Your responsibilities. Your Japanese.

When Your Work Demands More of Your Japanese

You've already come a long way with Japanese. But a new job, greater responsibility, or a particularly demanding professional situation can place unfamiliar demands on language you've been using for years.

Plum is Maplopo's bespoke Japanese language and communication program for experienced professionals.

Working with Doc and Reiko Kane, you develop the language and communication skills your particular role requires. The work is built around your responsibilities, your professional environment, and the situations in which your Japanese needs to perform.

Not starting over. Building on what you've already accomplished.

Schedule a Conversation with Doc

Prefer to write first? Send us a note about Plum.

01 / Personal to your work

Your Work Sets the Agenda

A job title doesn't tell us everything about the Japanese someone needs. Two people in the same profession can face very different communication demands.

Plum starts with the work itself. Depending on your responsibilities, that might mean:

Meetings and questionsExplaining a decision, responding without a script, or navigating disagreement.
Presentations and writingStructuring an argument, choosing the right language for your audience, and communicating with precision.
Professional relationshipsMaking a point diplomatically, leading a discussion, or handling situations where nuance matters.
Specialized languageBringing unfamiliar terminology and expressions into active use as your responsibilities change.

The materials, practice, and feedback are developed around your particular circumstances—and adjusted as your needs evolve.

One learner's experience

A New Job. New Demands on Japanese.

“Having lived and worked in Japan for almost 20 years, I’ve spent a lot of time studying Japanese, but there has always been something missing from my studies. Maplopo was the missing link for taking my Japanese to the next level.

Textbooks never covered the specialized terminology and situations necessary for my work, especially at the higher level of business Japanese, but Doc and Reiko’s approach does. I initially joined their Dazai program to improve my reading ability and was absolutely floored at how quickly my comprehension and speed increased. Just as I was completing that course, I changed jobs and needed to further improve my Japanese ability ASAP. Reiko and Doc have put together a comprehensive program tailored to my exact needs, and I could not be happier.

Thanks to the coursework and private lessons, I have been able to keep up with the demands of my new job and recently made a company-wide presentation. No matter what stage in your Japanese learning adventure, I cannot recommend Maplopo highly enough.”

Stephanie Napier

Associate Project Manager
MCRA, an IQVIA business

A look inside the work

Specific materials for specific situations

A few actual views from the Plum learning environment.

Actual learning materials, with reflective exercises and detailed Japanese explanations — **Reflection and language guidance**Exercises that address how to express and understand meaning in particular situations.

Actual Japanese-language professional interview video in the Plum learning environment — **Language in professional settings**Authentic Japanese material used alongside guided study and discussion.

Actual live online Plum session with a learner — **Live, individual instruction**A private session with Reiko, working directly on specific learner needs.

Actual Plum LS1 Reflection practice and Japanese-language exercises — **Practice built around real demands**Reflection and exercises that require you to organize and express your own ideas in Japanese.

02 / The relationship

How Plum Works

We start with your situation.
What does your work require you to do in Japanese? Where are you encountering difficulties, or finding that your Japanese isn't quite doing everything you need it to do?
We find out what's getting in the way.
We look at the language behind those challenges. Sometimes it's specialized vocabulary. Sometimes it's precision, nuance, or finding the right words quickly enough to keep up with a conversation. The aim is to identify what actually needs attention.
We practice, evaluate, and adjust.
Doc and Reiko develop materials and exercises around your particular needs. You work on the relevant language and communication skills, receive feedback, and build on that work as your abilities and responsibilities develop.

Plum and the Practitioner Track

Both programs are designed for people who already have experience with Japanese, but they serve different purposes.

Practitioner Track offers a structured path toward deeper understanding and more flexible use of the language.

Plum is individualized. It begins with your professional responsibilities and concentrates on the language and communication skills those responsibilities demand.

Plum often follows Practitioner Track. Which approach makes sense depends on your experience and what you need your Japanese to do next.

A conversation comes first

Let's Talk About Your Japanese

If your work is placing new demands on your Japanese, we'd be glad to hear what you're facing.

Plum begins with a conversation. Tell Doc about your responsibilities, the situations you'd like to handle more effectively, and what you're hoping to accomplish.

Together, we'll explore whether individualized work with Doc and Reiko makes sense for you.