Apply the Essay Structure to Your Japanese Script

Introduction

*The target readers are those who will make a speech or presentation in Japanese.

Needless to say, “Introduction-Body-Conclusion” is one of the most well known methods for making essays and scripts in the world. One of its strengths is that you are able to logically express what you want to convey to your audience. However, this method is not actually that well known among Japanese people in comparison to other countries. In this article, you will learn how you can utilize the Introduction-Body-Conclusion structure for your Japanese script.

Introduction-Body-Conclusion for Your Japanese Script

Introduction Part

In this part, you are going to, quite literally, set up an introduction. Simply speaking, if you mention the following three points, you will cover the basics; what your topic is, why your audience is listening to you, and what you want your audience to do or feel throughout your script. In practice, it is better to get the audience’s attention by using interesting facts or information, or by asking a question.

今日きょうは私わたしの夢ゆめについてお話はなします。

I am going to talk about my dream today.

私わたしの夢ゆめは、私わたしの地じ元もとを復興ふっこうすることです。

My dream is to revive my hometown.

私わたしの町まちの人口じんこうはたった2に万人まんにんです。ですが、高齢者こうれいしゃは１万人いちまんにん以い上じょういます。

The population of my hometown is just 20,000. However, the number of the elderly is over 10,000.

そして、さらにこの高齢化こうれいしゃは進すすんでいくと言いわれています。

And, it is said that this aging population will continue to grow.

今日きょうの私わたしのスピーチで、私わたしたちを応援おうえんしてくれる人ひとが増ふえると嬉うれしいです。

I will be happy if my speech today could increase the number of people who support us.

Body Part

In this part, you are going to prove how your aim, argument and conclusion are reasonable by showing the evidence, the statistics, the analysis, etc. You should explain that objectively, not subjectively, because in the introduction and the conclusion you will share your own ideas and opinions. Also, you should order the information from the most general to the most specific.

日に本ほんの現在げんざいの人口じんこうは１億いちおく２に千万人せんまんにんです。これが１億人いちおくにんまで減へります。

The current population of Japan is 120 million and it appears that it will continue to decrease to 100 million.

しかし、日に本ほんでも人口じんこうが増ふえ続つづける都市としがあります。それは東京とうきょうです。

However, there is a city whose population is increasing. That’s Tokyo.

日に本ほんは豊ゆたかな都市としと貧まずしい町まちに別わかれていきます。

Japan will be divided into one rich city and other poor towns.

若わかい人ひとは東京とうきょうにどんどん移い動どうしています。

Younger people are moving to Tokyo.

ですが、年配者ねんぱいしゃはそう簡単かんたんには住すむ場ば所しょを変かえられません。

Yet, the elderly cannot move as easily around a big city as younger people do.

多た少しょうの費ひ用ようがかかりますが、国くにとして貧まずしい町まちを支ささえるか、移い住じゅうのサポートをする必要ひつようがあります。

Although it may cost them, the government has to help maintain the poor towns or support the elderly in moving somewhere else.

ただ、もしその街まちがもう一いち度ど元げん気きになれば、全すべての問題もんだいは解決かいけつするでしょう。

If those towns were revived, all problems would be solved.

Conclusion Part

In this part, you are going to wrap up what you have been discussing and make your conclusion. That is to say, you are going to mention your topic, the background, and the reason why it is important again, which should be worded a little bit differently than earlier on in your speech, and then call for action or make your commitment for the future.

繰くり返かえしですが、私わたしの夢ゆめは地じ元もとを復興ふっこうすることです。

Again, my dream is to revive my hometown.

これは私わたしたちだけの問題もんだいではありません。

This is not only a problem for us.

私わたしの町まちが元げん気きになることは他ほかの町まちを大おおきく勇ゆう気きづけるはずです。

If my hometown is revived, it must also really inspire other towns

だから私わたしたちに皆みなさんの力ちからを貸かしてください。

Thus, please give us a helping hand

皆みなさんが私わたしの町まちに観光かんこうに来きてくれるだけで状況じょうきょうは大おおきく変かわります。

Even if you just go sightseeing in my hometown, it will make significant changes.

どうぞよろしくお願ねがいします。ありがとうございました。

Thank you.

Pros and Cons

The Introduction-Body-Conclusion structure is appropriate for explaining something and persuading someone to do something because of its logical structure. Thus, it is almost always used in academic and business situations. On the other hand, it is not appropriate for really making people think or playing to their feelings. If a person tries to use this approach for those purposes, it will not be as effective.

Conclusion

In regards to using this method for making a Japanese script for your speech, it is recommended that you use it only when your proposition has certain social values or factors to arouse sympathy. If not, you may look selfish because the Introduction-Body-Conclusion structure will work only for proving why you are right. On the other hand, people like to use it because its familiar to them. In that case, please try to put some humor into your Japanese script. That way, your audience will be engaged with a smile.