Employing globally-oriented multifaceted approaches to studying the Japanese language, Japanese literature, and Japanese rhetoric
Professor Hiroki Urushidani (Dean of the Department of Japanese Language and Literature)

With the advancement of globalization, schools today welcome many children and students of non-Japanese descent, and communities enjoy increasing opportunities to communicate with people from overseas in Japanese. Life in today’s multicultural communities requires understanding the Japanese language and culture and having a highly cultured knowledge. For example, interacting with people whose mother tongue is something other than Japanese, whether it be in an educational or business setting, knowledge of the linguistic properties of Japanese and Japanese language education is essential. The Department of Japanese Language and Literature aims to help students study the origin and linguistic properties of the Japanese language and also subsequently help them use what they have learned to explore Japanese literature and Japanese rhetoric. Japanese Rhetoric is a new academic discipline that aims to help Japanese language learners comprehensively study Japanese expressions used in all varieties and registers of the written and spoken language. The Department looks forward to helping more people develop a highly cultured knowledge and the ability to lead a fulfilling life in the future by helping them adopt a multifaceted approach to studying the Japanese language, Japanese literature, and Japanese rhetoric in a worldwide context.