Beyond Words: Exploring the Diversity of Sign Language in Japan

As the Deaflympics gear up to take Tokyo by storm in 2025, it’s the perfect moment to shine a light on something close to my heart—Japanese sign language. Across the globe, the deaf community turns to sign language as a bridge to the world. Yet, Japan's take on this essential form of communication is uniquely its own, boasting not one but three distinct types of sign language.

First off, we have Japanese Sign Language (JSL), a language in its own right with its grammar, order, and subtle cues that stand apart from spoken Japanese. Then there’s Sign Exact Japanese, which aligns more closely with the spoken language, mirroring its syntax to convey messages. And nestled between these two is Signed Japanese, a hybrid offering a bit of both worlds.

This trio’s roots dig deep into the soil of Japan's post-war era, a time when sign language found itself under an official ban in deaf education. The reasoning? A belief peculiar to Japan that a deaf family member could hinder the marriage prospects of their siblings, with sisters bearing the brunt of this bias. This led to a push towards oral education, overshadowing sign language due to societal prejudices.

Yet, the deaf community’s resilience turned sign language into a cherished, clandestine tool for connection, passed from generation to generation. This secret preservation led to the flourishing of regional sign languages, each with its local flair.

In times past, the divergence in syntax between Japanese Sign Language and the spoken word posed a challenge for reading comprehension. Today, however, we see a bilingual triumph among the youth, fluent in both Japanese and its sign language counterpart. It’s such a celebrated skill that even NHK’s news broadcasts include furigana to ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Nowadays, from a tender age, deaf students are welcomed into classrooms where sign language is the medium of instruction. This peek into the world of Japanese sign language comes from a mix of personal research and heartfelt conversations with those living it. Interestingly, the gap between sign and spoken languages isn’t as wide in other countries as it is in Japan, making the learning curve elsewhere a tad gentler.

As we edge closer to the Deaflympics, my hope in sharing this is not just to spread awareness but also to open doors to more opportunities to delve deeper and share the rich tapestry of Japan’s deaf community and its languages. Here’s to understanding and celebrating the nuances that make us uniquely human.

Before I sign off, it's important to note that these insights are not without their debates. What I've shared here is a blend of what I've personally researched and heard from those in the community. Let's consider it a starting point for a broader conversation, and I warmly invite more voices to join in and enrich our understanding.