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Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
4 / B2
Published
Title
Why Japan Is Looking to India
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-09-01-why-japan-is-looking-to-india/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice

Language: Words That Go Together, New Sentences

Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions

Answers

Why do you think Japanese companies are looking more closely at India?

a) They want access to a growing market outside Japan.

b) They are responding to rapidly rising demand inside Japan.

c) They are concentrating more of their business in China.

Busy modern business district with shops, office workers, factory robots, solar panels, and wind turbines.
Growing business in India.

Vocab List

consumer brand (n. phrase) — a company that sells products directly to ordinary customers
demand (n.) — the amount of something that people want to buy
retail (n.) — the business of selling goods directly to customers
supply chain disruption (n. phrase) — a problem that interrupts the making or movement of products
investment (n.) — money put into a business or project to help it grow
geopolitical tension (n. phrase) — problems or conflict between countries connected to politics and power
manufacturing (n.) — the business of making products in factories
drive (v.) — to cause something to develop, increase, or happen
domestic market (n. phrase) — the market for goods and services inside a country
bureaucracy (n.) — a complicated system of official rules and processes
Reading

Japanese companies are expanding their presence in India. Consumer brands such as Uniqlo and Muji are opening more stores, but the trend goes far beyond retail. Japanese firms are also increasing investment in banking, technology, manufacturing, computer chips, and green energy.

One major reason is Japan's shrinking domestic market. The country's population has been declining for years, which means weaker demand at home. For companies that want to keep growing, expanding into overseas markets is becoming increasingly important. India, with its large economy and growing demand, has become an attractive target.

Japanese companies are also trying to reduce their dependence on China. Years of supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions have encouraged many firms to spread their business across more countries. However, this does not mean they are abandoning China. Instead, they are trying to reduce risk by avoiding too much dependence on a single market.

Closer ties between the Japanese and Indian governments have also supported this trend. Private companies are now driving much of the latest investment, with Japanese firms announcing billions of dollars in new projects.

India is not an easy place to do business. Foreign investors still face bureaucracy, tax uncertainty, and delays in getting approvals. If India can reduce these difficulties, it may attract even more Japanese investment in the years ahead.

Why Japan Is Looking to India

Level 4 Article Source: bbc.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

Busy modern business district with shops, office workers, factory robots, solar panels, and wind turbines.
Growing business in India.

Japanese companies are expanding their presence in India. Consumer brands such as Uniqlo and Muji are opening more stores, but the trend goes far beyond retail. Japanese firms are also increasing investment in banking, technology, manufacturing, computer chips, and green energy.

One major reason is Japan's shrinking domestic market. The country's population has been declining for years, which means weaker demand at home. For companies that want to keep growing, expanding into overseas markets is becoming increasingly important. India, with its large economy and growing demand, has become an attractive target.

Japanese companies are also trying to reduce their dependence on China. Years of supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions have encouraged many firms to spread their business across more countries. However, this does not mean they are abandoning China. Instead, they are trying to reduce risk by avoiding too much dependence on a single market.

Closer ties between the Japanese and Indian governments have also supported this trend. Private companies are now driving much of the latest investment, with Japanese firms announcing billions of dollars in new projects.

India is not an easy place to do business. Foreign investors still face bureaucracy, tax uncertainty, and delays in getting approvals. If India can reduce these difficulties, it may attract even more Japanese investment in the years ahead.

Speaker: British Male  Duration: 1:44  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

Japanese companies are expanding their presence in India. Consumer brands such as Uniqlo and Muji are opening more (1) , but the trend goes far beyond retail. Japanese firms are also increasing investment in banking, technology, manufacturing, computer chips, and green energy.

One major reason is Japan's shrinking domestic market. The country's (2) has been declining for years, which means weaker demand at home. For companies that want to keep growing, expanding into overseas markets is becoming increasingly important. India, with its large economy and growing demand, has become an attractive target.

