The application of April term 2021 short term is now open. We close the application when it reach capacity.
The application of July 2021 long term (student visa) intake is now open.
The deadline is until the middle of March. Please be noticed in advance, we close the application when it reach capacity.
Business Japanese is Japanese language used in business situations. There are some differences between this and common Japanese, or academic Japanese, which is needed for advancing to higher educational institutions. Business Japanese includes skills such as understanding the instructions of your boss, choosing proper expressions according to the situation and the person you are speaking to, using appropriate honorific expressions, understanding the difference between spoken and written expressions, grasping important contents using graphs, figures and tables, answering telephone calls, acquiring business etiquette in and outside your office and so on.
The Applied Japanese Language Education Association, which has contributed to Japanese language education in Japan and overseas by improving the quality of Japanese language education, established STBJ (Standard Test for Business Japanese) and its first examination was conducted in 2007. STBJ examinations are held regularly six times a year in China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, and Japanese language education institutions in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand are also adopting this test as a measure of Business Japanese proficiency. At Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School, students studying in the Business Japanese class, which is for those who are aiming to get a job in Japan, take this test within the month the class starts to check their current levels, and about 5 months later, they take the test again to see how much their business Japanese ability has improved.
So, let us take a closer look at STBJ to see what kind of test it is.
STBJ is a test that can measure not only ordinary Japanese vocabulary and expressions, but also knowledge about honorific expressions and etiquettes required in business situations. Specifically, the following abilities can be measured.
1. Knowledge of vocabulary and expressions necessary for business activities and ability to use them properly
2. Ability to understand the “intentions” of various expressions used by Japanese people in business activities
3. Ability to use proper expressions to show respect, which are indispensable in business situations
4. Knowledge and ability to respond to sensitive or euphemistic expressions that are unique to Japanese people
5. Knowledge of business etiquette and customs that are essential for conducting business activities with Japanese people
Contents of the test
| Test sections and language competence measured | Number of test questions and allocation of marks | Total marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Listening comprehension (1) | 8Ⅹ15 | 120 |
| 2. Listening comprehension (2) | 8Ⅹ20 | 160 |
| 3. Conversation | 8Ⅹ15 | 120 |
| 4. Listening and reading (1) | 8Ⅹ20 | 160 |
| 5. Listening and reading (2) | 8Ⅹ20 | 160 |
| 6. Reading comprehension | 8Ⅹ20 | 160 |
| 7. Vocabulary | 12Ⅹ10 | 120 |
| Total number of questions: 60 | Grand total: 1000 |
Test scores and levels
1000~800点
BJ1.
Level at which one can work in a Japanese-speaking environment without any problem
Capable of using honorific expressions in conversations with visitors
799~650点
BJ2.
Level at which one is possible to work in a Japanese-speaking environment
Sufficient ability of listening comprehension, but some errors in pronunciation
649~450点
BJ3.
Level at which one experiences some difficulty when working in a Japanese-speaking environment
Lacking accuracy in both listening and conversation
449~250点
BJ4.
Level at which working in a Japanese-speaking environment will be quite difficult
Using memorized sentences instead of one’s own words, poor utilization of knowledge
249~0点
BJ5.
Level at which one does not have sufficient skills to work in a Japanese-speaking environment
Still at the introductory stage of learning Japanese
(The information above is provided by the Applied Japanese Language Education Association on their website.)
You will be able to get used to Business Japanese and identify your weaknesses by taking the STBJ exam. After finding out which skills you need to improve, you can study in Tokyo Galaxy’s Business Japanese class to make up for that part.
If you are serious about studying abroad to prepare for employment in Japan, we strongly recommend you to join our Business Japanese Class and utilize STBJ to study in a meaningful way.
Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School introduced the Optional Subject Curriculum about 20 years ago, and since then we have been providing various kinds of lessons for international students with various purposes so that they can enhance their experience of studying abroad in Japan.
We ask our current students about the contents they would like to study, and offer about 80 optional subjects each semester out of about 130.
Students with a Japanese ability of JLPT N2 level or higher are taking comprehensive Japanese classes for the first and second period, and optional subjects for the third and fourth period.
We will show you our lists of recommended optional subjects for each type of student’s objective.
Objective of studying in Japan 1
I want to be fluent in conversational Japanese!
Recommended subjects
![A guide to Tokyo Galaxy’s Optional Subjects Curriculum](/images/optional-subjects-curriculum-202009-2.jpg")
Objective of studying in Japan 2
I want to pass the JLPT N1 level with a good score!
