Japanese, spoken by the 127.3 million inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago, is the ninth most widely spoken language in the world, and represents the third largest economy. Its appeal is increasingly enhanced by many cultural exports (manga, anime, martial arts, kawaii culture, and much else) that have grown exponentially over recent years. Many students of this language also find it to be a valued skill for work in business, government, the travel industry, and numerous fields of research.
"As I worked to complete my East Asian Studies minor and learned more about Japanese history, culture, and language, I fell in love with Japan. I studied abroad in Asahikawa, Japan, for one month and decided to move to Japan upon graduation."
—Daily Spangler ’14
minor in East Asian Studies
Students can also participate in the several interdisciplinary programs at Illinois State: