The Concept of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere and Asian Language Learning by Japanese Citizens:

A Case Study on the Malay Language

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to consider the historical meaning of Japanese citizens' learning of Asian languages to substantialize the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere concept as a case study on Malay (Malaysian / Indonesian, today).

In this paper, we first trace the appearance of “Malay Fever” in the Asia-Pacific War. As a result, it is clear that many Japanese citizens learned Malay at various educational institutions and schools, and many learning books and dictionaries were published about the Malay language, not only in terms of the kinds of materials published but also in terms of their circulation. Second, we indicate that two unabridged Malay-Japanese dictionaries were published one after the other during the war in a top-down fashion by the cooperation of Japanese Army, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Greater East Asia.

Third, we indicate the power mechanism of multilingual Malay textbooks and dictionaries. To this point, Japanese learners could see and realize the Japanese language as a common language in the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere. Finally, we discuss the fact that the “Imagined Language Community” substantializes the Great East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere concept.

As a result, it became apparent that learners recognized the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere as a substantial body through the multilingualization of learning books and dictionaries.