Cultures and Politics of Script Reform in Japan, 1945-1995

Basil's thesis investigates the factors and forces that changed written Japanese between the years 1945 and 1995. It compares changes in official policies to changes in written Japanese among various groups in Japan. Using the concept of language ownership, it analyses links between Japanese and Chinese language policy makers, the education system, consumerism, the youth, and developments in Japanese word processing. The thesis finds that actions outside of officialdom are as important as official policies shaping written Japanese. In the future policy makers should account for the opinions of various groups with a vested interest in written Japanese.