Chapter 14 Speeches

14.01 Introducing Yourself

14.02 Beginning a Speech

14.03 Ending a Speech

14.04 Giving a Thank-you Speech

14.05 Giving a Welcome Speech

14.06 Proposing a Toast

14.07 Words and Expressions

Chapter14

Speeches

With the exception of lectures (kōen), speeches in Japan are seldom original. In most cases, everybody pretty much knows at the outset what to expect. This is especially true with the short introductory speech referred to as the go-aisatsu, which literally means “greeting.” Regardless of whether the go-aisatsu is a congratulatory message at a reception or an animated pep talk in front of the whole company, people expect the speech to include certain set expressions and to have a certain style and form. If the speech departs from the norm, it might be judged odd and unsettling.

In any given ceremony, each of the many speeches has a specific function—for example, introducing the speakers, stating goals and objectives, thanking people for coming, giving the toast, and closing the ceremony. Sometimes various guests, starting with the VIPs and moving downward, will be called upon to say a few words at large business receptions. In many cases, the less important speeches become the background music against which the guests help themselves to the food served at the elegantly prepared buffet tables.

Let us put serious speeches and lectures aside for a moment and first deal with speeches given at social functions. If you are asked to give a speech, think of it as one piece in the overall structure of the ceremony. Decide whether your speech is a keystone, a supporting block, or a decoration, and adapt the tone and length accordingly. Unless you are the main speaker, great thoughts or verbal pyrotechnics are not expected and would probably be out of place.

The very fact that you are standing up and making a speech in Japanese is quite enough to impress people. In most instances, you do not have to strain yourself to make your presentation unique. Thus, you should try not to spoil your speech by making jokes about Japan, giving one personal opinion after another, or delivering a flood of witty comments or ironic barbs. Too many of these informal comments often will just make a Japanese audience feel uncomfortable.

This is not to say that your speech has to be without humor. Once you have established a properly serious tone and have said all the right things, a little levity can give spark to your speech, so long as it is not at the expense of anyone present. In fact, if you can manage it, a few verbal jokes and puns in Japanese can be very effective. A word of caution though: regardless of whether said in English or in Japanese, Western jokes seldom go over well.

A good speaker in Japan always has lots of thanks to give. Even if he really is the person with all the power, he will say that everyone has been learning and growing together, stress that he has constantly borrowed other people’s strengths and wisdom, and protest that he could not do anything without the audience’s help and cooperation. Whatever the activity, whether it is managing a neighborhood baseball team or taking over an American bank, a good speaker will insist that it is an effort (doryoku) to which everyone can contribute with his or her determination (ketsui), devotion (kenshin), and tenacity (shūnen). Above all, the speaker will stress that the whole activity will be done wholeheartedly (sshō-kenmei), with each person giving all that he or she can give (ganbaru— or, in more formal settings— zenshin o agete or doryoku shite mairu).

Furthermore, while the audience may not particularly want to know what you think of your own home country, they will surely be interested to hear what you have noticed about them. Talking of things that are familiar to your audience is the surest way of paying them a compliment. Flattering the person in whose honor you are speaking is, of course, a very good idea. Perhaps you could also think of some local custom, event, or cuisine, and somehow work it in your speech. Sharing your views about a local topic will show your audience that you have taken the time to learn something about them.

Now let us look at serious speeches and lectures. Since people are probably spending time and/or money to hear your opinions, you should not disappoint them by delivering a speech with no substance. The biggest danger is making your speech too complicated. Whether you are speaking in Japanese or through an interpreter, you should expect that twenty percent of what you say will not get through. For one thing, a speech is not an essay, and unless you have an uncommon mastery of Japanese, subtle meanings and nuances will be neither understood nor appreciated by the audience. Therefore, keep your sentences short and punchy and organize your speech so that it concentrates on just a few main points. Your main ideas are often best listed as “Five Points” or “Four Principles,” and you should enumerate them, elaborate on them, and then recapitulate them.

One final word of advice: do not be discouraged if your audience adopts a somnolent posture within seconds after you begin your speech. It can happen to any speaker. Sympathize with them, since they may be a drafted audience, and remember that they may not be used to hearing original, thought-provoking speeches. If what you have to say is really important, try to make sure in advance that the speech is available to the audience in written form, or that the press is there and primed with a printed synopsis of the major points. In the majority of cases, however, the fact that you are contributing to the ceremonial procedures of the occasion is the most important thing.

[Note: this chapter introduction appears with the courtesy of Sir Stephen Gomersall.]

