Situation
็ฐไธญๅบๅ ฑ้จ้ทใจ้ดๆจๅบๅ ฑๆ ๅฝใใๆฐ่ฃฝๅ็บ่กจใฎ่จ่ ไผ่ฆ็ดๅใซๆ็ต็ขบ่ชใ่กใฃใฆใใพใใ็บ่กจๅ ๅฎนใซๅ ใใๆณๅฎใใใ่ณชๅใใใฎๅฏพๅฟ็ญใซใคใใฆใ็ถฟๅฏใซ่ฉฑใๅใฃใฆใใพใใ
PR Manager Tanaka and PR Officer Suzuki are conducting a final review just before a press conference for a new product launch. They are meticulously discussing both the announcement content and potential questions, along with their response strategies.
Dialogue
็ฐไธญ: ้ดๆจใใใๆฌ็ชใพใงใใจๅ ใใ ใๆ็ต็ขบ่ชใๅ ผใญใใใคใณใใๆฆใๅใใใใใ
Tanaka: Suzuki-san, honban made ato wazuka da. Saishuu kakunin o kane, pointo o suri awaseyou.
Tanaka: Suzuki-san, it's almost time for the main event. Let's go over the key points one last time as a final check.
้ดๆจ: ใฏใใๆฟ็ฅใใใใพใใใๆฐ่ฃฝๅใฎ็ปๆ็ใช็นใจใใใฎๆฅญ็ใธใฎๅฝฑ้ฟใๅผท่ชฟใใๆๅญใงใใ
Suzuki: Hai, shouchi itashimashita. Shinseihin no kakkiteki na ten to, sono gyoukai e no eikyou o kyouchoo suru shozon desu.
Suzuki: Yes, understood. I intend to highlight the new product's groundbreaking features and its potential impact on the industry.
็ฐไธญ: ใใใใใๆณๅฎใใใ่ณชๅใธใฎๅฏพๅฟใ่่ฆใ ใ็ซถๅใจใฎๆฏ่ผใๅธๅ ดใงใฎไฝ็ฝฎไปใใซ้ขใใ่ณชๅใๅบใใญใชใใ
Tanaka: Yoroshii. Soutei sareru shitsumon e no taiou ga kanyou da. Kyougou to no hikaku ya shijou de no ichizuke ni kansuru shitsumon mo dekane nai.
Tanaka: Very well. It's crucial to be prepared for anticipated questions. We might face questions about how our product compares to competitors or its market positioning.
้ดๆจ: ใฏใใ็ซถๅใซใฏใๅผ็คพใฎ็ฌ่ชๆงใจๅชไฝๆงใๅ้ขใซๆผใๅบใใฆๅ็ญใใใใพใใไพกๆ ผๆฆ็ฅใไธๅ จใๆใใฆใใพใใ
Suzuki: Hai. Kyougou ni wa, heisha no dokujisei to yuuissei o zenmen ni oshidashite kaitou itashimasu. Kakaku senryaku mo banzen o ki shiteimasu.
Suzuki: Yes. When addressing competitors, I will emphasize our company's unique strengths and advantages. We are also fully prepared regarding our pricing strategy.
็ฐไธญ: ใใใฏ็ตๆงใ ใๆถ่ฒป่ ใฎๆธๅฟตใซ้ขใใฆใฏใ็ๆฏใซๅใๆญขใใๆนๅใซ็นใใๆจใไผใใใใใซใๆๆงใชๅ็ญใฏไธไฟกๆใๆใใใญใชใใ
Tanaka: Sore wa kekkou da. Shouhisha no kenen ni kanshite wa, shinshi ni uketome, kaizen ni tsunageru mune o tsutaeru you ni. Aimai na kaitou wa fushinkan o manekikane nai.
Tanaka: That's good. As for consumer concerns, be sure to address them sincerely and communicate our commitment to improvement. Ambiguous answers could easily lead to distrust.
้ดๆจ: ่ใซ้ใใพใใไธไธใไบๆใใฌ่ณชๅใซใฏใใๅฐใ ใๆ้ใใใใ ใใพใใงใใใใใใจ็ญใใๅฏพๅฟใ็ทดใใพใใ
Suzuki: Kimo ni meijimasu. Man'ichi, yoki senu shitsumon ni wa, "Shoushou o jikan o itadakemasu deshou ka?" to kotae, taiou o nerimasu.
Suzuki: I'll certainly bear that in mind. If an unexpected question comes up, I'll respond with, "Could you please give me a moment?" and then formulate a careful answer.
