ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the transition of Korean from marginalized heritage language to popular foreign language, focusing on the period from 1945 to the present. Korean language education in Japan is rooted in the history of Japanese imperialism, from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, as well as expanding cultural interactions in the late twentieth century. By 2010, the Korean language had moved from the fringe to the mainstream, becoming one of the most popular foreign languages in Japan. In 2002, Korean was also recognized as a subject on the national university entrance exam, a move that encouraged universities to recognize Korean as a foreign language for admission purposes. The history of Korean as a foreign language at Kagoshima University from 2006 to 2008 offers a case study in the implementation and institutionalization of Korean language classes in a "general education" program in a national university in Japan.