Recommended subjects
Objective of studying in Japan 3
I want to go to a Japanese vocational school!
Recommended subjects
Objective of studying in Japan 4
I want to pass the entrance exam of a Japanese university!
Recommended subjects
Objective of studying in Japan 5
I want to enter a graduate school in Japan!
Recommended subjects
Objective of studying in Japan 6
I want to find a job in Japan!
Recommended subjects
Tokyo Galaxy also offers many optional subjects other than the ones introduced here.
We have an environment where you can study intensively according to your field of interest so that you can achieve your purpose of studying in Japan.
International students who have studied Japanese in their home country and have qualified JLPT N1 level will be able to deepen their knowledge about Japan and continue their study with interest for a whole year.
Moreover, by taking classes in various subjects, you will meet many teachers and friends in your class, which will make your life in Japan more enjoyable.
If you start studying in Japan at Tokyo Galaxy, where you can build solid skills of Japanese and devote yourself to studying with no chance to be bored, you will soon find yourself achieving your goals.
Tokyo Galaxy will help to boost your language skills to the level you can get a degree from a Japanese university
We know that those who are gathering information about studying at Japanese universities are probably most worried about whether they can make it to graduation.
We receive inquiries from people thinking about studying in Japan seriously, and many of them ask us “will I be able to get a degree?”
In fact, it is not easy for international students to continue their studies at Japanese universities.
Even if a student succeeds to get into a university of his or her choice through special selection for foreign students (which may be a stiff competition), when it comes to actually taking classes at a Japanese university, it will be a whole different ball game compared to the preparations for the university entrance exam.
Doing such preparations at a Japanese language school is hard enough, but we have heard from many graduates of Tokyo Galaxy that, after they have started their university life, they found that their struggle during the days at language school was nothing compared to their university studies. It is no wonder that international students feel the barrier of language as they compete with Japanese students at Japanese national universities or other high-ranking universities such as Waseda or Keio.
However, our graduates who had prepared for entrance exams and went on to a Japanese university are successfully completing four years of university life, and are even finding jobs in Japan.
How is it possible for them to make it to graduation without giving up on the way?
That’s because Tokyo Galaxy’s curriculum for university entrance exams is structured with the aim not only for entering the university but also graduating from it.
Here we will explain about our curriculum in detail.
Taking plenty of time (about six to nine months) to complete your statement of purpose
Japanese universities require international students to submit a statement of purpose at the time of application. At the interview exam, you will be asked questions based on your statement of purpose. Some universities do not set an interview exam, but almost all of them state in their admission guidelines that applicants must submit a statement of purpose.
This statement of purpose takes a lot of time to complete. Writing a statement of purpose is a difficult task even for students who get high scores in the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) and JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test).
When you write your statement of purpose, you have to examine your thoughts on topics such as the reason you decided to study in Japan, the reason you chose a particular course of a particular Japanese university, and what you are going to do after graduation, as well as what you have done in your past and what you are planning to do in your future. You also need to refer to the university’s philosophy in your statement. All this is not as easy as you may think.
At Tokyo Galaxy, we begin our curriculum with gathering information necessary to create a statement of purpose and developing your ability to think. This starts in April, and our students will continue to develop their Japanese skills, ability to think logically, and patience through a lot of feedback to their writings and presentation. By September or October, They will be able to write a high-quality statement of purpose on their own.
What they learn here will be very useful after they enter a Japanese university, since there will be lots of written assignments in university classes.
In this way Tokyo Galaxy develops the ability for students to be self-reliant when start studying in a Japanese university.
Be equal in kanji ability and writing skills to native Japanese students
In our Special Preparatory Class for College Admission, we conduct a kanji quiz every morning at the beginning of the lesson. By learning 30 kanji each day, you will acquire the ability to handle kanji, both reading and writing, as good as native Japanese students.
At Tokyo Galaxy, we create an atmosphere where students can get used to Kanji with a positive feeling of tension.
We also have classes to develop your writing and essay skills. Students will learn the fundamentals of writing through the lessons at Tokyo Galaxy, in which you will be taught from the basics such as how to use the Japanese manuscript paper (genkou youshi). In each lesson they write an essay, and their Japanese teacher will correct their mistakes, give detailed advice and hand them back in the next class. Students can build meaningful knowledge by receiving such feedback on their essays, and knowledge accumulated in this way will be a great help during the entrance exam.
It will be useful not only for doing assignments and writing papers at Japanese universities, but also for creating resumes that must be submitted when they seek employment in Japan.