็ฐไธญ: ใใฎ้ใใ ใๅใ็นใใใใไธๆใช็นใฏๅพๆฅ่ชฟๆปใๅ็ญใใๆจใไผใใใฎใ่ช ๅฎใชๅงฟๅขใจใใใใฎใ ใ่จ่ ใ็ๆฏใชๆ ๅบฆใซใฏ่ณใๅพใใใ ใใใ
Tanaka: Sono toori da. Toritsukurou yori, fumei na ten wa gojitsu chousa shi kaitou suru mune o tsutaeru no ga seijitsu na shisei to iu mono da. Kisha mo shinshi na taido ni wa mimi o katamukeru darou.
Tanaka: Exactly. Rather than trying to gloss over things, conveying that unclear points will be investigated and answered later is a sincere approach. Journalists will also be more receptive to a sincere attitude.
้ดๆจ: ใฏใใใงใฏใ้ไผใจ้ไผใฎๆจๆถใฎ่กจ็พใซๅคๆด็นใฏใใใใพใใใ
Suzuki: Hai. Dewa, kaikai to heikai no aisatsu no hyougen ni henkouten wa gozaimasu ka?
Suzuki: Yes. By the way, are there any changes to the wording for the opening and closing remarks?
็ฐไธญ: ไปๅใฏ็นใซใชใใๆขๅญใฎๆ ็ตใงๅ้กใชใใใใใใใ่ณช็ๅฟ็ญใฎ้ใฎ่จ่้ฃใใ้่ฆใ ใไธ้ใชไธญใซใๆ็ขบใใๅฟใใใชใใพใใ่ณชๅใฎๆๅณใ็็ขบใซๆใใใใจใ่่ฆใ ใ
Tanaka: Konkai wa toku ni nai. Kizon no wakugumi de mondai nai. Sore yori, shitsugi outou no sai no kotobazukai ga juuyou da. Teichou na naka ni mo meikaku sa o wasureru na. Mata, shitsumon no ito o tekikaku ni toraeru koto ga kanyou da.
Tanaka: No particular changes this time. The existing framework is perfectly fine. More importantly, your choice of words during the Q&A session is crucial. While being polite, don't forget to be clear. It's also essential to accurately grasp the intent of each question.
้ดๆจ: ๆฟ็ฅใใใใพใใใ่จ่ ใธใฎ้ ๆ ฎใๆใใคใคใใๅผ็คพใฎใกใใปใผใธใใถใใชใใใๅชใใพใใ
Suzuki: Shouchi itashimashita. Kisha e no hairyo o harai tsutsu mo, heisha no messeeji ga burenai you tsutomemasu.
Suzuki: Understood. I will be considerate towards the journalists, while also making sure our company's core message remains clear and consistent.
็ฐไธญ: ใใใใงใฏๆบๅใฏๆดใฃใใ่ชไฟกใๆใฃใฆ่จใใงใใใ
Tanaka: Yoshi, dewa junbi wa totonotta. Jishin o motte nozonde kure.
Tanaka: Alright, preparations are complete. Go in there with confidence!
้ดๆจ: ใฏใใใใใใจใใใใใพใใ
Suzuki: Hai, arigatou gozaimasu.
Suzuki: Yes, thank you.
Key Vocabulary
ๆฌ็ช
honban
โ the real thing, actual event
็ปๆ็
kakkiteki
โ groundbreaking, revolutionary
ๆๅญ
shozon
โ intention (humble, formal)
่่ฆ
kanyou
โ essential, crucial
็ซถๅ
kyougou
โ competitors, competition
ๅชไฝๆง
yuuisei
โ superiority, advantage
็ๆฏใชๅงฟๅข
shinshi na shisei
โ sincere attitude
ไธไฟกๆ
fushinkan
โ distrust, lack of confidence
่ณช็ๅฟ็ญ
shitsugi outou
โ Q&A session
็็ขบใซๆใใ
tekikaku ni toraeru
โ to grasp accurately
Grammar Notes
- ใใๅ ผใฆ (o kanete): ใใ่กๅใไบใคใฎ็ฎ็ใๆใใใใจใ็คบใใ
ไพ๏ผใๆ็ต็ขบ่ชใๅ ผใญใใใคใณใใๆฆใๅใใใใใใ (Indicates that one action or event serves two purposes simultaneously. E.g.: "Let's align the key points, also serving as a final confirmation.")
- ใใใๆๅญใงใ (suru shozon desu): ใใใใใคใใใงใใใฎ้ๅธธใซไธๅฏงใชๅ ฌๅผ่กจ็พใ
ไพ๏ผใๅผท่ชฟใใๆๅญใงใใใ (A very polite and formal expression meaning 'intend to do' or 'it is my intention to do'. E.g.: "I intend to emphasize.")
- ใใใญใชใ (kanenai): ๆชใ็ตๆใซใชใๅฏ่ฝๆงใใใใใจใ็คบใใ
ไพ๏ผใไธไฟกๆใๆใใใญใชใใใ (Indicates the possibility of a negative outcome or undesirable consequence. E.g.: "Could invite distrust.")
