Languages of Japan
Nippon. National or official language: Japanese. 126,281,000 (1998 UN). Also
includes English 70,000, Orok 3, Chinese 150,000, from the Philippines 36,000,
from Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia over 300,000. Information
mainly from S. Wurm and S. Hattori 1981; M. Shibatani 1990. Shinto-Buddhist,
secular, Christian. Blind population 256,700. Deaf population 317,000 to
7,585,237 (1998). Deaf institutions: 131. Data accuracy estimate: A2. The number
of languages listed for Japan is 15. Of those, all are living languages.
Diversity index 0.03.
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Spoken living languages
AINU
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[AIN] 15 active speakers (1996 Alexander Vovin). In
the ethnic group: 15,000 in Japan. Population total both countries 15. Alternate
names: AINU ITAK. Dialects:
TSISHIMA, SAKHALIN. Classification:
Language Isolate.
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AMAMI-OSHIMA, NORTHERN
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[RYN] Northwestern Okinawa; northern Amami-oshima
Island. Alternate names:
NORTHERN AMAMI-OSIMA, OSHIMA, OSIMA, OOSIMA. Dialects:
NAZE, SANI. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Northern Amami-Okinawan.
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AMAMI-OSHIMA, SOUTHERN
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[AMS] Northern Okinawa; southern Amami-oshima,
Kakeroma, Yoro, and Uke islands. Alternate
names: SOUTHERN AMAMI-OSIMA. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Northern Amami-Okinawan.
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JAPANESE
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[JPN] 121,050,000 in Japan (1985). Population total
all countries 125,000,000 first language speakers (1999 WA); 126,000,000
including second language speakers (1999 WA). Dialects: WESTERN JAPANESE, EASTERN JAPANESE. Classification:
Japanese, Japanese.
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KIKAI
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[KZG] Northeastern Okinawa; Kikai Island. Dialects:
ONOTSU. Classification: Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Northern
Amami-Okinawan.
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KOREAN
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[KKN] 670,000 in Japan, .5% of the population (1988).
Classification: Language
Isolate.
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KUNIGAMI
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[XUG] Central Okinawa; central and northern Okinawa
Island, Iheya, Izena, Ie-jima, Sesoko islands. Dialects: NAGO. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Southern Amami-Okinawan.
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MIYAKO
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[MVI] Southern Okinawa; Miyako, Ogami, Ikema, Kurima,
Irabu, Tarama, Minna islands. Dialects:
MIYAKO-JIMA (HIRARA, OGAMI), IRABU-JIMA, TARAMA-MINNA. Classification: Japanese, Ryukyuan, Sakishima.
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OKI-NO-ERABU
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[OKN] North central Okinawa; Oki-no-erabu Island. Dialects:
EAST OKI-NO-ERABU, WEST OKI-NO-ERABU. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Southern Amami-Okinawan.
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OKINAWAN, CENTRAL
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[RYU] 900,000 all Ryukyuan languages. Central
Okinawa; southern Okinawa Island, Kerama Islands, Kume-jima, Tonaki, Aguna
islands, and islands east of Okinawa Island. Alternate
names: OKINAWAN, LUCHU. Dialects:
SHURI, NAHA, TORISHIMA, KUDAKA. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Southern Amami-Okinawan.
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TOKU-NO-SHIMA
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[TKN] Northern Okinawa; Toku-no-shima Island. Dialects:
KAMETSU. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Northern Amami-Okinawan.
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YAEYAMA
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[RYS] Southern Okinawa; Ishigaki, Iriomote, Hatoma,
Kohama, Taketomi, Kuroshima, Hateruma, Aregusuku islands. Alternate
names: YAYEYAMA. Dialects:
ISHIGAKI, KABIRA, SHIRAHO, TAKETOMI, KOHAMA, HATOMA, SONAI, KUROSHIMA,
HATERUMA. Classification: Japanese, Ryukyuan, Sakishima.
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YONAGUNI
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[YOI] Southern Okinawa; Yonaguni Island. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Sakishima.
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YORON
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[YOX] North central Okinawa; Yoron Island. Classification:
Japanese, Ryukyuan, Amami-Okinawan, Southern Amami-Okinawan.
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