14.01 Introducing Yourself

Sometimes a gathering may begin with everyone taking turns to introduce themselves, jiko shōkai 自己紹介. The basic introduction consists of your name and your affiliation. You can also explain briefly where you come from, how long you’ve been in Japan, your impressions of the country, your interests, and so on. At informal parties, you can gain instant popularity by showing off your singing ability.

• Monbu kagakushō ryūgakusei no Rin Bun Ho desu. Dōzo yoroshiku.
文部科学省留学生の林文宝です。どうぞよろしく。
I’m Lin Wenbao and I’m a Japanese government scholarship student. I’m pleased to be here.

Note: 文部科学省 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

• Ekoshisutemu no Kurisu Jonson desu. Umare wa Nyu Yōkushū de, rokkagetsu mae ni Nihon ni kimashita. Tokugi wa jūdō desu.
エコシステムのクリス.ジョンソンです。生まれはニューヨ ーク州で、6ヶ月前に日本に来ました。特技は、柔道です。
I’m Chris Johnson from EcoSystems. I’m from New York State and I came to Japan six months ago. My special skill is judo.

• Kinguzu Eikaiwa no Buraun desu. Kuni no uta o utaimasu. Iesutadei.
キングズ英会話のブラウンです。国の歌を歌います。イエス 夕デイ。
I’m Brown from Kings English Conversation. I’ll sing you a song from my country: “Yesterday”.

14.02 Beginning a Speech

Although the body of a speech is fine in a normal, conversational style, there are conventional phrases that should be used at the beginning and end. The following examples show the kind of language to use when standing up in front of an audience. Notice that they all follow the same pattern: introduce yourself, state your relationship to the guest or the event, and then state the purpose of your speech.

• Mina-sama, konban wa. Kankoku kara mairimashita Kimu de gozaimasu. Watashi to Yoshiko-san wa kōkō no toki kara no tsukiai desu. Kyō, o-iwai no kotoba o nobesasete itadakimasu.
皆様、こんばんは。韓国から参りました金でございます。私 ど良子さんは高校の時からの付き合いです。今日、お祝い の言葉を逨べさせていただきます。
Good evening, everyone. My name is Kim and I’ve come from South Korea. Yoshiko and I have known each other since high school. Today I’d like to say a few words of congratulation.

• Go-shōkai arigatō gozaimashita. Emiri Tērā to mōshi masu. Jimukyoku o daihyō itashimashite, mina-sama ni o-rei no goaisatsu o mōshiagemasu.
ご紹介ありがどうございました。エミリ•テーラーど申しま す。事務局を代表いたしまして、皆様にお礼のご挨拶を申 しょげます。
Thank you for the introduction. My name is Emily Taylor. On behalf of the organizers, I would like to say a few words of thanks.

• Tadaima go-shōkai azukarimashita Makkusu Buraun desu. Igirisu shusshin desu. Gonen mae kara Sendai-shi de eigo o oshiete imasu. Maemae kara, Okada-sensei ga, “Anata no keiken wa omoshiroi hanashi ni naru ni chigainai” to itte oraremashita ga, minasama no sankō ni nareba, yōyaku hikiukemashita. Kyō wa yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.
ただいまご紹介あずかりましたマックス.ブラウンです。イギ リス出身です。5年前から仙台市で英語を教えています。前々 力、ら、岡田先生が、「あなたの経験は面白い話になるに違い ない」ど言っておられました力、皆様の参考になればど、よう やく引き受けました。今日はよろしくお願、いいたします。
Thank you for the introduction. I’m Max Brown and I’m from the UK. I’ve been teaching English in Sendai for the past five years. For quite a while, Okada-sensei has been telling me that my experiences would make an interesting talk. Thinking that it might be useful to you, I finally agreed. I look forward to spending time with you today.

This is an introduction to a speech in English. Pause over the word yaya (slightly) for effect.

• Go-shōkai arigatō gozaimashita. Ekoshisutemu no Jonson de gozaimasu. Kyō mina-sama ni kono yō ni o-hanashi dekiru koto wa taihen kōei de gozaimasu. Kono jū-nenkan, gokai mo rain-ichi shi, Nihongo mo naganen benkyō itashimashita. Shikashi, mada eigo no hō ga yaya tokui na no de, kyō no kōen wa eigo de sasete itadakimasu. Dewa, tsūyaku o-negai itashimasu.
ご紹介ありがどうございました。エコシステムのジョンソン でございます。今日、皆様にこのようにお話できるこどはた いへん光栄でございます。この10年間、5回も来日し、日本 語も長年勉強いたしました。しかし、まだ英語の方がやや 得意なので、今日の講演は英語でさせていただきます。で は、通訳お願いいたします。
Thank you for the introduction. My name is Johnson, and I’m from EcoSystems. It is a great honor to be able to speak with you today. Although this is already my fifth visit to Japan during the last ten years, and in spite of the fact that I have spent considerable time studying Japanese, I still speak English slightly better than Japanese. For that reason I would like to give today’s lecture in English. So, if the interpreter is ready...

