Immigrant Acceptance and “Plain Japanese”
IORI Isao / Professor, Center for Global Education and Exchange, Hitotsubashi University
March 28, 2019
Immigration and the Language Problem
A recent shift in Japanese government policy has made it likely that the nation will see a rapid rise in the number of long-term foreign residents. The government has denied that this constitutes an “immigration policy,” but in point of fact this is precisely what it is. Given this, Japan now needs to put systems in place to receive these immigrants appropriately. Below I consider the language issues that are involved in this reception from the perspective of Plain Japanese.
What Is Plain Japanese?
When a country receives new immigrants, it can give rise to a range of language-related issues. Plain Japanese is an initiative to respond to all these issues in a comprehensive manner, but I will look at just its aspects as a means of sharing information with foreign residents (immigrants) and as a common language for use in local communities.
A rise in immigration means more foreigners living in Japan’s communities, where they will need to make use of a commonly intelligible language for communication. Past investigations have shown conclusively that English cannot serve as this common tongue. Japanese, as it is used in its unadjusted form by native speakers, is similarly inappropriate for this role. One reason for this is that, as the rise in immigration is now projected to unfold, a large portion of the new arrivals—at least soon after coming to Japan—would have no means of communication with Japanese community members speaking their native tongue in its ordinary form. One language that could serve as a common tongue for these populations is a form of Japanese that has been adjusted by those native speakers: Plain Japanese.
Plain Japanese is systematically designed to function as a compact language. Once speakers master the grammatical rules set forth in its most basic level, they are able to express their thoughts in spoken Japanese and to understand written texts composed in Japanese according to these rules.
This means that if the very first stage of Japan’s reception of new immigrants is accompanied by training in Plain Japanese, they will be able to understand documentation provided by the government authorities, potentially leading to considerably reduced administrative costs associated with their entry into and integration in Japanese society.
Plain Japanese will also play a vital role in the Japanese-language education provided to these immigrants. When these people arrive in Japan, it will be important to provide paths to success in Japanese society for their children who make an honest effort. If the country’s immigration policy marches forward without these conditions in place, it will likely engender a sentiment among these people that they will only ever be treated as second-class residents of Japan. This could lead to a situation like that seen in France, where minority populations can be hotbeds for terrorism.
If, however, the possibilities for success are made available to them, and they are able to find work in Japan meeting their desires, they will become vital links between Japan and their own countries or regions elsewhere around the world, thus potentially contributing considerably to Japanese society—not just in economic terms, but with respect to the nation’s politics and foreign relations as well. To play these roles to the fullest, of course, these young people will need to have learned the Japanese language and other academic subjects to a level that lets them compete on an even playing field with native Japanese speakers by the time they graduate from high school, at latest. When they first arrive, though, they will inevitable face an overwhelming gap in language skills. They will require a “shortcut” of sorts in their language instruction to overcome this handicap. Plain Japanese can serve as just this shortcut.
Plain Japanese in the Immigration Policy Context
As outlined above, Plain Japanese could be an effective tool for addressing the various linguistic issues that arise when Japan implements its new policy approach to immigration. Applying a set of limitations to the language in public or common use in a country is an effective means of aiding immigrants who are (not yet) fluent in that language as they seek to adapt to life there. This will have the benefit of reducing administrative costs associated with the population of immigrants by making it easier for government to communicate with and get a handle on them. In addition, it will lessen friction between them and residents of the communities where they are received, leading to reduced social costs as well.
There are almost no nations—even among those with deeper experience in admitting immigrants to their shores—that have implemented a linguistic approach like Plain Japanese. As I have outlined it above, therefore, the theory behind Plain Japanese and the practical aspects of its usage could hold significance for nations around the world as they craft their own immigration policies.
Isao Iori is a Professor at the Hitotsubashi University Center for Global Education and Exchange.
A recent shift in Japanese government policy has made it likely that the nation will see a rapid rise in the number of long-term foreign residents. The government has denied that this constitutes an “immigration policy,” but in point of fact this is precisely what it is. Given this, Japan now needs to put systems in place to receive these immigrants appropriately. Below I consider the language issues that are involved in this reception from the perspective of Plain Japanese.
What Is Plain Japanese?
When a country receives new immigrants, it can give rise to a range of language-related issues. Plain Japanese is an initiative to respond to all these issues in a comprehensive manner, but I will look at just its aspects as a means of sharing information with foreign residents (immigrants) and as a common language for use in local communities.
A rise in immigration means more foreigners living in Japan’s communities, where they will need to make use of a commonly intelligible language for communication. Past investigations have shown conclusively that English cannot serve as this common tongue. Japanese, as it is used in its unadjusted form by native speakers, is similarly inappropriate for this role. One reason for this is that, as the rise in immigration is now projected to unfold, a large portion of the new arrivals—at least soon after coming to Japan—would have no means of communication with Japanese community members speaking their native tongue in its ordinary form. One language that could serve as a common tongue for these populations is a form of Japanese that has been adjusted by those native speakers: Plain Japanese.
