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Japanese

Chemeketa offers seven Japanese language classes to help fulfill the arts and letters requirement of our transfer degree.

topics Languages

Skills & InterestSocial Sciences

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  • Landscaping with rocks, bushes, and trees shows springtime on campus
  • Three students graduating at commencement
  • A foundation in the peace garden

Why choose Japanese?

Japanese is spoken by about 125 million people, primarily in Japan.

Knowing another language and culture will –

  • Increase your career opportunities
  • Broaden your horizons
  • Enrich your life in ways you never imagined
  • Develop your intercultural sensitivity
  • Increase your global understanding

Taking one or two years of a second language can –

  • Fulfill university course requirements
  • Greatly increase your chances of getting a rewarding and better-paying job
  • Enhance travel
  • Open up a new world of friendships and understanding

Japanese is relevant if you have a career interest in that country or are a fan of Japanese culture like –

  • Anime
  • Cinema
  • Literature
  • Martial arts

Students with an ability in Japanese are well-qualified for participation in the JET program. JET is a one year jobs/cultural exchange program sponsored by the Japanese government for foreign students after they complete their bachelor’s degree.

What will you learn?

  • Listening, speaking, reading and writing Japanese
  • Japanese culture, geography, customs and daily life

What will you do?

A knowledge of Japanese can be useful for those students pursuing careers in –

  • Asian studies
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • International relations
  • Science

Have you studied Japanese before?

  • Where to Start

    Students who...

    ...are true beginners, who have not studied Japanese before (or in a very long time) or have not had significant contact with the language - take JPN101

    ...have studied some Japanese before, such as one year in high school, and know some basics, such as meeting and greeting people, counting, telling time and date, and fully confident in writing and reading both Hiragana and Katakana - take JPN102

    ...have had at least 2 years in high school and are familiar with concepts, such as telling personal information like hometown, major, age, and month of birth; are familiar with basic Adjectives and Non Past daily activity Verbs in both polite and plain forms (positive and negative); are familiar with 60 Kanji introduced in the first 2 chapters of Yookoso textbook  - take JPN103

    ...have completed a year of Japanese in college or 3 or more years in high school and should be familiar with Adjective conjugations and Verb conjugations; are familiar with 120 Kanji introduced in the first 5 chapters of Yookoso textbook - take JPN201

    If unsure...talk with a language teacher for proper placement.