Stefan Kaiser is Special Professor at Kokugakuin University, Japan, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Yasuko Ichikawa was previously Professor at the International Center, University of Tokyo, Japan. Noriko Kobayashi was previously Professor at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Hilofumi Yamamoto is Associate Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.

'The approach taken in this book is data-driven, and the breadth of the structure patterns found in the data is quite remarkable. Moreover, as mentioned in the preface, the data revealed some gaps between the pedagogical or prescriptive grammar and the actual use of the language ... There is no doubt that the authenticity and the richness of the examples make this book a fine addition to the existing list of books on Japanese grammar.' - Linguist List, September 2001'... this reference grammar comes into its own as an extremely valuable and usable source of information, complementing many textbooks, and filling the gaps which they unavoidably leave.' - Forum for Modern Language'Japanese: a comprehensive grammar will certainly be appearing on my new reading lists. - Royal Asiatic Society

• 1. Nouns 2. Case Particles 3. Phrasal Particles 4. Numbers and Counters 5. Demonstrative/Interrogative Words and Pronouns 6. Adjectives 7. Verbs, Valency, Copula and Sentence Types 8. Tense and Aspect Endings 9. Modal Endings 10. Adverbs 11. Adverbial Particles 12. Passive Sentences 13. Causative and Causative Passive Sentences 14. Potential and Spontaneous Sentences 15. Performative Sentences 16 Honorific and Humble Forms (Subject- and Object-Honorifics) 17. Negation and Negative Sentences 18. Questions 19. Sentence-Final Particles 20. Imperative Sentences, Commands and Requests 21. Quotation: to, to iu, tte and ni yoru to 22. Nominalizations 23. Conjoining 24. Conjunctions 25. Conjunctive Forms 26. Conjunctive Particles 27. Abbreviations: Truncation and Ellipsis 28. Stylistic Effects and Point of View