Abstract
This chapter examines the Japanese government’s view of its engagement with the international community through exercising cultural influence, including that of the language, over the past 15 years. The rhetoric that foreigners want to learn Japanese language because of their interest in anime and manga, which originated with the Cool Japan marketing strategy, has been so entrenched that it has produced confusion and misconceptions. Japan’s soft power strategy of creating “Japan fans,” which is a one-dimensional approach that does not take into account the context of the recipient country, mirrors a tendency within Japanese society to seek reassurance based on their belief in an unchanging Japanese culture and tradition that is unique to Japanese people.
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Hashimoto, K. (2018). Cool Japan and Japanese Language: Why Does Japan Need “Japan Fans”?. In: Hashimoto, K. (eds) Japanese Language and Soft Power in Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5086-2_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5086-2_3
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