It’s been 30 years since the first issue of Hiragana Times was published for non-Japanese people in 1986.
Thirty years ago, the Japanese economy was booming, and more than 90% of Japanese people thought of themselves as being middle class.
The Japanese business model was well regarded throughout the world for its successful implementation of lifetime employment, pay grades based on seniority, good relations between management and labor, marginal salary differences, and focus on long term profit.
In spite of its lack of natural resources, Japan had achieved miraculous economic growth after World War Two.
Because of that many nations were inclined to learn from Japan.
Against this backdrop, Hiragana Times was released for the benefit of non-Japanese with the idea of “Studying Japanese while learning about Japan.”
At that time all the texts were transcribed in hiragana only.
Later we evolved to add kanji with furigana, English texts, and more.
The influence of globalization has had a huge impact on Japan over these past 30 years.
In accordance with these changes, the interest of Japanese learners has shifted from economic matters to cultural matters.
Now Japan is becoming a country of great cultural importance.
Fortunately, Japan has an abundance of cultural assets including its four seasons, beautiful natural scenery, hot springs, cuisine, traditional entertainment, manga, and anime.
According to the survey carried out by the Japan Foundation and released in 2013, there are approximately four million students of the Japanese language in Japanese educational institutions overseas – the highest number ever.
Compared to English, Japanese has a rich vocabulary.
On top of this, the Japanese language has hiragana, katakana, kanji, and even romaji script allowing speakers to subtly express their feelings.
In other words, the Japanese language itself has a side that is of cultural interest.
In line with globalization, English words are increasingly being used in Japanese.
Now English words are being used in Japanese.
For example, for such common things as the names of body parts: head, hand, foot, and so forth.
At present both these English words and the original Japanese terms – atama, te, and ashi – are used, however, many Japanese words are being replaced by English words.
For example, nowadays almost no Japanese use mimikazari for earrings, kubikazari for necklace, budoushu for wine, or shokutaku for table.
In the near future many English words will replace conventional Japanese words.
However, this trend will be good for English speaking Japanese language learners.
Being a mixture of yamato kotoba (the native language), Chinese, and English, the Japanese language has become more and more unique.
If English words are written in the alphabet and not converted into katakana as Chinese characters were incorporated into the language, the Japanese language will be better equipped to meet the challenges of globalization.
The Japanese language is written vertically and horizontally.
However, with the increasing proliferation of personal computers, horizontal writing that allows for the addition of alphabetic text will become the norm.
1986年
sennkyuuhyakuhachijyuuroku nenn
nineteen eighty-six [year]
外国人
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese people
出版された
shuppann sareta
was published
ひらがなタイムズは
hiragana taimuzu ha
Hiragana Times
創刊
soukann
the first issue (of)
30周年を
sannjyusshuunenn wo
thirty years [anniversary year]
迎えました。
mukae mashita.
(it)’s been
30年前の
sannjyuunenn mae no
thirty years ago
日本経済は
nihonn keizai ha
(the) Japanese economy
絶好調の中にあり、
zekkouchou no naka ni ari,
was booming and
日本人
nihonnjinn
Japanese people
9割
kyuuwari
ninety percent
中流意識を
chuuryuu ishiki wo
as being middle class
持っていました。
motte imashita.
thought of themselves
終身雇用制、
shuushinn koyou sei,
lifetime employment
年功序列賃金、
nennkou jyoretsu chinginn,
pay grades based on seniority
労使協調、
roushi kyouchou,
good relations between management and labor
少ない賃金格差、
sukunai chinnginn kakusa,
marginal salary differences
長期的な利益
choukiteki na rieki
(and) focus on long term profit
制度化で成功した
seidoka de seikou shita
for (its) successful implementation
日本型経営は
nihonngata keiei ha
(the) Japanese business model
注目されていました。
chuumoku sarete imashita.
was well regarded
資源
shigenn
natural resources
にもかかわらず
nimo kakawarazu
in spite of
第二次世界大戦
dainijisekaitaisenn
World War Two
奇跡的な
kisekiteki na
miraculous
経済成長を
keizai seichou wo
economic growth
遂げました。
toge mashita.
had achieved
そのため
sonotame
because of that
多くの国で
ookuno kuni de
many nations
学ぼうという
manabou toiu
to learn
機運が高まっていました。
kiunn ga takamatte imashita.
were inclined
ひらがなタイムズは
hiraganataimuzu ha
Hiragana Times
そんなさ中
sonnna sanaka
this backdrop
外国人
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
ために
tameni
for (the) benefit
「日本を
nihonn wo
Japan about
学びながら
manabinagara
learning while
日本語を
nihonngo wo
Japanese
勉強する」を
bennkyou suru wo
studying
コンセプト
konnseputo
(the) idea (of)
登場しました。
toujyou shimashita.
was released
当初は
tousho ha
at that time
テキスト
tekisuto
(the) texts
表記でした。
hyouki deshita.
were transcribed
英語テキスト
eigo tekisuto
English texts
進化しました。
shinnka shimashita.
