English

Abstract

English is a pre-eminent international language. There are an estimated 320–380 million native speakers, and between 420 million and one billion speakers of English as a second language. Since the arrival of a Royal Navy warship in 1808, English has had a profound effect on Japanese language and society. Key periods in this history include the Meiji Restoration, World War Two, and the post-war US occupation. Tensions continue to exist between those viewing English as a vital tool for national development and international trade, and those seeing it as a threat to Japanese culture and identity. Prominent English-speaking communities in Japan include American military forces, foreign residents and tourists, returnees, and employees at companies that use English as a workplace language. In terms of its functional role, social prestige, and penetration into the country’s language life, the status of English in Japan may be accurately characterized as a ‘semi-official language’.