Japanese Online Lessons using SKYPE

Should I read newspapers for reading practice in business Japanese?

April 25, 2022

I do not recommend it to my clients. Many teachers recommend newspapers for reading practice, though. This is because the content in newspapers is not always what you are interested in, due to the wide range of information. Also, since the news is basically news, the content is often current affairs and not suited to deepening one’s knowledge.
Many teachers recommend the Nihon Keizai Shimbun that is the most widely read economic newspaper in Japan for students of business Japanese, but I do not recommend the Nihon Keizai Shimbun for the same reason. Of course, reading both regular newspapers and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun is better than not reading them.
But I recommend a more effective method. That is to read industry-specific newspapers.

For example, 日経ソフトウェア for programmers, 日経NETWORK for network engineers, 小売経済新聞 for retailers, 化学工業日報 for chemistry, 日刊自動車新聞 for automotive, 金融経済新聞 for finance, 食品産業新聞 for food and drink, etc. Basically, Every industry has its own industry-specific magazine.
If the topic is related to the industry you work in or the industry of your customers, it will be easier to understand because you will know many of the words. It will also help you to keep up with the latest information and deepen your understanding of the industry. You will also have more topics for conversation.
We recommend that you ask your Japanese colleagues and customers about your industry-specific newspapers.