ABSTRACT
The relationship between language and citizenship in Japan manifests itself in different ways. While the belief on the part of mainstream Japanese citizens that native-speaker proficiency in the national language is a primary marker of citizenship remains strong, naturalized citizens from other countries may not speak Japanese well at all, and for other older Japanese citizens such as those living in the once US-administered Ogasawara Islands the effects of earlier historical developments continue to manifest themselves in language practices different from the norm. The relationship between migration and citizenship has been a focus of recent scholarly attention, but the highly significant factor of language, the key to full participation in public life as an engaged citizen, has yet to be properly addressed. This book therefore investigates the relationship between language and citizenship in Japan today, taking as its premise the assumption that as language functions as a multidirectional indicator for social capital, marking both inclusion and exclusion (Lo Bianco 2007, 13), its importance in the lives of both present and future citizens cannot be overstated.