This is how to address the chair at formal meetings:

• Gichō, go-resseki no mina-samagata.
議長、ご列席の皆様方
Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen.

When acknowledging people by name, use their surnames and titles as much as possible:

• Matsudaira Chiji, Yamazaki Kaichō, minamina-sama.
松平知事、山崎会長、皆々様
Governor Matsudaira, Chairman Yamazaki, ladies and gentlemen.

14.03 Ending a Speech

To end a short speech, you can simply thank the audience, bow, and return to your seat. For longer speeches, it’s customary to express appreciation for the audience’s attention and to apologize that your speech was not very good.

• Kantan de gozaimasu ga, watakushi kara no go-aisatsu to sasete itadakimasu.
簡単でございます力《、私からのご挨拶どさせていただきます。
These are just a few words, but I offer them as my speech.

• Chōjikan go-seichō arigatō gozaimashita.
長時間、ご静聰ありがどうございました。
Thank you for your attention for such a long time.

• Kyō no watashi no hanashi ga sukoshi demo go-sankō ni nareba, ureshiku omoimasu. Arigatō gozaimashita.
今日の私の話が少しでもご参考になれば、うれしく思いま す。ありがどうございました。
I hope that my talk today has been helpful to you. Thank you very much.

14.04 Giving a Thank-you Speech

At a farewell party, the leader of a group expresses thanks to the organizers of a tour.

Mina-sama, konban wa. Gurūpu riidā to shite, hito-koto o-rei no go-aisatsu o mōshiagemasu.

Wazuka yokka-kan de Tōkyō, Ōsaka, Nara o mawari, Nihon no nagai bunka to saishin no gijutsu ni fureru koto ga dekimashita.

Isogashii nittei de wa arimashita ga, minna no o-kage de, tsuā ga daiseikō. Suponsā no “Yoi Kankyō kabushikikaisha” sama ni kansha o mōshi-agemasu. Kobayashi-sama, arigatō gozaimashita. Mina-sama no atatakai o-motenashi ni kokoro kara o-rei o mōshiagemasu. Watakushidomo wa ashita kaerimasu. Okage-sama de Nihon no koto ga sukoshi wakatta yō na ki ga shimasu. Mata kitai to omoimasu. Mina-sama o-genki de o-sugoshi kudasai. Hontō ni arigatō gozaimashita.

皆様、こんばんは。グループ•リーダーどして、ひどこどお礼の ご挨拶を申し上げます。

わずか四曰間で東京、大阪、奈良を回り、曰本の長い文化ど 最新の技術にふれるこどができました。忙しい日程ではあり ました力\皆のおかげで、ツアーが大成功。スポンサ一の「よ い環境株式会社」様に感謝を申し上げます。小林様、ありが どうございました。

皆様の暖かいおもてなしに心からお礼を申し上げます。私ど もは明日帰ります。お蔭さまで日本のこどが少し分かつたよう な気がします。また、来たいど思います。皆様、お元気でお過 ごしください。

本当にありがどうございました。

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As the group leader I would like to say a few words of thanks.

Although we had only four days to visit Tokyo, Osaka, and Nara, this still gave us the chance to see both Japan’s ancient culture and its most modern technology. Even though it was a very busy schedule, thanks to you all, the tour was a great success. I would like to thank the sponsor, Yoi Kankyo (Good Environment) plc. Thank you, Mr Kobayashi.

Our sincere thanks also go to all of you for your warm hospitality. We must leave tomorrow, but thanks to you, we feel that we have gotten to understand Japan a little better. We would like to come again. Take care of yourselves. Thank you very much indeed.

14.05 Giving a Welcome Speech

In this speech, Michael welcomes prospective clients to a seminar and luncheon. He uses humble verbs to introduce the main speaker because both of them are members of the same organization. This does not preclude him, however, from impressing the guests with his boss’s credentials.

Mina-sama, ohayō gozaimasu. Honjitsu wa o-isogashii tokoro o “Chikyu ondanka” ni kansuru kono seminā ni go-shusseki itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.

Watashi wa Ekoshisutemu no Nihon daihyō no Tērā Maikeru desu. Heisha wa Gurōbaru Shisutemu no kankyō bumon de ari, torihiki no chūshin wa Nyū Yōku, Tōkyō, Pekin to natte orimasu. Kono yon-nenkan, Tōkyō no daihyōbu wa mina-sama no niizu ni kotaeru beku doryoku shite mairimashita. Kongotomo, suenagai minori aru torihiki o kitai shite orimasu.

