How to Give a Presentation in Japanese
Giving a presentation in Japanese can feel like a big step, but presentations are one of the most predictable kinds of speech. You choose the words in advance, and a small set of opening, linking and closing phrases does much of the work. Here is how to structure your talk, what to say, and how to prepare.
A clear structure
A simple three-part shape works well in most settings:
- Introduction (導入, dōnyū): thank the audience, introduce yourself, state the topic and give a short outline.
- Main part (本論, honron): two or three points, each with evidence such as figures or examples.
- Conclusion (結論, ketsuron): a summary, your recommendation or next steps, then questions.
In business presentations, many Japanese audiences appreciate hearing the conclusion first. A line such as 結論から申し上げますと、 (ketsuron kara mōshiagemasu to, “to start with the conclusion”) lets people follow the details knowing where you are going. Expectations differ between a sales pitch, an internal report and an academic talk, so ask a colleague what is usual where you work.
Opening phrases
A typical opening sounds like this:
本日はお忙しいところ、お時間をいただきありがとうございます。営業部のスミスと申します。本日は、新サービスの導入計画についてご説明いたします。
“Thank you for taking the time today despite your busy schedules. I’m Smith from the sales department. Today I’ll explain our plan for introducing the new service.”
Then give the outline: 本日は、大きく3つのポイントについてお話しします。 (honjitsu wa, ōkiku mittsu no pointo ni tsuite ohanashi shimasu, “Today I’ll talk about three main points”). Inside your own team, a lighter お疲れ様です。〇〇について共有します。 may be more natural; match the formality to the room.
Signposting phrases
Signposts tell listeners where they are. They matter even more when you are speaking a second language, because they give your audience a map even if a sentence comes out imperfectly.
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| まず、〜についてご説明します。 | mazu, … ni tsuite gosetsumei shimasu | First, I’ll explain … |
| 次に、〜を見ていきます。 | tsugi ni, … o mite ikimasu | Next, let’s look at … |
| こちらのグラフをご覧ください。 | kochira no gurafu o goran kudasai | Please look at this graph. |
| ここまでをまとめますと、 | koko made o matomemasu to | To sum up so far … |
| 最後に、今後の予定についてお話しします。 | saigo ni, kongo no yotei ni tsuite ohanashi shimasu | Finally, I’ll talk about the next steps. |
| 次のスライドをお願いします。 | tsugi no suraido o onegai shimasu | Next slide, please (when someone else is running the slides). |
Closing the presentation
Summarise in one or two sentences, then close with a set phrase. The most common is 以上で発表を終わります。ご清聴ありがとうございました。 (ijō de happyō o owarimasu. goseichō arigatō gozaimashita, “That concludes my presentation. Thank you for listening”). Then invite questions: 何かご質問はございますか。 (nanika goshitsumon wa gozaimasu ka).
Handling questions
Questions are where many learners worry most, but a few phrases give you a safe structure:
- Thank the person: ご質問ありがとうございます。 This also buys you a second to think.
- Check you understood: 〜ということでしょうか。 (… to iu koto deshō ka, “Do you mean …?”). Repeating the question in your own words is normal and helpful.
- Ask for a repeat: 恐れ入りますが、もう一度お願いできますでしょうか。
- If you don’t know: 申し訳ございません。その点は確認して、後ほどご連絡いたします。 (“I’m sorry, I’ll check that and get back to you.”) Then make sure you do.
Don’t be discouraged if the room is quiet. In many Japanese settings people prefer to ask questions privately afterwards, or the most senior person speaks first. Silence does not necessarily mean your talk went badly.
Slides with Japanese text
- Use a font designed for Japanese. Fonts made only for Latin text can fall back to a different typeface for Japanese characters and look uneven. If you present from someone else’s computer, check the slides there beforehand.
- Use short noun phrases rather than full sentences: 売上の推移 (“sales trend”) instead of a long sentence ending in です.
- Watch line breaks. Japanese has no spaces, so a word can be split across lines. Break lines by hand where needed.
- Be consistent with numbers, dates and punctuation, for example full-width or half-width digits throughout.
- Ask a native speaker to check the slides. Small errors are more visible on a big screen than in conversation. Our guide to meetings with Japanese partners also covers sharing materials in advance.
Practising
- Write a full script, then reduce it to notes once you know it well. Add readings above any kanji you might stumble on.
- Read it aloud and record yourself. Listen for long, tangled sentences and split them.
- Time it. Speaking in a second language often takes longer than you expect.
- Rehearse the opening and closing until you could say them without notes. Starting strongly calms the nerves.
- Prepare for likely questions and write short answers in advance.
Rehearse with a native tutor
The best practice is to give the presentation to a real listener who will ask questions. A Hanabuddies tutor can listen to your run-through online, help you make the wording natural and suitably polite, check the Japanese on your slides, and play the audience in a mock Q&A. Lessons are tailored to your own presentation, so the practice goes straight into the real thing.