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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1993 > CHAPTER 2 �5 2

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Chapter 2. Towards the Enrichment and Spread of Culture
� 5 For Richer and More Beautiful Japanese Language
2. Dissemination of a Rich and Beautiful National Language


In the June 1972 proposal "Concerning Promotion of National Language Education", the National Language Council stated the desirability of clarity, precision, beauty and richness with regard to the national language; it also noted the importance of raising the public's level of consciousness regarding the national language and fostering a spirit of care concerning its use. It also proposed the promotion of national language education in all aspects of school education, social education and home education.

In accordance with this proposal, in 1973 the Agency for Cultural Affairs began to edit the "Language Series" (booklets put out in both an explanatory format and a question and answer format), which picks up popular topics in the area of language and offers readily understandable commentary. This publication is distributed freely to all elementary schools, secondary schools and social educational organizations, and is also sold to the general public (Table I-2-5) A series of videotapes enhanced with image and sound titled "Towards the Beautiful and Rich Usage of the Japanese Language" has been produced since 1980, and is distributed free of charge to all audiovisual libraries throughout the country. It is also sold to the general public (Table I- 2- 6).

Table l-2-5 Titles of Volumes of the "Language Series" (Book-lets Put Out in an Explanatory Format)

Table l-2-6 Titles of Volumes of the Series "Towards the Beautiful and Rich Usage of the Japanese Language"

Since 1950, meetings for study and discussion of various issues relating to the national language have been held annually at two locations, one in eastern Japan and one in western Japan. Participants include teachers, persons associated with the press and publishing, local government officials and so on.

Another Language Policy Conference is scheduled for 1993, to be held in four additional locations nationwide. The purposes of this conference are to give wide circulation to the reports of the National Language Council and to collect the opinions of experts residing in local areas.


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