What is Easy Japanese? Introducing example sentences and how it was created

What is "Easy Japanese"?

Easy Japanese is Japanese that is simple and easy to understand for foreigners.
We use easy grammar and words, reduce the number of kanji characters, and communicate in short sentences.

Easy Japanese is used in the following situations:

• Disaster information: TV captions, etc.
• Announcements from the government and local governments: government announcements, information on public facilities, etc.

For example, when an earthquake occurs,直ちに高台へ避難してください "The message is...
For Japanese people it seems simple and easy to understand, but for foreigners it is difficult to understand.

If we translate this into simple Japanese, it would be "すぐに 高いところへ 逃げてください"

Easy Japanese is used in companies, schools, medical facilities, and even in tourism as a way to promote communication between foreigners and Japanese people.

The Japanese we use on a daily basis can be difficult for foreigners to understand.
The following column provides detailed explanations about Japanese that cannot be understood by foreigners, so be sure to take a look.

Additionally, for foreigners, knowing the unique Japanese ways to express pain will be very helpful in case of an emergency.
This is a column aimed at foreign workers, so please take a look.
Learn how to express pain in Japanese! How to convey pain effectively

How did "Easy Japanese" come about?

The Easy Japanese initiative was initiated in response to the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake that occurred in 1995.
Many foreigners were affected by the disaster because they were unable to understand emergency alerts and evacuation instructions.

This led to the development of easy Japanese as a means of quickly and correctly conveying information to foreigners.

When Easy Japanese was first created, it was primarily used as a means of communication during disasters, but now it is also used as a means of conveying information about daily life and tourism.

Why Easy Japanese is Necessary

The main reason why easy Japanese is needed is because Japan is becoming increasingly multinational.

Some people may have the image that "foreigners = English," but there are many foreigners living in Japan who do not speak English.

Also, many foreigners say they can understand simple Japanese.

The number of foreigners living in Japan is increasing year by year, and multilingualism is also progressing.
Since it is difficult to make the language understandable to all foreigners, the use of simple Japanese is becoming more widespread.

Using simple Japanese also has benefits for companies, such as being able to recruit better personnel regardless of nationality.

Key points for creating "easy Japanese"

There are a few points to keep in mind when creating easy-to-understand Japanese.

The first thing to do is to select the information you want to include.
If all information were translated into simple Japanese, it would become cluttered and the information might not be conveyed correctly.

Remove unnecessary or unimportant information and make what you want to communicate as simple as possible.
Additionally, prioritize the information and communicate it in order of priority, with additional information provided at the end.
It is a good idea to keep the following two points in mind.

• State the conclusion first
• Chronological order

Even if something doesn't require explanation to Japanese people, it may be necessary to explain it to foreigners.

Now, let me explain how to convert it into easy Japanese.

How to convert to easy Japanese

Once you have compiled the information you want to convey, you then convert it into easy-to-understand Japanese.

The key points for conversion are:
It's a good idea to keep this in mind not only when writing sentences, but also when communicating verbally.

1. Shorten a sentence
2. Don't use difficult words
3. Even in technical terms, commonly used words are written as they are.
4. Avoid using katakana characters such as foreign words and Japanese-English words.
5. Use verb sentences to convey the message
6. Avoid ambiguity
7. Do not use double negatives
8. I can say it to the end of the sentence
9. Do not use roman letters
10. Times and dates should be written in a way that is easy for foreigners to understand.
11. Don't use too many kanji
12. Be aware of word groups
13. Use pictures, photographs and diagrams

We will explain each one in detail.

1. Make your sentences shorter

When multiple pieces of information are included in one sentence, it becomes difficult to understand.
Remove unnecessary information and keep sentences as simple as possible.

【example】

お湯を入れて3分間じっと待つと、ラーメンができあがります。
→お湯を入れます。3分でラーメンができます。

Also, when communicating in spoken language, it is important to speak clearly and slowly.
Speaking with pauses between sentences makes words easier to understand.

