Dateline: 06/30/97

Japan is presently enjoying a surge of popularity around the world. This increase in popularity is most evident on the Pacific Rim region. As Japan maintains its position as a world economic power the necessity for many to learn Japanese has increased.

Due to Nihongo's (Japanese) tremendous growth there is now a deficit of instructors and language material. Japan, in answer to this problem, has put forth a program to support its language growth in other countries. Text books are being donated, and language instructors are being send out in record numbers. Japan is also enjoying an increase in foreign visitors, and as a result local institutions of Japanese language are on the increase. In 1984, a Japanese ability examination was instituted for the first time. The exam may be taken in Japan, or internationally. The number of people who took the exam was 68,496 in 1992.

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