Japanese.

Shohei emphasized that learning Japanese for casual conversation is not the same as learning it for professional environments. Business communication requires mastery of formal structures, hierarchy-sensitive language, and situational nuances—skills that even native Japanese speakers sometimes struggle to apply in professional contexts. Specialized instruction in business Japanese exists to bridge this gap, and many foreign professionals seek training after reaching intermediate proficiency.

* Language learning for professionals must be goal-oriented and practical.

Rather than traditional classroom teaching, the program described in the podcast focuses on customized, one-on-one coaching tied to real professional objectives, such as preparing for meetings, presentations, and client interactions. Shohei recommends weekly sessions combined with small daily practice (even 10–15 minutes) as a more effective structure for busy professionals than large group classes.

* Language and culture in Japan are inseparable—especially in business contexts.

A central point of discussion is that learning Japanese involves more than just grammar and vocabulary; it also requires an understanding of the cultural assumptions embedded in the language. Expressions often reflect social awareness, hierarchy, and concern about inconveniencing others—values that influence communication in Japanese workplaces. Therefore, effective business Japanese instruction must teach linguistic forms and the cultural context that determines when and why those forms are used.

Timeline

Substack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube’s “chapters.” Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Key contacts

* Substack: https://substack.com/@shoheiyoshida

* Website of BizNihongo: Contact Shohei to sign up for a free initial consultation; Find more details here: https://www.biz-nihongo.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shohei-yoshida-biz/

Full disclosure

For an unknown reason, we experienced technical difficulties during the live video session, which several people from around the world tuned into. Shohei and I re-recorded the interview later in the day, following the same format as the original live session, including the questions we received from listeners. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Additional resource for learning Japanese

This guide is based on my experience studying Japanese for nearly 40 years (and counting), and it has not been approved by Shohei. However, you may find some of the tips helpful.

#JapanBusiness #InterculturalManagement #CrossCulturalLeadership #JapaneseCorporateCulture #GlobalLeadership #CorporateGovernance #ServantLeadership #HRStrategy #ExecutiveCommunication #GlobalExpansion #RochelleKopp #JapanInterCulturalConsulting #日本ビジネス #異文化マネジメント #クロスカルチャーリーダーシップ #日本企業文化 #グローバルリーダーシップ #コーポレートガバナンス #サーバントリーダーシップ #人事戦略 #経営者コミュニケーション #グローバル展開 #ロッシェルカップ #カップロッシェル#ジャパンインターカルチュラルコンサルティング #RealGaijin #リアル外人

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