(we) evolved
グローバリゼーション
guro-barize-shonn
globalization
により
ni yori
(the) influence (of)
この30年間で
kono sannjyuunennkann de
over these past thirty years
大きく
ookiku
(a) huge impact
変わりました。
kawarimashita.
has had (on)
に伴い
ni tomonai
in accordance with
日本語学習者
nihonngo gakushuu sha
Japanese learners
興味は
kyoumi ha
(the) interest
経済
keizai
economic (matters)
日本文化
nihonnbunnka
cultural (matters)
移りました。
utsuri mashita.
has shifted
文化大国に
bunnka taikoku ni
(a) country of great cultural importance
なりつつあります。
naritsutsu arimasu.
is becoming
四季、
shiki,
(its) four seasons
美しい自然、
utsukushii shizenn,
beautiful natural scenery
温泉、
onnsenn,
hot springs
伝統芸能、
denntou geinou,
traditional entertainment
豊富な
houfu na
(an) abundance of
文化資産が
bunnka shisann ga
cultural assets
国際交流基金
kokusai'kouryuu kikinn
the Japan Foundation
2013年
nisennjyuusann nenn
two thousand thirteen [year]
発表した
happyou shita
(and) released
によると、
ni yoruto,
according to
日本語教育機関
nihonngo kyouiku kikann
Japanese educational institutions
日本語学習者は
nihonngo gakusyuu sha ha
Japanese language (the) students (of)
400万人
yonnhyakumann ninn
four million [people]
最高の数字です。
saikou no suuji desu.
the highest number
日本語は
nihonngo ha
Japanese
に比べ
ni kurabe
compared to
語彙が豊富
goi ga houfu
(a) rich vocabulary
その上、
sono ue,
on top of this
カタカナ、
katakana,
katakana
ローマ字が
ro-maji ga
romaji script
あることから、
arukotokara,
(the) Japanese language has
自分の思いを
jibunnno omoi wo
their feelings
表現
hyougenn
to express
できます。
dekimasu.
allowing (speakers)
言い換えれば、
iikaereba,
in other words
日本語
nihonngo
(the) Japanese language
文化の
bunnka no
(that is of) cultural interest
側面を
sokumenn wo
(a) side
グローバリゼーション
guro-barize-shonn
globalization
とともに、
to tomoni,
in line with
ますます
masumasu
increasingly
英単語が
eitanngo ga
English words
使われるようになりました。
tsukawareru you ni narimashita.
are being used
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for example
名称を
meishou wo
(the) names
日本の
nihonn no
[Japanese]
日常生活用語
nichijyou seikatsu yougo
common things
英単語が
eitanngo ga
English words
使用されています。
shoyou sarete imasu.
are being used
本来の
honnrai no
original
日本語である、
nihonngo de aru,
(the) Japanese terms
併用して使われています
heiyou shite tsukawarete imasu
both are used
日本語の
nihonngo no
Japanese
代わりつつあります。
kawaritsutsu arimasu.
are being replaced
例えば、
tatoeba,
for example
現在では
gennzai deha
nowadays
イヤリング
iyarinngu
earrings
耳飾り、
mimikazari,
mimikazari
ネックレス
nekkuresu
necklace
首飾り、
kubikazari,
kubikazari
葡萄酒、
budoushu,
budoushu
テーブル
te-buru
(or) table
食卓と
shokutaku to
shokutaku
日本人は、
nihonnjinn ha,
Japanese
いなくなりました。
inakunarimashita.
no
近い将来、
chikaishourai,
(in the) near future
英単語が
eitanngo ga
English words
従来の
juurai no
conventional
日本語に
nihonngo ni
Japanese words
とって代わっていくと
totte kawatte iku to
replace
思われます。
omoware masu.
will
日本語学習者
nihonngo gakushuusha
Japanese language learners
歓迎すべきことでしょう。
kanngei subeki koto deshou.
will be good
大和言葉
yamatokotoba
yamato kotoba
(古来の日本語)、
korai no nihonngo,
(the) native language
中国語、
chuugokugo,
Chinese
英語を
eigo wo
(and) English
ミックスした
mikkusu shita
being (a) mixture (of)
日本語は、
nihonngo ha,
(the) Japanese language
ユニークに
yuni-ku ni
unique
なりました。
narimashita.
has become
漢字が
kannji ga
Chinese characters
日本語化した
nihonngoka shita
were incorporated into the language
英語も
eigo mo
English words
変換せず
hennkann sezu
(and) not converted
アルファベット
arufabetto
(the) alphabet
表記するようになれば、
hyouki suru youni nareb,
are written if
日本語は
nihonngo ha
(the) Japanese language
グローバリゼーションに
guro-barize-shonn ni
globalization
適合するでしょう。
tekigou suru desyou.
will be better equipped to meet (the) challenges (of)
日本語は
nihonngo ha
(the) Japanese language
横書きで
yokogaki de
horizontally
書かれます。
kakaremasu.
is written
パソコン
pasokonn
personal computers
普及
fukyuu
(the) increasing proliferation
アルファベットの
arufabetto no
alphabetic
加えられる
kuwaerareru
(that) allow for the addition of
横書きが
yokogaki ga
horizontal writing
一般的に
ippannteki ni
(the) norm