歷來對於日語學習者之學習動機等的研究多以大學生或更低年齡層之高中生為對象。相對的，對於研究生的學習動機等相關研究卻絕無僅有。本研究以位於臺灣北・中部之 9所大學日語科系研究所之學生（114名）為對象，就其進入研究所前的學習狀況、進入研究所的動機、就讀研究所期間的感受、畢業後的出路或規劃等進行調查。本研究得到以下的結果。大多學習者是在進入大學後開始學習日語，動機多為興趣或因喜好日本的事物。但大學畢業後進入研究所的動機最多的則是「未來想從事日語相關工作」。多數研究生進入研究所前試圖了解研究所的學習狀況，最常利用的管道是「日研所網頁」。另外，多半的研究生自認學習到「日本語學」「日語教育」「研究方法」「日語」等的專業知識。最後，「如果有機會重來一次，仍會選擇進入日研所」的研究生佔約 7成。

Professions of students of Japanese departments of Taiwan were commonly studied on those in undergraduate schools or in high schools. With 114 postgraduate students in Japanese departments of nine universities as objects, this study surveyed their learning status and motivation before joining postgraduate schools, the feelings when they studied in the postgraduate school, and the career after graduation. Most students started Japanese learning after joining the universities, with motivation of being interested in or in favor of Japan-related events. After undergraduate study, these students entered postgraduate schools because they want to gain capability to conduct Japanese-related professions. Most students collected information of targeted postgraduate schools through surfing the homepages. More than half of postgraduate students assumed that they learned knowledge about "Studies in Japanese linguistics" "Studies of Japanese education" "Theory of methods of research" and "Japanese". Lastly, about 70% would choose Japanese postgraduate schools for study if they would have another chance.