He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1974 after graduating from Hitotsubashi University Department of Law. Last year, only 6 percent of the 130,000 US students studying overseas went to Asia versus 63 percent going to Europe. Since Nihongo Web is completely asynchronous, students can begin at any time and finish at their own pace. The first and second levels are equivalent to JA 101 and 102, respectively. Language materials in JavaScript are presented entirely online.
Japanese culture is presented in essays, links, and mailed-out HS tapes.
Students practice speaking skills by calling Japanese tutors each week on a toll-free telephone line or by using NetMeeting over the Internet. Students interact with each other via e-mail and post assignments in the message forum and chat areas on Nihongo Web s Student Lobby. Nihongo Web welcomes applications from students from Japan who would like to be tutors.