The National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics was born as a comprehensive research organization for the national language in 1948 (Showa 23).

It became the Inter-University Research Institute Corporation, National Institutes for the Humanities, "National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics" in October 2009 (Heisei 21), and is now pursuing its activities with renewed energy.

Director-Generals in the Past

1st	NISHIO Minoru	From January 31, 1949 (Showa 24) to January 22, 1960 (Showa 35)
2nd	IWABUCHI Etsutaro	From January 22, 1960 (Showa 35) to January 16, 1976 (Showa 51)
3rd	HAYASHI Oki	From January 16, 1976 (Showa 51) to April 1, 1982 (Showa 57)
4th	NOMOTO Kikuo	From April 1, 1982 (Showa 57) to March 31, 1990 (Heisei 2)
5th	MIZUTANI Osamu	From April 1, 1990 (Heisei 2) to March 31, 1998 (Heisei 10)
6th	KAI Mutsuro	From April 1, 1998 (Heisei 10) to March 31, 2005 (Heisei 17)
7th	SUGITO Seiju	From April 1, 2005 (Heisei 17) to September 30, 2009 (Heisei 21)
8th	KAGEYAMA Taro	From October 1, 2009 (Heisei 21) to the present

History (Abbreviated chronological table)

1948 (Showa 23), December:

On December 20, the law for the establishment of the National Language Research Institute took effect (Act No. 254 of 1948 (Showa 23)).
Part of the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery was borrowed for its facilities.
It was started with the General Affairs Division and two research departments.

1949 (Showa 24), December:

It was reorganized as the General Affairs Department and two research departments.

1954 (Showa 29), October:

It was transferred to a building borrowed from Hitotsubashi University at 1-1 Kanda Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda Ward.

1955 (Showa 30), October:

The organizational regulation for the Institute was revised.
It was reorganized as three research departments.

1958 (Showa 33), April:

It was reorganized as four research departments.

1962 (Showa 37), April:

It was transferred to 3-9-14, Nishigaoka, Kita Ward (formerly Inatsuke Nishiyama-cho, Kita Ward).

1968 (Showa 43), June:

With the establishment of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Institute became an affiliated organization of the Agency.

1974 (Showa 49), April:

All organizational regulations for the Institute were revised. It was reorganized as the General Affairs Department, five research departments, and the Japanese Language Education Department

1976 (Showa 51), October:

The Japanese Language Education Department was reorganized as the Japanese Language Education Center.

1981 (Showa 56), April:

The Japanese Language Education Instruction and Expansion Department was established in the Japanese Language Education Center.

1983 (Showa 58), December:

The law for the establishment of the National Language Research Institute was abolished with the enactment of a law (Act No. 78 of 1983 (Showa 58)) for developing laws pertaining to the implementation of a law which revised a part of the National Government Organization Act.

1984, (Showa 59), July:

All Orders for Organization of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture were revised (Cabinet Order No. 227 of 1984 (Showa 59)).
The Order for Organization of the National Institute for Japanese Language took effect (Cabinet Order No. 228 of 1984 (Showa 59)).

1988 (Showa 63), October:

The Japanese Dictionary Editorial Office was newly established.

1989 (Heisei 1), April:

The Information and Resources Research Department was established, and the spaces occupied by two research departments were reorganized.

1999 (Heisei 11), December:

The law for the Independent Administrative Agency "National Institute for Japanese Language" was promulgated (Act No. 171 of 1999 (Heisei 11)).

2001 (Heisei 13), April:

The Independent Administrative Agency "National Institute for Japanese Language" was established with the Administrative Department and three research departments (Language Research Department, Japanese Language Education Department, and Information and Resources Department).

2001 (Heisei 13), October:

Postgraduate education was started in collaboration with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and the Japan Foundation's "Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa."

2002 (Heisei 14), October:

A mutual agreement on academic exchanges was concluded with the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies (China).

2003 (Heisei 15), October:

A mutual agreement on academic exchanges was concluded with the National Research Institute of the Korean Language (South Korea, the current National Institute of the Korean Language).

2005 (Heisei 17), January:

A mutual agreement on academic exchanges was concluded with the East China Normal University (China).

2005 (Heisei 17), February:

The Institute moved to 10-2, Midori-cho, Tachikawa City.

2005 (Heisei 17), April:

Postgraduate education was started in collaboration with Hitotsubashi University.

2006 (Heisei 18), April:

The Japanese Language Education Department was reorganized as the Center for Research in Japanese as a Second Language.

2009 (Heisei 21), March:

A law was enacted for developing MEXT-related laws for promoting the reform of independent administrative agencies.

2009 (Heisei 21), October:

The Inter-University Research Institute Corporation, National Institutes for the Humanities "National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics" was started with the Administrative Department, and four Departments and three Centers (Department of Linguistic Theory and Structure, Department of Language Change and Variation, Department of Corpus Studies, Department of Crosslinguistic Studies, Center for Research Resources, Center for Corpus Development, and Center for JSL Research and Information).