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Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe the ideologies of non-English foreign language education in Japan and to discuss the backgrounds of the diffusion, roles, and influence of such ideologies. The general trend of foreign language education in Japan is inclined toward the English language. However, non-English foreign languages, especially German and French, are taught traditionally as a compulsory subject in many institutions of higher education. Moreover, non-English foreign language education in Japan has been supported by complex thought or ideologies related to the philosophy of education. To comprehend these ideologies, this study adopts a system of collecting a large body of literature for analysis. To collect discourses as comprehensively as possible, the study utilizes information from the databases of publications and academic articles. To fully understand the situation of foreign language education in Japan, after the Introduction, Chapters 2 and 3 describe the historical background of Japan related to its foreign language education conducted. While Chapter 4 addresses English language education ideologies, the remaining chapters indicate that non-English foreign language education in Japan has been supported and influenced by several ideologies: kyōyō-ism, multilingualism, plurilingualism, humanitarianism, and pacifism. In particular, this study clarifies how each ideology has been historically presented and used in non- English foreign language education in Japan. In addition, the study discusses historical forces underlying the exploitation of ideologies, such as the aim of protecting and expanding non-English foreign language education.