This book challenges the widespread belief that overzealous Americans forced unnecessary script reforms on an unprepared, unenthusiastic, but helpless Japan dur

Japanese writing intermingles three different sets of characters, making it difficult to adapt to new technology. This book looks at why the Japanese have not r

Although the United States Education Mission recommended that the Japanese give serious consideration to the introduction of alphabetic writing, key American of

First Published in 1995. The nature of the Japanese script has been a matter of contention since the early Meiji period. It was not until 1902, however, that th

Originally published in 1991, this book examines the process whereby a modern colloquial style of written Japanese was developed in the context of the overall m