中国における「日本語の国際化」 : 中国日本語観調査より

Abstract

With Japan's advance of internationalization, the Japanese language is getting more and more popular throughout the world. However, at the same time some problems also arise therein. The research program, "Comprehensive Study on the Japanese Language in the International Community" carried out currently at the research expense of the Minis­try of Education, Science and Culture, is to aim at clearing up these problems. The main part of this program is focused on the research of "The International Census on the Status of the Japanese Language", which includes the surveys going to be made in about 30 countries. As part of the prepared surveys of the program, "The Research Survey on the Chinese View of the Japanese Language", and "The Survey of the Experi­enced Chinese Oversea Students to Japan" were implemented. (l)The Japanese language education in China is in the second important position following English. People who study Japanese are mainly from the north-east and most big cities. The composition of the Japanese learners is very much different according to the areas, nationalities, as well as ages, education levels and occupations. Among which, the percentage of the young and high-educated are comparatively higher, and the Korean and the Mongolian are more than any other nationalities. (2)The increasing exchanges between China and Japan, and especially the growing economy relations with more Japanese enterprise coming into China make the big differences between Japanese-speakers and non-Japanese-speakers in getting jobs, income and promotion in the areas where Japanese enterprises invest. Many people's motivation of studying Japanese, therefore, is rather for practical and economical use, which is vary different from English study in China. (3)In high schools and universities, the number of the students who study Japanese as the first foreign language is going down, while the students choosing Japanese as the second foreign language arc increasing. On the other hand, the number of Japanese learners of society is getting more than the students by going to language schools, adult education schools, and training centers in working places, etc. These education systems have been playing a large part in Japanese education in China besides the formal education. However, difficulties like lack of Japanese teachers and textbooks, etc. are still waiting to be solved. (4)The target of many Japanese learners in China is to study in Japan. Thus the variations of the numbers of people studying in Japan have definitely an big impact on Japanese education in China. People who have the experiences of been studied in Japan actually help a lot both in the Japanese language education and Japanese Studies. However, even though most of the oversea students been to Japan satisfied with their study in Japan, many have had the language problem. According to the surveys, a lot of people could hardly follow the study in universities, or the special research due to the language problem which should be solved before coming to Japan. Regarding this problem there are actually many things that can be done to improve the present situation. For example, it is necessary for Japan to reconsider the policy of receiving foreign students, and furthermore to strength the language ability test system abroad in order to accept only qualified people, and support them by supplying scholarship. (5)The results of the surveys show that Chinese feelings to Japan is getting better via learning Japanese. As Chinese feelings toward Japan is not very good according to the surveys before, and besides people's concern about Japan is mostly on the economy and technology rather than on the culture, the spread of learning Japanese in China can be a bridge to help the two peoples understand each other better.