Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 November 2009
The alphabet (rōmaji) has never been considered aserious contender for the national script in Japan,although at several points since the country'smodern period began in 1868 supporters have made acase for its adoption on varying grounds, mostnotably those of education, democracy and officeautomation. Although such advocates have includedinfluential scholars and bureaucrats, their combinedintellectual gravitas has never been sufficient toallow their arguments for romanisation to outweighthe strong cultural traditions and ideologies ofwriting centred on the existing three-script writingsystem. Even today, in the face of pressures imposedby modern keyboard technology, discussion of theissue is not on the national agenda. This articleconsiders the place of romanisation in Japan todayand offers a short history of the rōmaji movementsince the late nineteenth century.
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