The goal of this course is to improve and refine the students' most advanced communication skills in both oral and aural Japanese; to learn how to interact with Japanese people in social and business situations; to learn how to express one's own opinions, thoughts and ideas as well as discussing social topics. Students are expected to attain advanced reading and writing skills through studying excerpts from Japanese short stories and essays, newspapers and cultural information and through rigorous exercises in Kanji writing and Kanji recognition.