History
The National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics was born as a comprehensive research organization for the national language in 1948.
It became the Inter-University Research Institute Corporation, National Institutes for the Humanities, "National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics" in October 2009, and is now pursuing its activities with renewed energy.
Please also see the History of NINJAL with Photos.
Director-Generals in the Past
| 1st | NISHIO Minoru | From January 31, 1949 to January 22, 1960 |
| 2nd | IWABUCHI Etsutaro | From January 22, 1960 to January 16, 1976 |
| 3rd | HAYASHI Oki | From January 16, 1976 to April 1, 1982 |
| 4th | NOMOTO Kikuo | From April 1, 1982 to March 31, 1990 |
| 5th | MIZUTANI Osamu | From April 1, 1990 to March 31, 1998 |
| 6th | KAI Mutsuro | From April 1, 1998 to March 31, 2005 |
| 7th | SUGITO Seiju | From April 1, 2005 to September 30, 2009 |
| 8th | KAGEYAMA Taro | From October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2017 |
| 9th | TAKUBO Yukinori | From October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2023 |
| 10th | MAEKAWA Kikuo | From April 1, 2023 to the present |
Professors Emeritus
As of April 1, 2024
| TSUNODA Tasaku | listed in 2012 |
| John B. WHITMAN | listed in 2015 |
| SAKODA Kumiko | listed in 2016 |
| Timothy J. VANCE | listed in 2017 |
| KAGEYAMA Taro | listed in 2017 |
| AIZAWA Masao | listed in 2019 |
| KIBE Nobuko | listed in 2021 |
| NODA Hisashi | listed in 2021 |
| KUBOZONO Haruo | listed in 2022 |
| MAEKAWA Kikuo | listed in 2022 |
| TAKUBO Yukinori | listed in 2023 |
| YAMAZAKI Makoto | listed in 2023 |
| YOKOYAMA Shoichi | listed in 2024 |
History (Abbreviated chronological table)
| December 1948: | 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. |
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| December 1949: | It was reorganized as the General Affairs Department and two research departments. |
| October 1954: | It was transferred to a building borrowed from Hitotsubashi University at 1-1 Kanda Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda Ward. |
| October 1955: | The organizational regulation for the Institute was revised. It was reorganized as three research departments. |
| April 1958: | It was reorganized as four research departments. |
| April 1962: | It was transferred to 3-9-14, Nishigaoka, Kita Ward (formerly Inatsuke Nishiyama-cho, Kita Ward). |
| June 1968: | With the establishment of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Institute became an affiliated organization of the Agency. |
| April 1974: | 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 |
| October 1976: | The Japanese Language Education Department was reorganized as the Japanese Language Education Center. |
| April 1981: | The Japanese Language Education Instruction and Expansion Department was established in the Japanese Language Education Center. |
| December 1983: | 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. |
| July 1984: | 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)). |
| October 1988: | The Japanese Dictionary Editorial Office was newly established. |
| April 1989: | The Information and Resources Research Department was established, and the spaces occupied by two research departments were reorganized. |
| December 1999: | The law for the Independent Administrative Agency "National Institute for Japanese Language" was promulgated (Act No. 171 of 1999 (Heisei 11)). |
| April 2001: | 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). |
| October 2001: | Postgraduate education was started in collaboration with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and the Japan Foundation's "Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa." |
| October 2002: | A mutual agreement on academic exchanges was concluded with the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies (China). |
| October 2003: | 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). |
| January 2005: | A mutual agreement on academic exchanges was concluded with the East China Normal University (China). |
| February 2005: | The Institute moved to 10-2, Midori-cho, Tachikawa City. |
| April 2005: | Postgraduate education was started in collaboration with Hitotsubashi University. |
| April 2006: | The Japanese Language Education Department was reorganized as the Center for Research in Japanese as a Second Language. |
| March 2009: | A law was enacted for developing MEXT-related laws for promoting the reform of independent administrative agencies. |
| October 2009: | 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). |
| April 2016: | Along with the start of the period of the Third Medium-Term Goals and the Medium-Term Plan, the reorganization of the Institute was carried out (administrative department, research department comprised of five divisions, and two centers). |
| April 2022: | Along with the start of the period of the Fourth Medium-Term Goal and the Medium-Term Plan, the administrative and research departments and two centers of the Institute have been reorganized. |
Logo of NINJAL
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In December 2002, the logo (emblem) of the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics was chosen from among proposals submitted in response to an Institute-internal invitation. Using the shape of the Chinese character "Gen" of the Japanese word Gengo (language), the design shows a fresh and supple leaf or "ha", which is a part of the Japanese word Kotoba (language), waving in a refreshing breeze. This logo is used in a variety of places, including the publications, Website, envelopes, letterhead, and name cards of the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics. |
