Purpose of Establishment
There is nothing more important to human beings than language. There is nothing more important to human beings than language, and there is nothing to which we feel more attached than language. It is only natural that human beings should train themselves in it. We are aware of language problems, evaluate them, plan adjustments, and act on them. This action may be taken by an individual, by various groups, or at the level of an entire country.
The types of problems include those related to the Japanese language itself, other languages used in Japan, and even the languages used by Japanese people in their contacts with other countries. We cannot remain indifferent to the world’s language problems. Moreover, we need to consider not only language issues in the narrow sense of the term, but also communication and interaction in general. However, in Japanese society, people are not yet awakened to the language issues at home and abroad.
The purpose of this study group is to create a forum for interdisciplinary research to raise awareness of language issues and to discuss how they are manifested in the actions of language policy, language education-related organizations and individuals, and how they should be addressed.
February 1999.
History
1998 Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Japan Association for Language Policy Studies, predecessor
2000 Japan Association for Language Policy Studies, predecessor
November 2002 Establishment of the Japan Association for Language Policy Studies
Greetings from the Chairman
Dear Members,
I am Noriyuki Nishiyama, newly elected as the President of the Japan Association for Language Policy. More than 20 years have passed since our association was founded, and language policy has gained recognition as an academic field, attracting an increasing number of researchers. However, language policy research has not always been included in formal researcher training programs. Many scholars, including myself, initially entered academia through other disciplines—such as foreign language education, foreign literature, or linguistics before specializing in language policy. It is truly encouraging to see this generation taking on leadership roles and contributing to the development of the next generation of scholars.
Language policy research extends beyond Japan to encompass global issues. It addresses not only contemporary language challenges but also the historical development of language policies and proposals for the future. This field is broad and deep, both theoretical and practical, and remains an ever-evolving and dynamic area of study. I have no doubt that new researchers will continue to challenge existing perspectives and revitalize the field with fresh and unexpected insights.
At the same time, evaluating such pioneering and problem-driven research is never easy. In this regard, our association’s conferences and academic journals play a crucial role in fostering and advancing high-quality research. Academia legitimizes itself through the continuous reproduction of knowledge, and to ensure the sustainability of language policy research, we must continue refining our institutional frameworks while welcoming new scholars into our community.
With your understanding and cooperation, I am committed to doing my utmost to promote and sustain the advancement of language policy research.
Sincerely,Noriyuki NishiyamaPresident, Japan Association for Language Policy
March 2, 2024
Membership Guide
1. Benefits of membership
- Members are eligible to apply for presentations at research conferences.
- Members receive a discount on the registration fee for the research conference.
- Members can contribute to the journal “Language Policy” and receive the journal. Members can also receive the journal.
2. Admission procedure
If you wish to become a member of the Japan Association for Language Policy (JALP), please fill out the “Membership Application Form” and submit it to the JALP office (by e-mail or mail), and transfer the annual membership fee for the current year to the account below.
(1) Items to be filled in on the Application Form
- Full name
- Furigana
- Roman alphabet
- Home address and telephone number
- Affiliation (organization name, department, position)
- Affiliation (address, telephone number)
- Mailing address
- E-mail address
- Field of specialty
- Membership of other academic societies (optional)
- Click here to download the membership application form (Word file).
- If you are a student, please write “currently enrolled in graduate school M1” in the “Position” of your employer.
- Of the information provided on the membership application form, items marked with an asterisk (*) will be published in the society directory. If you do not wish to have your information published, please contact the secretariat.
- Please consider the timing of your membership since our society operates on a fiscal year system from April to March of the following year, and membership fees are for the fiscal year.
(2) Payment address for membership fee (Please make sure that the name of the payer is in your name)
Postal transfer 00110-3-362144 / Subscriber name Japan Association for Language Policy
Please use the form provided at the post office.
If you are transferring from a bank or other financial institution, please make the transfer as follows
Bank name: Japan Post Bank
Bank code: 9900
Branch No.: 019
Account type: current account
Store name: 019 (Zero Ichi Kyu Branch)
Account No.: 0362144
Account name: Japanese Association for Language Policy (Nihon Gengo Seisaku Gakkai)
(3) Annual membership fee
General member: 6,000 yen
Group and supporting members: 10,000 yen
*For those who do not have a full-time job, the membership fee is 3,000 yen. Please indicate this in the “Employer” section of the application form (e.g., “Part-time” or “Full-time”). (e.g., “part-time,” “no full-time job,” etc.)
Journal of the Japanese Association for Language Policy
Back issues of the journal “Language Policy” of the Japanese Association for Language Policy Studies are now available in PDF format. The PDF version will be available approximately one year after publication.
Contact address
112-8631
1-4-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Chuo University, Takashi Oda Laboratory
Japan Language Policy Society Secretariat
Email: jalp.jimu@gmail.com