Japanese companies are also trying to reduce their dependence on China. Years of supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions have encouraged many firms to spread their (3) across more countries. However, this does not mean they are abandoning China. Instead, they are trying to reduce risk by avoiding too much dependence on a single market.

Closer ties between the Japanese and Indian governments have also supported this (4) . Private companies are now driving much of the latest investment, with Japanese firms announcing billions of dollars in new projects.

India is not an easy place to do (5) . Foreign investors still face bureaucracy, tax uncertainty, and delays in getting (6) . If India can reduce these difficulties, it may attract even more Japanese investment in the years ahead.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Do you shop at Uniqlo or Muji? What do you like or dislike about them?

    A:

  2. Q: Do you think relying too much on one market is risky for a company? Why?

    A:

  3. Q: What kinds of difficulties do foreign companies often face when they enter a new country?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Do you shop at Uniqlo or Muji? What do you like or dislike about them?

    A: I shop at Uniqlo quite often. I like the simple designs and reasonable prices.

    The main reason is that / For example, / On the other hand, / As a result,

    I shop at Uniqlo quite often. The main reason is that I like the simple designs and reasonable prices.

  2. Q: Do you think relying too much on one market is risky for a company? Why?

    A: Yes, I think relying too much on one market is risky a sudden economic or political problem could seriously affect the whole business.

    because / although / unless / while

    Yes, I think relying too much on one market is risky because a sudden economic or political problem could seriously affect the whole business.

  3. Q: What kinds of difficulties do foreign companies often face when they enter a new country?

    A: Foreign companies can face many difficulties when they enter a new country. , they may have to deal with unfamiliar laws and complicated approval processes.

    For example, / In my opinion, / As a result, / On the other hand,

    Foreign companies can face many difficulties when they enter a new country. For example,, they may have to deal with unfamiliar laws and complicated approval processes.

Discussion Questions
  1. Why do you think India is attractive to Japanese companies?
  2. What kinds of Japanese products or brands are popular in your country?
  3. Do you shop at Uniqlo or Muji? What do you like or dislike about them?
  4. Do you think relying too much on one market is risky for a company? Why?
  5. What problems can supply chain disruptions cause for ordinary customers?
  6. Which is more important for a company choosing a new market: size, growth, cost, or stability?
  7. Would you prefer to work for a local company or an international company? Why?
  8. Can you think of a foreign company that has become very successful where you live?
  9. What kinds of difficulties do foreign companies often face when they enter a new country?
  10. How can a shrinking population affect businesses in a country?

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think India is attractive to Japanese companies?
  2. What kinds of Japanese products or brands are popular in your country?
  3. Do you shop at Uniqlo or Muji? What do you like or dislike about them?
  4. Do you think relying too much on one market is risky for a company? Why?
  5. What problems can supply chain disruptions cause for ordinary customers?
  6. Which is more important for a company choosing a new market: size, growth, cost, or stability?
  7. Would you prefer to work for a local company or an international company? Why?
  8. Can you think of a foreign company that has become very successful where you live?
  9. What kinds of difficulties do foreign companies often face when they enter a new country?
  10. How can a shrinking population affect businesses in a country?

Answers Why Japan Is Looking to India / Level 4

Listening: (1) stores, (2) population, (3) business, (4) trend, (5) business, (6) approvals

Main Idea: Japanese companies are turning to India for growth while trying to reduce business risk.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says weaker demand in Japan's domestic market is pushing companies to expand abroad.
  2. False. The story says they are not abandoning China. They are spreading their business to reduce risk.
  3. True. The story mentions bureaucracy, tax uncertainty, and delays in getting approvals.

Multiple Choice: b, a, c, a

Vocabulary:

  1. open: more stores
  2. increase: investment
  3. reduce: dependence
  1. face: bureaucracy
  2. get: approvals
  3. spread: business across more countries

New Sentences: 1. consumer brand; 2. retail; 3. investment; 4. demand; 5. supply chain disruption; 6. drive

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Reason. 3) Example.

  1. The main reason is that
  2. because
  3. For example,

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