日本の多文化社会と「やさしい日本語」に関する考察

Abstract

Until the 1990s, the Japanese policies on the foreigners and language for them have been centered on management and control by Immigration Control Law. But with the improvement in the understanding of Linguistic Rights and the rapid increase in the number of foreigners coming into Japan from the late 1990s, there was a change in the perception of the foreigners from laborers to people to live together. Accordingly, there is a debate underway on ‘Easy Japanese’ for the foreigners and linguistically disadvantaged to live a healthy and safe life by learning Japanese with a minimum of grammar so that they can receive education and use public services. The debate can be a significant social issue only by the participation of the Japanese people who constitute the majority of the society. As an attempt to create a society to live in together, the debate has great significance.