This is the first book in a two-volume intensive one-year introductory course in Japanese, also suitable for those who wish to work at a slower pace. Students who finish this course will have a firm grasp of how the language works and enough knowledge of the writing system to tackle everyday written material with no more than a dictionary. Particular attention is paid to questions of grammar which foreign learners often find difficult, so Book One can also serve as a reference grammar. An Introduction to Modern Japanese uses both spoken and written forms from the outset. There are word lists for each lesson, and a comprehensive vocabulary for the whole course. Book One comprises fifty-two lessons which are accompanied by exercises and word lists in Book Two. The exercises ensure that the student has understood the grammar explained in the relevant lessons and give further practice in reading and recognising characters. Book Two also contains a full vocabulary, Japanese to English and English to Japanese.