Kyō no mēn supiikā wa heisha no jōmu no Debiddo Ebanzu de gozaimasu. Jōmu wa Amerika de wa yūmei na kenkyūka de, Hābādo daigaku o sotsugyō-go, nijūgo nenkan kankyō gyōmu ni tsuite kimashita. Jōmu kara shingijutsu no shōkai to, toku ni Nihon no tōshika ni totte sono igi ni tsuite, go-setsumei mōshiagemasu.

Kono seminā ga owarimashitara, tonari ni sasayaka na chūshoku no yōi o itashite orimasu no de, go-kandan kudasaimase. Nao, o-kaeri no sai ni, Nihongo no shiryō o o-kubari itashimasu. Kyō wa go-shusseki kudasaimashite, arigatō gozaimashita.

皆様、おはようございます。本日はお忙しいどころを「地球温 暖化」{こ関するこのセミナ一にご出席いただき、ありがどうご ざいます。

私はエコシステムの日本代表のマイケル.テーラーです。弊社 はグローバル.システムの環境部門であり、取引の中心はニ

ューヨーク•東京•北京どなっております。この4年間、東京 の代表部は皆様のニースに答えるべく努力してまいりました。 今後ども、末永い実りある取引を期待しております。 今日のメーンスピーカ一は弊社の常務のデビツド.エバンズ でございます。常務はアメリカでは有名な研究家で、ハーバ一 ド大学を卒業後、25年間環境業務に就いてきました。常務か ら新技術の紹介ど、特に曰本の投資家にどってその意義につ いて、ご説明申し上げます。

このセミナーが終わりましたら、隣にささやかな昼食の用意を しておりますので、ご歓談くださいませ。なお、お帰りの際に、 日本語の資料をお配りいたします。今日はご出席くださいまし て、ありがどうございました。

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for sparing the time to join us today at this seminar on “Climate Change”.

My name is Michael Taylor, and I am Japan representative of Eco-Systems. The company is the environment arm of Global Systems and has its centers of business in New York, Tokyo and Beijing. In Tokyo, our representative office has worked hard to fulfil your needs during the last four years and we look forward to a long and fruitful business relationship with you in the future.

Our main speaker today is my colleague, Mr. David Evans, managing director. Mr. Evans, a well-known researcher in the US, is a graduate of Harvard University, and has been involved in the environment business for twenty-five years. He is here today to tell us about new technology and what this means for the Japanese investor.

After the seminar, we hope that you will join us for a light lunch in the next room. Also, as you leave we will be giving you a selection of written materials in Japanese.

Thank you again for being with us today.

14.06 Proposing a Toast

The toast signals an end to the speeches and a start to the food and drink. While you can add personal comments to the examples below, toasts should be kept brief. First, here’s a toast given by a boss at an office year-end party:

• Ichinenkan no go-doryoku ni kansha shi, rainen no masumasu no hatten o inotte, kanpai!
1年間のご努力に感謝し、来年のますますの発展を祈っ て、乾杯！
Thank you for your efforts throughout the year. Here’s to even greater success next year. Cheers!

These next two are for more formal occasions:

• Yoi Kankyō kabushiki kaisha no masu-masu no go-hatten to nit’chū ryōkoku no kagiri-naki yūjō ni. Kanpai!
「よい環境株式会社」のますますのご発展ど日中両国の限 りなき友情に。乾杯！
To the further growth of Good Environment plc and to eternal friendship between Japan and China. Cheers!

• Dewa, kanpai no ondo o torasete itadakimasu. Go-sankai no mina-sama no go-kenshō to kore-kara no go-katsuyaku o inori, kanpai shitai to omoimasu. Mina-sama, go-shōwa onegai itashimasu. Kanpai!
では、乾杯の音頭をどらせていただきます。ご参会の皆様 のご健勝どこれからのご活躍を祈り、乾杯したいど思いま す。皆様、ご唱和お願いいたします。乾杯！
I would like to propose a toast. Please raise your glasses to the good health and continued prosperity of all present. All together, please. Cheers!

14.07 Words and Expressions

go-aisatsu	ご挨拶	short introductory speech
jiko shōkai	自己紹介	self-introduction
supiichi	スピーチ	speech (usually informal)
kōen	講演	talk, lecture
zadankai	座談会	discussion meeting, round table conference
kanpai suru	乾杯する	to make a toast
endai	演題	title of a speech
endan	演壇	rostrum
kinchō suru	緊張する	to get nervous
agaru	あがる	to get stage fright