The Academic Japanese Class: only at Tokyo Galaxy
Tokyo Galaxy offers the Academic Japanese Class, which are held from January to March, in order to help our students who are going to enter Japanese universities in April to acquire the knowledge and information that can be utilized in their university life.
At the Academic Japanese Class, students develop skills to listen to and understand lectures given by Japanese professors, skills to write reports and papers using academic Japanese language, skills to gather information smoothly at Japanese universities and to have contact with professors and senior students.
Many graduates tell us that what they learned in the Academic Japanese Class helped them a lot during their four years of university life in Japan. Started in January 2011, our exclusive Academic Japanese Class was established as a result of a series of studies conducted by the teachers of Tokyo Galaxy after collecting examples of problems our graduates have faced after entering Japanese universities.
After preparing for Japanese university entrance exams, our students will spend their time meaningfully listening to important lessons for the future until the last moment they graduate from Tokyo Galaxy.
At Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School, you will be able to prepare properly for passing the entrance exam, and also for graduating from a Japanese university. Tokyo Galaxy is suitable for those wishing not only to get into a university but also to complete their undergraduate studies, and to find employment in Japan in the days ahead.
We are currently accepting applications for the January and April 2021 terms. January and April are very important times of the year for students planning to go on to a Japanese university.
We recommend you to create your road map for the future with us!
Mr. Im has been studying steadily at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School with the aim of of going on to a graduate school in Japan, and he passed the exam for entering the Graduate School of Political Science and Economics at Meiji University.
We asked Mr. Im, who has always been studying with an exemplary attitude, about his study methods and his life as an international student studying in Japan.
Which class was most helpful for you with preparing for the graduate school entrance exam in Japan?
I think that the optional subjects related to graduate school admission were the most helpful. Of course the lessons of the other optional subjects also helped to improve my Japanese proficiency; however, I think that taking the optional subjects related to graduate school admission was indispensable for learning how to write my research proposal, which would directly affect the outcome of the entrance examination.
Please tell us about the key to your success.
I know that everyone has their own way, and my way of studying might not be the most efficient one, but I just kept studying every day and I think that helped me the most. On weekdays I studied at school in the morning and went to the library after lunch to study, and on weekends, I studied at the library from its opening until its closing time.
Please tell us about the teachers of Tokyo Galaxy you want to give thanks to.
Firstly, Ms. Nakagawa, who taught me enthusiastically even though my Japanese was very poor right after coming to Japan; and Mr. Kumazaki, who helped me with my interview practices, cutting back on his lunchtime. I sure am grateful to all the teachers at Tokyo Galaxy, but those two teachers are especially memorable and I would like to thank them.
What made you decide to enroll in Tokyo Galaxy?
Since I decided to study in Japan immediately after finishing my military service for two years and four months, I did not have enough information about studying abroad compared to the other people. The people at Tokyo Galaxy’s South Korea Office kindly explained me in detail about what I should prepare before going to Japan and the curriculum of the school, and I decided to study here.
Which of your skills have improved after entering Tokyo Galaxy?
I came to Japan without even knowing Hiragana, so I think my Japanese ability has improved greatly since I entered Tokyo Galaxy. All of my skills, listening, writing and speaking, were so poor, so I would say that my Japanese skills were cultivated by the lessons at Tokyo Galaxy.
It has been about an year and a half since you came to Japan. How is your life now compared to when you just arrived?
I couldn’t even read the hiragana written on the signboards, so I was always afraid of being spoken to, and I got nervous at stores because I was worrying if I would be able to answer properly when the store staff said something to me in Japanese. I really can’t believe this, but my Japanese improved so much and now I’m being complimented on my language ability. So I’m living without any problems.
Please give some advice to your juniors planning to go to graduate school in Japan.
I recommend you to study English and prepare for the JLPT before coming to Japan if you have time to spare. If you do so, you can put more effort into preparation for the graduate school entrance exam. I have heard that many Koreans majoring in business administration or economics are hoping to go on to Japanese graduate schools, but most of them are giving up on the way. I believe that if you continue to work hard to the end without quitting, you will always get good results. I’m wishing you the best.
What are you planning to study in graduate school?
I’m going to conduct a study on the population aging issues and the countermeasures against them. I may not be good enough, but I have a desire to do something for South Korea, my home country, which is facing the arrival of the “super-aging society”.
Our interview with Mr. Im ends here. Mr. Im has always shown a strong will to make a plan, put it into practice and achieve his goals. He was participating actively in class discussions, positively affecting the other students.
We believe that he will continue to have a positive impact on people around him when he begins his postgraduate study in Meiji University.
Thank you very much for the interview.
