Article published In:
Language and Communication of Asian Diaspora Communities in EuropeEdited by Zi Wang and Florian Coulmas
[Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 31:2] 2021
► pp. 260–278
Edited by Zi Wang and Florian Coulmas
[Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 31:2] 2021
► pp. 260–278
Fluidity and diversity of Japanese communities in London
This paper explores the reality of ‘Japanese communities’ in London and the interrelation between language and identity.
First, we trace the history of the Japanese community to around the beginning of the Meiji Era (1868–1912), when Japan emerged from national
isolation. We then focus on one of the ‘communities’ established around the start of the 21st century by work-related and independent
relocation. We present the life stories of two women who independently resided in London and shed light on the fluid nature of language
maintenance and negotiation of identities. Through the close analysis of these personal experiences, we elucidate the complex reality of
individuals who may be otherwise collectively understood as members of Japanese communities. These stories highlight the heterogeneity of
the Japanese individuals in London, and therefore lead us to question the discursively constructed images of the ‘Japanese communities’- and
the nature and importance of ‘language maintenance’.
Keywords: diversity, fluidity, Japanese community, identity, heritage language
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Historical overview of Japanese communities in London
- 3.Japanese permanent residents’ communities in London
- 4.Survey on the Japan Association in the UK
- 5.An investigation of the reality of two women through their life stories
- 5.1Saki’s life story
- 5.2Emiko’s life story
- 5.3Discussion: The two women’s life stories
- 6.Conclusion
- Notes
-
References
References (24)
Conte-Helm, M. (2012). The Japanese and Europe. London: Bloomsbury.
Cobbing, A. (1998). The Japanese discovery of Victorian Britain. London, UK: Curzon.
Doerr, N. (2010). Introduction: Heritage, nationhood, and language: Migrants with Japanese connections. Critical Asian Studies, 421, 53–62. 
Doerr, N. & Lee, K. (2012). ‘Drop-outs’ or ‘heritage learners’? Competing mentalities of governmentality and invested meanings at a weekend Japanese language school in the USA. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 33(4), 1–13.
Fleming, M. (2010). The aims of language teaching and learning. Document prepared for the Policy Forum The right of learners to quality and equity in education–The role of linguistic and intercultural competences. Council of Europe. [URL]
Gaimusho (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan) (1997–2019) Annual Report of Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas. Retrieved 2 April, 2020, from [URL]
Garcia, O & Li Wei (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism, and education. London: Palgrave.
Itoh, K. (2001). The Japanese community in Pre-War Britain. London, UK: Curzon.
Kato, S. (2015). Nippon Club (1881–2014) In Hugh Cortazzi (Ed.) Britain and Japan: Biographical portraits, IX1 (pp.54–65). London, UK: Renaissance Books.
Kim, M. (2011). Daini gengo no mamokenkyu no choryu. (A trendy of research on the 2nd language attrition.) Osaka Daigaku Shakai Gengogaku Kenkyu Noto, 91, 96–115.
Koshiba, K., & Kurata, N. (2012). Language identities of Japanese home-background speakers and their language learning needs. Japanese Studies, 321, 357–375.
Miyake, K. (2014). Zaiei Nikkei diasupora no gengo-seikatsu: Kokusai kekkon shita nihonjin josei to komyuniti no keisei. (Ethnography of Speaking among Japanese diaspora in the UK: Japanese women with International marriage and formation of a community.) Bungaku Ronso, 881, 45–63.
(2016a). Zaiei kokusai kekkon katei ni okeru Nihongo gakushu wo meguru oya no negai. (Conflict and acceptance over learning and maintaining Japanese between mothers and children of international marriage families). Japanese Language Education in Europe, 201, 120–126. [URL]
(2016b). Ido to teiju no aidentiti: Eikoku nihonjin-kai e no anketo chosa kekka no bunseki. (Identity between mobility and stability: An analysis of the survey results on Japan Association in the UK.) Toyo Tsushin, 531, 101–116.
(2018). Kokusai-kekkon katei 2 se dai no ido to sentaku. (Mobility and choices of the mother and daughter in an International marriage family.) In Kawakami, I., Miyake, K. & Iwasaki, N. eds. (2018). Ido to kotoba (Mobility and Language), Tokyo, Japan: Kurosio Shuppan.
Nihon Imin Gakkai Eds. (2018). Nihonjin to kaigai iju: Imin no rekishi, genjo, tembo (Japanese Immigration Overseas: The history, current state, and vision). Tokyo, Japan: Akashi shoten.
Oriyama, K. (2010). Heritage language maintenance and Japanese identity formation: What role can schooling and ethnic community contact play? Heritage Language Journal, 7(2), 237–272.
Sakai, J. (2000). Japanese bankers in the City of London: Language, Culture and identity in the Japanese diaspora. London, UK: Routledge.
Suzuki, T. (2010). Learning to be transnational: Japanese language education for Bolivia’s Okinawan diaspora. Critical Asian Studies, 411, 63–88.
Takato, M. (2009). “Native speaker” status on border-crossing: The Okinawan Nikkei diaspora, national language, and heterogeneity. In N. Doerr. (Ed.) The native speaker concept. 17–28. De Gruyter.
Toyama, M., & Yamamoto, K. (2002). Second language attrition: Selected bibliography. Educational Studies, 441, 177–187.
Toyama, M. & Imamura, N. (2010). Current studies in language attrition: bibliography. Educational Studies, 521, pp. 157–166.
Vogel, E. (1979). Japan as Number One: Lessons for America. Cambridge, USA: Harvard University Press.
White, P. (2003). The Japanese in London: From transience to settlement? In R. Goodman, C. Peach, A. Takenaka, & P. White (Eds.), Global Japan: The experience of Japan’s new immigrant and overseas communities (pp.79–97). London, UK: Routledge.