2. Don't use difficult words

Use simple words.
Avoid difficult words.

Dialects, metaphors, abbreviations, and honorific language (respectful and humble language) are also avoided.

【example】

早急にメールを返信してください。
→すぐにメールを返信してください。

お客様がいらっしゃいます。
→お客様が来ます。

3. Write commonly used technical terms as is

Words commonly used during disasters, such as "aftershocks" and "tsunami evacuation sites," will be written as they are.
Use brackets after a word to add additional meaning to the word.

【example】

余震〈後から 来る 地震〉に気をつけてください。

4. Avoid using katakana for foreign words and Japanese-English words as much as possible

Foreign words and Japanese-made English words written in katakana are often unique to Japan, so they may not be understood by foreigners.

You need to be careful with words other than those that are difficult to translate into Japanese, such as bus, gas, television, and radio.

【example】

パンフレット
→案内や説明が書いてある紙

5. Use verb sentences

Verbs turned into nouns are difficult to understand, so it is best to communicate using verb sentences.

【example】

揺れがありました。
→揺れました。

6. Avoid ambiguity

Ambiguous expressions are difficult for foreigners to understand.
Be clear and articulate.

【example】

なるべく早く行ってください。
→3時までに行ってください。

7. Don't use double negatives

Since using negative sentences makes it difficult to understand, try to convey it in positive sentences.

【example】

できなくはない。
→できます。

在留カード以外は必要ありません。
→在留カードを持ってきてください。他はいりません。

8. Don't waste your time

The expression at the end of the sentence is "です（desu）" "ます（masu）" Make sure to state it in a polite manner.
If you skip a part in the middle, it will make the reader think, "Is there more to come?"

【example】

今日はちょっと...(When you are invited to a meal and want to decline)
→今日は行けません。

9. Don't use roman letters

Foreigners may not be able to pronounce words exactly as they are written in the romanized alphabet.
Avoid using Roman letters whenever possible, except for proper nouns such as place names.

10. Write times and dates in a way that is easy for foreigners to understand

Since era names (such as Heisei and Reiwa) are difficult to understand, we will write them in the Gregorian calendar.
Do not use "/" or "~".

【example】

April 1, 2024 9:00-18:00
→2024年4月1日 9:00から18:00まで

11. Don't use too many kanji

Avoid using too many kanji characters and provide furigana for all kanji.
Furigana is either placed above the kanji or after the kanji in parentheses.

12. Be aware of word cohesion

When writing a sentence, organize it into phrases and add spaces to make it easier to read.

【example】

津波が来ます。
→津波＜とても　高い　波＞が　来ます。

13. Use pictures, photographs, and diagrams

Don't try to convey your message using only text; if you can, use pictures, photos, and diagrams.
When communicating verbally, using gestures is a good way to communicate.

JAC's website has implemented a communication support tool called "Tsutsumai Web" to make it easier to convey information to foreigners.
Web of Communication

With the introduction of "Tsutā Web," text on web pages is automatically converted into "easy Japanese" and kanji characters are also given "ruby" annotations.

For more details, please see JAC's web policy.
Web Policy

Summary: Easy Japanese is Japanese that foreigners can understand immediately.

Easy Japanese is simple Japanese created to help foreigners understand information quickly and correctly.

Easy Japanese was created in response to the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in 1995, which affected many foreigners who did not understand Japanese.

Easy Japanese is used in a variety of places, including disaster information, guidance from government offices, companies, hospitals, and more.

As the number of foreigners living in Japan increases and the country becomes more international, simple Japanese is useful in many situations as a communication tool with foreigners.

To create easy-to-understand Japanese, it is important to focus on the necessary information and rewrite the content so that it is easy for foreigners to understand.
By focusing on the key points of rewriting, you can make your Japanese easier for foreigners to understand.

If you are a company considering hiring specified skilled workers in the construction industry, please feel free to contact JAC!
We also introduce specified skilled workers.