Japanese romanization polic
The Japanese government has adopted (either de facto or de jure) various romanization
systems at various times
Hepburn-shiki (1867, 1886, 1908, 1945, 1974
Nihon-shiki (1885
Kunrei-shiki (1937, 1954, 1974
The Kunrei-shiki and Nihon-shiki systems have become international standards
ISO 3602:1989(en) — Romanization of Japanese (kana script
ISO 3602 stric
However, a “modi ed Hepburn” system used by some Japanese publishers is a de facto
standard of the US (adopted by the Library of Congress in 1989; cf. 1954 Kenkyusha New
Japanese-English Dictionary) and other English-speaking countries_______In Japan, we can see romanization
inconsistency from sign to sign, e.g.

Also, there is romanization inconsistency
even within the same sign. Here,“KOKUHU” and “GEMBUDŌ” are written
according to different policies.

北青木✓ キタオオギ✓ キタオウギ✓ Kita Og✓ Kita Ohg✓ Kita Oog✓ Kita Ōg✓ Kita Oug? Kita Ôgi [✓ Ôgi? Kita Ougi [✓ Ougi̲̲̲̲̲̲̲
We also see vocabulary and grammar variation on signs:
禁煙
喫煙禁止
煙禁
喫煙してはいけない
たばこを吸ってはいけません
煙草は禁止されています[kinʼen][kitsuen kinshi][kemuri kin][kitsuen shite wa ikenai][tabako wo sutte wa ikemasen][tabako wa kinshi sarete imasu]

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lingua academica polic
Under current MEXT policy, there are only two types of language classes that can betaught in the Japanese public school curriculum
国語外国語
The words 国語 and 外国語 are a kind of MEXT code that means
Japanese 日本語
English 英語
In other words, 外国語 does not really mean “foreign language(s)”It is practically impossible to teach any languages other than Japanese and English ingrades 1 to 9 of a Japanese school
Even in a Japanese high school, it is extremely dif cult to teach any foreign language otherthan English
This tends to “imprison” Japanese in Japan by making it more dif cult for them to travel
and interact with other people as global citizens
What kind of policy should Japan have for teaching languages in schools

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immigrants: little language support; discriminatio
農村花嫁 n son hanayome “farming brides” and other new immigrants, e.g., nurses andhealthcare worker, especially since 2013 (cf. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/06/23/
japan-immigration-policy-xenophobia-migration/)governmental support programs for children of non-Japanese speakers
supplemental Japanese language classe
instructional support in the children’s mother tongu
A multimedia learning site with translations into Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish,
English, Vietnamese and Cambodian has been sponsored by MEXT to help children learn
not only the Japanese language, but also common rules and conventions in primaryschools (cf. Nihongo shid ky zai kenky kai).
浜松宣言 Hamamatsu sengen “The Hamamatsu Declaration” called for the “coexistence” ofJapanese and foreign residents, and outlines the problems related to the education ofimmigrant children and social welfare for immigrants
多文化共生社会 くり推進共同宣言 Tabunka ky sei shakai zukuri suishin ky d sengen “TheCommon Declaration for the Promotion of Multicultural Coexistence and SocietyBuilding”, adopted by Aichi Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, and Nagoya City
called for mutual understanding and respect of Japanese and foreign residents, for active
involvement of foreign residents in local life, for building a society of coexistence throughthe cooperation of residents, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and localgovernments
日本語教育小委員会 Nihongo ky iku sh iinkai “the Japanese Language Education
Subcommittee” (2007) established at the Agency for Cultural Affairs, highlighted the needfor Japanese language competence for long-term foreign residents
初等中等教育における外国人児童生徒教育の充実のための検討会 Shot ch t ky iku ni
okeru gaikokujin jid seito ky iku no j jitsu no tame no kent kai “the Commission for theEnhancement of Primary Education for Pupils of Foreign Nationality” (2008), of theMinistry of Education, includes guidelines for the education of teachers of Japanese as asecond language and teacher-counsellors, including the description of courses on Japanese
language education and education for international understanding to be taken by
university students in teacher training courses
At the local level, diverse efforts are being carried out by volunteer organizations
Japanese language teaching support;
livelihood support, learning support, career counseling;support in immigrants’ mother tongue;
support for the creation of local networks of foreign residents;
building of mutual understanding between the majority (Japanese residents)
and the minority (foreign residents)
Language teaching offered in of cial government programs is not suf cient, since it onlyreaches pupils regularly enrolled in schools, and is therefore being supplemented withlearning activities organized by volunteer organizations.

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some other culture policy issue
Kobe’s public statuary is well known (cf. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractionsg298562-Activities-c47-t26-Kobe_Hyogo_Prefecture_Kinki.html)
How much money should Kobe spend on buying and maintaining public artwork
Who should decide which statues to erect and which statues to remove______

Gagaku 雅楽 is not the most popular kind of music in Japan. Should the government
spend money to maintain this type of music? If so, how much should the government
spend? Should government support be spent on• live public concerts• TV concerts• scholarships for music students studying gagaku• a music school dedicated to gagaku• something else______The Japanese Self-Defense Forces are well trained and well funded. How should theseunits be used? Should they interact more with regular Japanese people? Should they bedeployed overseas more often? Should they invite regular people to attend their militarycollege courses, so that more people can know military history, strategy, and tactics______

What do you think about Japan’s designation of Cultural Properties (国指定文化財), 都道
府県指定文化財, 市町村指定文化財)? Is this a good idea? Is Japan’s policy better or worse
than similar policies in other nations______

Following her study of Shizuoka, Mari Kobayashi has described culture policy
development this way (https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137327772):

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