2. WHO OWNS LANGUAGE? Perspectives of a Naturalized Japanese By ARUDOU Debito Associate Professor, Hokkaido Information University Linguapax Asia 2006 Third International Symposium Tokyo University, Saturday, October 7, 2006 Download this paper in Word format at www.debito.org/arudoulinguapax2006.doc

3. --Yaeyama Shoukou High School coach Ishimine Yoshimori, regarding Lotte baseball coach Bobby Valentine, after Valentine's high school draft pick coup disrupted the process of letting star player Ohmine Yuuta go to his preferred team, the Softbank Hawks. On these grounds, Coach Ishimine refused to meet Valentine on September 26, on the grounds of his foreignness, citing an inevitable language barrier as an excuse. (Sports Houchi Sept. 27, 2006) "He won't comprehend our words or feelings." ( 「言葉も気持ちも通じない」 ) 八重山商工・伊志嶺監督がロッテを門前払い宣言ﾉ大嶺強行指名「言葉も気持ちも通じない」 ２５日の高校生ドラフトで強行指名の末、ロッテが交渉権を獲得した八重山商工・大嶺祐太投手（１８）について 、伊志嶺吉盛監督（５２）が２６日、国体終了後に同校で行われる予定の初交渉に、出席しない方針を示した。 （中略）ロッテからはバレンタイン監督、瀬戸山球団代表が初交渉の席に着く予定だが、伊志嶺監督は「監督と球 団代表には会いたくない」と語気を強めた。欠席の意思は、永野スカウトが “ 指名予告 ” をした２５日の電話の中でも 伝えており「もういいでしょう。 アメリカ人とは、言葉も気持ちも通じないよ 」と堂々の “ 門前払い ” を宣言した。（後略） http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/baseball/npb/news/20060927-OHT1T00081.htm

5. “That’s not Japanese!” ( それは日本語じゃない） Cornell: “If your Japanese is not perfect, Japanese people are not going to accept it.”

6. Courtesy “Koko Ga Hen Da Yo, Nihonjin” TBS Feb 28, 2001

8. (Sample imperfect Japanese speaker)

9. Typical example of small talk (in Japanese): A さん : What country are you from? Me: Nippon. A さん : Um, er, where were you born? Me: America. A さん : Um, er...? A さん : Oh, so that’s why your Japanese is so good! Me: Because I’m a naturalized Japanese.

10. Deconstructing possible presumptions behind this type of exchange: 1. We were clearly communicating in Japanese, therefore my language fit an accepted paradigm. 2. Speakers were curious how I slotted into this paradigm, inquiring beyond the regular small talk about country of origin, and into how I could claim to be Japanese. 3. Once established I am a naturalized Japanese, all fell into place. I must be good at Japanese because I am Japanese. QED. I had now established a form of "entitlement" to possess the language.

11. (Photo courtesy Kyodo News/Kumanichi Shinbun, from nationwide feature article Jan 12, 2002) Going beyond small talk...

12. Again, that example of small talk: A さん : What country are you from? Me: Nippon. A さん : Um, er, where were you born? Me: America. A さん : Um, er...? A さん : Oh, so that’s why your Japanese is so good! Me: Because I’m a naturalized Japanese.

13. Nationality and “language possession” 1) When Japanese study the Japanese language in schools, it is called "kokugo", the national language. When non-Japanese study it, it becomes "nihongo". 2) When registering inkan stamps ( 印鑑登録 ) in Japan, for use in official documents, foreigners not Chinese or Korean cannot register inkan in kanji or hiragana. 3) For those Chinese and Koreans in Japan, they can use (and register) kanji as written in overseas registers, if they do not have Japanese citizenship. But if they take Japanese citizenship, they are required to register in Japanese legally-sanctioned kanji ( 登用漢字 ) and readings. “Entitlement” with Japanese characteristics.

14. How I “enfranchised” my name David Aldwinckle = アルドウィンクル デビ ット 有道 出人 ある どう で びと Why? a)I am a kanji maniac. b)I was sick of having a katakana name. I am a Japanese. I wanted kanji to reflect that.

15. Survey: “Who qualifies to be a Japanese?”  In-class, orally, show- of-hands informal survey with discussion.  HIU regular and senmon gakkou intensive classes.  Nationwide: Sapporo, Niigata, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kokura (recorded), plus Sendai, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Oita (not recorded).  Overwhelmingly male, lower-income bracket, non English majors, ages 18-25 (plus a few shakaijin).  1995-2005, with little significant change over time.

16. Students’ answers (in no order of preference or importance) A person who has lived in Japan 日本に住んだことがある人 A person who considers him/herself "Japanese" 自分が「日本人だ」と思う人 A person who has Japanese citizenship 日本国籍を有する人 A person who has assimilated into Japan 日本に溶け込んでいる人 A person born in Japan 日本で生まれた人 A person who has spent the majority of his/her life in Japan 人生の大半を日本で過ごした人

17. Students’ answers (2) (in no order of preference or importance) A person who likes Japan 日本が好きな人 A person who has Japanese blood 日本の血が入っている人 A person who knows a lot about Japan 日本について詳しい人 A person using Japanese in everyday conversation 日常会話で日本語を使う人 A person with Japanese parents/grandparents 両親・祖父母に日本人がいる人 A person who is proud of Japan 日本について誇りを持つ人

18. じゃあ、 Are these people Japanese or not? Wada Akiko Entertainer Miyazawa Rie Actress Umemiya Anna Model, Tarento Kinugasa Sachio Baseball hero Oh Sadaharu Baseball hero Alberto Fujimori Fmr. Peru Prez

19. じゃあ、 Are these people Japanese or not? (2) Konishiki Tarento Akebono Pro Fighter Ramos Rui Soccer Hero Amy Daughter Anna Daughter Arudou Debito Yours Truly

20. Survey Results (1)

21. Survey Results (2)

22. Interpretations of the data  People voted clearly Japanese, registering more than 85% of the total votes, were the “mixed children” (Miyazawa Rie 95%, Daughter Amy 91%, Daughter Anna 89%, Umemiya Anna 88%).  Almost everyone in the survey was voted to be “a Japanese”, even if they did not have Japanese citizenship (Wada and Oh).

23. Interpretations of the data (2)  The lone exception, even with “citizenship” was Alberto Fujimori. Even with blood, students said it was his lack of language Japanese ability.  However, Arudou Debito was granted “Japaneseness”, because of his language abilities. This would not have happened if students had only just met him, or had only seen a photo of him, they said.

24. Conclusions  “Possessing” Japanese language ability is the qualifier to “entitlement” for “Japaneseness”. If you want to be considered a Japanese, you had better speak out and claim it.

25. Conclusions (2)  “Japaneseness” and “language possession” may in fact not be a racially-based social construct, as more non-native speakers and multiethnic natives continue to appear.  This is good news for Japan’s emerging multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual society.

26. Downloads  Download this paper in Word format at www.debito.org/arudoulinguapax2006.doc  Download this Powerpoint Presentation at www.debito.org/arudoulinguapax2006.ppt --Thank you for listening to my presentation!