- Title: JAPAN: Barack Obama's speeches now an educational tool
- Date: 20th January 2009
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 20, 2009) (REUTERS) BOOKSTORE CLERK PUTTING OBAMA'S SPEECH BOOKS INTO SHELF OBAMA BOOKS IN SHELVES TEXT BOOK FEATURING OBAMA'S RECENT SPEECHES WIDE OF BOOKSTORE CUSTOMER READING OBAMA TEXTBOOK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KOKI NOGI, BOOKSTORE CUSTOMER, SAYING: "Obama uses plain terms when he speaks, so I find his speeches relatively easy to understand." ANOTHER CUSTOMER READING BOOK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MAKOTO KANEKI, BOOKSTORE CUSTOMER, SAYING: "I'm curious to know what he said in his speeches and what kind of country America will become under Obama's leadership." TWO WOMEN TAKING BOOKS OFF SHELVES CLOSE ON OBAMA'S SPEECH TEXTBOOK AND CD EXTERIOR OF ASAHI PRESS PUBLISHING COMPANY'S MAIN OFFICE ASAHI PRESS' EDITORIAL DIRECTOR YUZO YAMAMOTO IN HIS OFFICE YAMAMOTO READING BOOK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) YUZO YAMAMOTO, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR AT ASAHI PRESS, SAYING "Both his speech content and delivery are exceptionally good. And I was certain that his speeches would make an excellent English-learning tool." YAMAMOTO ORGANISING OBAMA SPEECH BOOKS ON TABLE CLOSE ON OBAMA SPEECH BOOKS MORE OF BOOKS
- Embargoed: 4th February 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: International Relations,Education
- Reuters ID: LVA3HNEFWYLVKPHQ35BY50JGGLMY
- Story Text: President-elect Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English.
An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama", has sold more than 400,000 copies in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.
Japanese have a fervour for learning English and many bookstores have a corner dedicated to dozens of books in the language, many of them now featuring the new U.S. leader's face.
"I'm curious to know what he said in his speeches and what kind of country America will become under Obama's leadership," said Koki Nogi, who was looking at Obama's speech book at a Tokyo bookstore.
Another customer at the bookstore, Makoto Kanei, said: "I'm curious to know what he said in his speeches and what kind of country America will become under Obama's leadership."
The 95-page paperback features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries, in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are accompanied by Japanese translations.
The 1,050 yen (12 US dollars) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website, http://www.amazon.co.jp
"Both his speech content and delivery are exceptionally good. And I was certain that his speeches would make an excellent English-learning tool," said Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.
Speeches by President George W. Bush and former nominee John Kerry's four years ago did not have the same appeal, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians, Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto said said lawmakers from Japan's main opposition Democratic Party had bought the book to study Obama's speeches.
Following Obama's inauguration on Tuesday (January 20), Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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