1 Introduction

Discussed the definition of language education policies and their close connection with national political, economic, and social changes. Emphasis was placed on the core role of schools in the implementation of language education policies, and it was pointed out that Japan's language education policies mainly involve national language, written language, and foreign language education policies. Analyzed the impact of the Meiji Restoration, the end of World War II, Perry's voyage, and globalization on Japan's language education policy, and summarized its historical evolution into three stages: from language barrier to monolingualism, from monolingualism to multilingualization, and from multilingualization to linguistic diversity.

2. Moving from language barriers to a single language

During the Edo period, samurai from various feudal domains in Japan pledged allegiance to their lords. There was a language barrier between the domains, and the main educational institutions were domain schools and Terakoya. Domain schools focused on Sinology, while Terakoya provided primary education for commoner children. In the late Edo period, influenced by the Black Ships incident, some feudal schools began to add foreign studies subjects. After the Meiji Restoration, the Meiji government proposed the policy of "civilizing and opening up", began to reform the old education system, sent envoys to European and American countries for inspection, and promulgated the "School System" to establish the primary education system. However, due to the detachment of the "Education System" from the national conditions, the Meiji government issued the "Education Order" in 1879 to replace the "Education System". In 1886, the newly appointed Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mori Ari, issued the "School Order" in an attempt to explore an educational path suitable for Japan's national conditions. The Meiji government recognized the importance of language unity within the country, and the term "Guoyu" first appeared in 1900, followed by the term "Standard Language" in 1902. The Japanese government promotes and popularizes standard language through various means. After Japan's defeat in 1945, its language education policy reached a turning point. Many people advocated for a re examination of the status of Japanese as the national language, but ultimately the Japanese government adopted a policy of restricting Chinese characters. After about 100 years of effort, Japan has transformed from a country with a language barrier to a country with a single language.

From monolingualism to multilingualization

Explored the process of Japanese society's transition from monolingualism to multilingualization. By analyzing three short songs from the 2018 Japanese Royal Family's "Song Festival Ceremony", the current situation of multilingual society in Japan is reflected, including the support of foreign technical interns for local enterprises, multilingual response issues at medical sites, and bilingual broadcasting on trains. Since the implementation of the Amendment to the Immigration Management Law in 1990, Japan has changed from an immigration exporting country to an immigration receiving country, and the foreign population has increased significantly. As the city with the highest proportion of foreign population, Osaka has taken measures such as educational support and volunteer group activities to deal with multilingualism. The issue of multicultural coexistence has become a focus of social attention, with the core concept of recognizing cultural differences and constructing equal social relationships among people from different backgrounds. The coexistence of multiculturalism in Japan is different from Western multiculturalism, lacking national consensus and limited to local communities. After the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the phenomenon of multilingual communication in Japanese society gradually emerged in conveying multilingual information to disaster victims.

From Multilingualism to Language Diversification

Explored the concepts and differences between "multilingual" and "linguistic diversity". Multilingualism emphasizes the coexistence of different languages in a specific society, while linguistic diversity is related to the concept advocated by the European Union, emphasizing the ability of individuals to master and use multiple languages. Language diversity education aims to cultivate individuals' ability to interweave and use different languages. The concept of linguistic diversity in the European Union originated from the 1958 European Community Language Charter No. 1 and was further developed in the 2001 publication of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment. Japan's foreign language education is facing new challenges and requires language pluralism education to achieve diversity in language learning choices and eliminate social and individual cognitive biases towards language. Some universities in Japan have begun to implement language pluralism education programs, but there is a problem of relying on the personal charm of teachers.

5 Conclusion

This article outlines the three developmental stages of Japan's modern language education policy: from language barrier to monolingualism, from monolingualism to multilingualization, and from multilingualization to linguistic diversity. Emphasis was placed on the importance of studying the evolution of these policies for understanding the history of Japanese language education and providing reference for China's foreign language education policies. It mentioned General Secretary Xi Jinping's views on educational reform and innovation, as well as the impact of globalization and linguistic pluralism on China's foreign language education policies. Discussed the goals and methods of foreign language learning, as well as the close connection between language education policies and national development strategies.