Plain Japanese is systematically designed to function as a compact language. Once speakers master the grammatical rules set forth in its most basic level, they are able to express their thoughts in spoken Japanese and to understand written texts composed in Japanese according to these rules.
This means that if the very first stage of Japan’s reception of new immigrants is accompanied by training in Plain Japanese, they will be able to understand documentation provided by the government authorities, potentially leading to considerably reduced administrative costs associated with their entry into and integration in Japanese society.
Plain Japanese will also play a vital role in the Japanese-language education provided to these immigrants. When these people arrive in Japan, it will be important to provide paths to success in Japanese society for their children who make an honest effort. If the country’s immigration policy marches forward without these conditions in place, it will likely engender a sentiment among these people that they will only ever be treated as second-class residents of Japan. This could lead to a situation like that seen in France, where minority populations can be hotbeds for terrorism.
If, however, the possibilities for success are made available to them, and they are able to find work in Japan meeting their desires, they will become vital links between Japan and their own countries or regions elsewhere around the world, thus potentially contributing considerably to Japanese society—not just in economic terms, but with respect to the nation’s politics and foreign relations as well. To play these roles to the fullest, of course, these young people will need to have learned the Japanese language and other academic subjects to a level that lets them compete on an even playing field with native Japanese speakers by the time they graduate from high school, at latest. When they first arrive, though, they will inevitable face an overwhelming gap in language skills. They will require a “shortcut” of sorts in their language instruction to overcome this handicap. Plain Japanese can serve as just this shortcut.
Plain Japanese in the Immigration Policy Context
As outlined above, Plain Japanese could be an effective tool for addressing the various linguistic issues that arise when Japan implements its new policy approach to immigration. Applying a set of limitations to the language in public or common use in a country is an effective means of aiding immigrants who are (not yet) fluent in that language as they seek to adapt to life there. This will have the benefit of reducing administrative costs associated with the population of immigrants by making it easier for government to communicate with and get a handle on them. In addition, it will lessen friction between them and residents of the communities where they are received, leading to reduced social costs as well.
There are almost no nations—even among those with deeper experience in admitting immigrants to their shores—that have implemented a linguistic approach like Plain Japanese. As I have outlined it above, therefore, the theory behind Plain Japanese and the practical aspects of its usage could hold significance for nations around the world as they craft their own immigration policies.
