Linking language, trade and migration : economic partnership agreements as language policy in Japan / Ruriko Otomo.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Otomo, Ruriko.

Series:

Language policy (Monographic series) ; v. 33.

Language policy ; v. 33

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Language policy--Japan.

Language policy.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (232 p.).

Place of Publication:

Cham : Springer, 2023.

Summary:

This book examines the effect of trade policy on language which represents an underrecognized area in the field of language policy and planning. It argues that trade policies like Japans Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) have important consequences for national language (education) policies and for discourses about language and nation. Since 2008, Japan has signed the EPAs with Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam to recruit migrant nurses and eldercare workers and manage their mobility by means of pre-employment language training and the Japanese-medium licensure examinations. Through the analysis of these language management devices, this book demonstrates that the EPAs are a manifestation and representation of contemporary language issues intertwined particularly with pressing issues of Japans social aging and demographic change. As the EPAs are intertwined with welfare, economy, social cohesion, and international political and economic relations and competitiveness, the book presents a far more complex picture of and a richer potential of language policy.

Contents:

Intro

Series Editor Foreword

Language Policy Book Series: Our Aims and Approach

Preface

Contents

Abbreviations

List of Figures

List of Tables

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 Why Trade Policy?

1.1.2 Why Language in Trade Policy?

1.1.3 Why the Economic Partnership Agreement?

1.1.4 Structure of the Book

References

Chapter 2: Trade Policy as a Language Policy

2.1 The Economic Partnership Agreement

2.2 Historical Background

2.3 Eligibility

2.4 Quotas

2.5 Recruitment, Screening and Matching

2.6 Pre-Employment Training

2.7 On-the-Job Training

2.8 Exam Preparation

2.9 Educational and Financial Assistance

2.10 The National Licensure Examinations

2.11 Summary

Chapter 3: Policy Discourses in the EPA Programme

3.1 Introduction

3.2 General Trend of the EPA Research

3.3 Language Ideologies in the Existing EPA Research

3.3.1 The Undue Focus on Language Acquisition

3.3.2 The Dominance of Standard Japanese

3.3.3 The Uncritical Reference to JLPT

3.4 Language Policy and Planning for the EPA Programme

3.5 Policy Texts

3.6 Summary

References

Chapter 4: Policy Actors and Goals in Negotiation

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Roles, Participation, and Relationships

4.2.1 Governmental Agencies: Visible Policy Actors

4.2.2 Training Providers: Invisible Yet Influential Policy Actors

4.2.3 Vocal Sectoral Organisations

4.2.4 Inconspicuous Japanese Language Educators

4.2.5 Agentive Host Institutions

4.2.6 Deprived Participation: Candidates as Objects and Commodity

4.3 Goals

4.3.1 The EPA Programme as a Workforce Recruitment Policy

4.3.2 The EPA Programme as an Internationalisation Policy

4.3.3 The EPA Programme as a Humanitarian Foreign-Aid Policy

4.3.4 The EPA Programme as a Cultural/Linguistic Outreach Policy

4.4 Summary

Chapter 5: Language Training as a Site of Language Policy Creation, Interpretation and Appropriation

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Triviality of Language

5.3 Double Monolingualism

5.4 Ignorance of Local Varieties

5.5 The Monopoly of Standard Japanese in the Training Context

5.5.1 The Making of Good Learners

5.5.2 Ideology of Maximum Exposure

5.5.3 Native-Speaker Ideologies and/or Shifting Responsibility?

5.5.4 Candidates' Japanese Language Ability Under Fire

5.6 Summary

Chapter 6: (Re) Marking the Boundaries: Language Policy as a Process

6.1 The Examinations under Investigation

6.2 JLPT as Jack-of-All-Trades

6.3 The Exam Advisory Panels: Overview

6.3.1 Structural Features: Sequence, Discussant, and Scheduling

6.3.2 Fair Examination for Whom?

6.3.3 Examination as a Sacred Cow

6.3.4 Exam Reforms as a Threat to Japan's Fame and Healthcare Quality

6.4 Dismissing the Progressive Reform Idea

6.4.1 (Not) Translating National Licensure Examinations

Notes:

6.4.2 Discrediting the Use of a Communication Skills Test: Two Discursive Moves

Includes bibliographical references.

Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed June 28, 2023).

Other Format:

Print version: Otomo, Ruriko Linking Language, Trade and Migration

ISBN:

9783031332340

3031332342

OCLC:

1385455261

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.