- ใๆจใไผใใ (mune o tsutaeru): ๆๅณใๆฑบๅฎไบ้ ใฎๅ ๅฎนใไผใใใ
ไพ๏ผใๆนๅใซ็นใใๆจใไผใใใใใซใใ (To convey the gist, content, or intention of a matter or decision. E.g.: "Convey our intention to link to improvements.")
- ใใจใใใใฎใ (to iu mono da): ่ฉฑ่ ใฎ็ขบไฟกใๅธธ่ญใๅผท่ชฟใใใ
ไพ๏ผใ่ช ๅฎใชๅงฟๅขใจใใใใฎใ ใใ (Emphasizes the speaker's conviction or common sense, often implying that something is a generally accepted truth or a natural course of action. E.g.: "It is indeed a sincere attitude.")
- ใใคใคใ (tsutsu mo): ้ๆฅใๅๆ้ฒ่กใ่กจใๆฅ็ถๅฉ่ฉใงใๆนใพใฃใๅ ด้ขใง็จใใใ
ไพ๏ผใ้ ๆ ฎใๆใใคใคใใใกใใปใผใธใใถใใชใใใๅชใใพใใใ (A conjunctive particle used in formal settings to express contrast ('although,' 'while') or simultaneous action ('while,' 'at the same time'). E.g.: "While being considerate, I will strive to ensure our message remains consistent.")
Cultural Notes
ๆฅๆฌใฎ่จ่ ไผ่ฆใงใฏใ็บ่จ่ ใไธๅฏงใง้ๆฅ็ใช่จ่้ฃใใใใใใจใไธ่ฌ็ใงใใๆฌ่ชใ่ฌ่ญฒ่ชใ้ฉๅใซไฝฟใใ่ฌ่ใชๅงฟๅขใไฟใคใใจใ้่ฆ่ฆใใใพใใใใใฏ็ธๆใธใฎ้ ๆ ฎใจ่ช็คพใฎ่ฉๅคใไฟใคใใใงใใ
In Japanese press conferences, speakers generally use polite and indirect language. It's important to use honorifics (keigo) and humble language (kenjลgo) appropriately, maintaining a humble demeanor. This approach shows consideration for others and helps protect the company's reputation.
็ดๆฅ็ใชๅ่ซใฏ้ฟใใ่ชฟๅใ้ใใใใฎใไธ่ฌ็ใงใใไธๆ็ญใช่ณชๅใซๅฏพใใฆใฏใๅณ็ญใ้ฟใใใฎใ่ณขๆใจใใใพใใใๅพๆฅใ่ชฟๆปใฎไธใงใๅ็ญใใใใพใใใชใฉใจไผใใๅงฟๅขใ่ช ๅฎใ ใจ่ฉไพกใใใพใใ
Direct rebuttals are generally avoided; harmony is emphasized. When faced with unclear questions, it's considered wise to avoid immediate answers. Instead, a sincere approach is to convey that 'We will investigate and respond at a later date.'
Practice
Suggestions for practicing this conversation:
- Role-play: Practice the dialogue by switching roles between Tanaka and Suzuki. Pay attention to the formality and nuances of each character's speech.
- Substitution Drill 1 (Product Features):
ใๆฐ่ฃฝๅใฎ็ปๆ็ใช็นใใจๅใไฝ็ฝฎใซไปฅไธใๅ ฅใใฆใฟใพใใใใ
Try replacing ใๆฐ่ฃฝๅใฎ็ปๆ็ใช็นใ (the groundbreaking features of the new product) with the following phrases:
ๆฐๆฆ็ฅใฎๆๅนๆง (effectiveness of the new strategy)
็ ็ฉถๆๆใฎ็ฌๅตๆง (originality of research results)
็คพไผ่ฒข็ฎๆดปๅใฎๆ็พฉ (significance of social contribution activities)
Substitution Drill 2 (Potential Concerns):
็ฐไธญใฎไบ็ช็ฎใฎใปใชใใซใใใๆถ่ฒป่ ใฎๆธๅฟตใใไปฅไธใซ็ฝฎใๆใใฆใฟใพใใใใ
Try replacing ใๆถ่ฒป่ ใฎๆธๅฟตใ (consumer concerns) in Tanaka's fifth line with the following:
็ซถๅไป็คพใฎๅๅ (competitor trends)
่ฃฝๅๅฎๅ จๆงใธใฎ็ๅ (questions about product safety)
็ฐๅขๅ้กใธใฎ้ ๆ ฎไธ่ถณ (lack of consideration for environmental issues)
Variation Scenario: Imagine this is a press conference to address a recent product recall. How would the tone and specific vocabulary change? Discuss essential phrases for apology, explanation, and future action, and practice adapting the dialogue.