'Teach Yourself Instant Japanese' is the book for you if you want to speak basic Japanese immediately or if you have tried other courses without success.

The carefully structured method targets only the most important vocabulary and grammar and gets you speaking straight away. The special learning programme takes only 45 minutes a day for six weeks and has fewer than 500 words for you to learn.

The grammar has been pared down to the 'bare bones' and is explained in a no-nonsense way in simple English so you will not get bogged down by unnecessarily complicated structures that you will not need.

There is lots of practice for you as you work through the course, and by using the flashcards provided at the end of the book and memorizing the sentences in the 'learn by heart' sections, you will find that you are speaking in whole sentences and with confidence right from the start.

The rules of pronunciation are simplified and are available separately on the accompanying CD, so you will have a model to follow rather than trying to follow written instructions. The book (0 340 86836 8) and CD (0 340 86705 1) can also be purchased separately.

Alternatively, the listening material is available on a cassette, either on its own (0 340 86838 4) or in a pack with the book (0 340 86837 6).