2026 JALT PanSIG Business Communicaiton Forum

The JALT Business Communication SIG warmly invites you to our forum at the JALT PanSIG Conference 2026.

This year’s forum explores how AI is reshaping communication in business and education. As AI continues to transform the ways we work, learn, and communicate, new questions are emerging about the future of business communication skills, intercultural workplace communication, and AI-assisted language learning.

The forum will feature two invited speakers, followed by a panel discussion with audience participation. The session brings together perspectives from business communication, English-mediated workplace interaction, intercultural communication, and language education.

Date, Time, and Venue

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Time: 11:40–12:45
Venue: Building 0 / Room 6-606, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan
Conference: JALT PanSIG Conference 2026

Speakers

Prof. Hiromasa Tanaka
Professor Emeritus, Meisei University

Talk:
Beyond Business English Textbooks: Practitioner Narratives and the Hidden Curriculum of Global Workplace Communication

Prof. Michael Hofmeyr
Institute of Arts and Sciences, Tokyo University of Science

Talk:
Japanese EFL Learners’ Perceptions and Acceptance of Multimodal AI Chatbot Tutoring

Moderator

Saeko Ozawa Ujiie
President, JALT Business Communication SIG

Featured Focus

This forum will explore:

• AI-rich workplace communication across professional and cultural boundaries

• Practitioner narratives for intercultural business communication training

• Learners’ acceptance of text-based and spoken AI chatbot tutoring

• The changing nature of business communication skills in the age of AI

We warmly welcome anyone interested in the future of AI, business communication, intercultural workplace communication, and language education to join us for this timely and engaging discussion.