Isao Iori is a Professor at the Hitotsubashi University Center for Global Education and Exchange.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
移民の受け入れと〈やさしい日本語〉
庵 功雄 / 一橋大学国際教育交流センター教授
2019年 3月 28日
移民の受け入れとことばの問題
政府の政策の転換により、日本国内の定住外国人が急増することが予想される。政府は公式には否定しているが、これは事実上の移民政策である。そうである以上、移民受け入れ体制を整えることが必要であるが、この小文では、移民受け入れに伴うことばの問題について、〈やさしい日本語〉という視点から考えることにする。
〈やさしい日本語〉とは
移民を受け入れる際、ことばに限定しても様々な問題が生じる。〈やさしい日本語〉はそうした問題の総合的に取り組むものであるが、この小文では、その中で、外国人（移民）に対する情報提供と地域社会の共通言語という観点に絞って述べる。
移民が増えるということは地域社会で外国人が生活するということであり、そこには何らかの共通言語が必要である。過去の調査から英語は共通言語にならないことが明らかになっている。また、日本語母語話者が調整を加えない日本語も同様に不適切である。その理由の1つは、こうした想定をすると、急増する移民の大部分は、少なくとも来日当初、地域の日本語母語話者とのコミュニケーション手段を持てなくなることである。そうすると、共通言語になり得るのは、日本語母語話者が調整を加えた日本語となる。こうした日本語を〈やさしい日本語〉と呼ぶ。
〈やさしい日本語〉は簡潔かつ体系的に設計されており、その初級レベルの文法項目を習得すれば、日本語で自分の考えを発信したり、そうした文法項目を使って書かれた日本語の文書を理解したりできるようになる。
これは、移民受け入れの最初期にこうした〈やさしい日本語〉の教育を移民に対して行えば、彼／彼女らが行政の発行する文書を理解できるようになることを意味し、彼／彼女らの受け入れにかかる行政コストを大幅に削減できる可能性を示唆している。
〈やさしい日本語〉は移民の子どもに対する日本語教育でも重要である。
移民を受け入れる際、その子どもが「まっとうに努力すれば」日本社会で成功できる可能性が開かれていることが重要である。この要件を欠いたまま移民政策が進むと、彼／彼女らに「自分たちはこの国の中で二流市民としての扱いしか受けられない」と感じさせることになり、フランスで起こったのと同様のテロの温床となりかねない。
逆に、そうした可能性が開かれ、彼／彼女らが日本国内で希望の職に就けるようになれば、彼／彼女らが日本と他の国・地域とのつなぎ役として日本社会に大きく貢献する可能性が高く、それは、日本の経済だけでなく、政治、外交などの点においても重要である。ただし、それには、彼／彼女らは遅くとも高校卒業時には日本語母語話者と対等に競争できるだけの日本語力と学力を身につけている必要があるが、来日時には日本語能力に圧倒的な差がある以上、そのハンディを埋めるには日本語教育上の「バイパス」が必要であり、これも〈やさしい日本語〉の一側面である。
移民受け入れ政策と〈やさしい日本語〉
以上概観したように、〈やさしい日本語〉は、日本語が移民政策を取る際に生じる様々な言語問題を解決するための実効性のあるツールである。また、こうした現地の公用語／共通語に制限を加えるという方策は、それらのことばに（まだ）堪能でない移民がその国に適応する上で有効であり、そのことは、行政が移民を把握することを容易にする点で行政コストを低減するだけでなく、移民の地域社会への受け入れに際しての地域住民との摩擦を軽減するという意味で社会的コストの低減にもつながる。
現在、移民受け入れ先進国でも、〈やさしい日本語〉に類する取り組みはほとんどなされていないが、上述のことから、〈やさしい日本語〉の理念とその具体的な取り組み内容は、世界各国の移民受け入れ政策においても重要な意味を持つものであると言える。
筆者は一橋大学国際教育交流センター教授
政府の政策の転換により、日本国内の定住外国人が急増することが予想される。政府は公式には否定しているが、これは事実上の移民政策である。そうである以上、移民受け入れ体制を整えることが必要であるが、この小文では、移民受け入れに伴うことばの問題について、〈やさしい日本語〉という視点から考えることにする。
〈やさしい日本語〉とは
移民を受け入れる際、ことばに限定しても様々な問題が生じる。〈やさしい日本語〉はそうした問題の総合的に取り組むものであるが、この小文では、その中で、外国人（移民）に対する情報提供と地域社会の共通言語という観点に絞って述べる。
移民が増えるということは地域社会で外国人が生活するということであり、そこには何らかの共通言語が必要である。過去の調査から英語は共通言語にならないことが明らかになっている。また、日本語母語話者が調整を加えない日本語も同様に不適切である。その理由の1つは、こうした想定をすると、急増する移民の大部分は、少なくとも来日当初、地域の日本語母語話者とのコミュニケーション手段を持てなくなることである。そうすると、共通言語になり得るのは、日本語母語話者が調整を加えた日本語となる。こうした日本語を〈やさしい日本語〉と呼ぶ。
〈やさしい日本語〉は簡潔かつ体系的に設計されており、その初級レベルの文法項目を習得すれば、日本語で自分の考えを発信したり、そうした文法項目を使って書かれた日本語の文書を理解したりできるようになる。
これは、移民受け入れの最初期にこうした〈やさしい日本語〉の教育を移民に対して行えば、彼／彼女らが行政の発行する文書を理解できるようになることを意味し、彼／彼女らの受け入れにかかる行政コストを大幅に削減できる可能性を示唆している。
〈やさしい日本語〉は移民の子どもに対する日本語教育でも重要である。
移民を受け入れる際、その子どもが「まっとうに努力すれば」日本社会で成功できる可能性が開かれていることが重要である。この要件を欠いたまま移民政策が進むと、彼／彼女らに「自分たちはこの国の中で二流市民としての扱いしか受けられない」と感じさせることになり、フランスで起こったのと同様のテロの温床となりかねない。
逆に、そうした可能性が開かれ、彼／彼女らが日本国内で希望の職に就けるようになれば、彼／彼女らが日本と他の国・地域とのつなぎ役として日本社会に大きく貢献する可能性が高く、それは、日本の経済だけでなく、政治、外交などの点においても重要である。ただし、それには、彼／彼女らは遅くとも高校卒業時には日本語母語話者と対等に競争できるだけの日本語力と学力を身につけている必要があるが、来日時には日本語能力に圧倒的な差がある以上、そのハンディを埋めるには日本語教育上の「バイパス」が必要であり、これも〈やさしい日本語〉の一側面である。
移民受け入れ政策と〈やさしい日本語〉
以上概観したように、〈やさしい日本語〉は、日本語が移民政策を取る際に生じる様々な言語問題を解決するための実効性のあるツールである。また、こうした現地の公用語／共通語に制限を加えるという方策は、それらのことばに（まだ）堪能でない移民がその国に適応する上で有効であり、そのことは、行政が移民を把握することを容易にする点で行政コストを低減するだけでなく、移民の地域社会への受け入れに際しての地域住民との摩擦を軽減するという意味で社会的コストの低減にもつながる。
現在、移民受け入れ先進国でも、〈やさしい日本語〉に類する取り組みはほとんどなされていないが、上述のことから、〈やさしい日本語〉の理念とその具体的な取り組み内容は、世界各国の移民受け入れ政策においても重要な意味を持つものであると言える。
筆者は一橋大学国際教育交流センター教授
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