Japan: What’s in a Name?
I don’t know if anybody else has noticed this, but Japan has changed its name; at least in Japanese. When I came here in the late 1980s, the Japanese were very proud of their country, but they all called it “Nihon“. At some point I became aware of the alternative pronunciation, “Nippon“, but I never heard it used. Now, it’s just the opposite. Nobody says “Nihon” anymore; I only ever hear the more strident and nationalistic chords of “Nippon“. Little kids do it. My smallest students even manage to impart a patriotic ring to the English name of their country by drawing out the first syllable and then really exploding on the second: “Ja-PAN”.
Personally, I think it’s just one more sign of Japan’s creeping nationalism. In his 1982 book, Japan’s Modern Myth
“During World War II, the Japanese military occupation officials in some territories temporarily held by Japan did make limited attempts to introduce courses in Japanese, which at the time they usually insisted upon calling Nippongo, into the curricula of local schools and colleges. (The word Nippongo, with its emphatic consonant sequence -pp- replacing the weak medial -h- of the usual pronunciation as Nihongo, was much favored during the war years because of its more overtly macho acoustic effect. The same was true of the name of the country, which then tended to favor Nippon, rather than the now usual pronunciation Nihon.)”
Well, I’ve never Heard anyone call Nihongo “Nippongo”, but I’m planning to hightail it straight out of the country if I ever do.
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I know there has been discussion about Japanese nationalism creeping up to higher and higher levels recently (which frightens me to a certain extent), but in my purely-anecdotal experience, I have rarely heard the term “nihon” used by a native Japanese for maybe 12 or more years. “Nippon” has always seemed to be the favorite while “Jya-pan” has been popping up more frequently since the mid-90’s.
Again, this is just based on my time and experience in Japan so take it with a grain of salt.
I’ve asked several Japanese if there was a nationalistic undertone in “Nippon” as opposed to “Nihon”, and the people I asked claimed that there isn’t. That could mean that there is no insinuated pride in the term, or that the people I asked were just not aware of it. I want to ask around a little bit more to see if I get any different answers.
I checked the NHK pronunciation reference dictionary, and “Nippon”/”Nihon” vary in usage depending on the kanji compound.
It could just be a characteristic of the speaker, like, for example, choosing to call the country “America”, “U.S.A.”, “the United States”, “the U.S.”, or simply just “the States”.
(My TV is on in the background, and the announcer just said, “Nihon-jin”, not “Nippon-jin”)
I showed this article to my girlfriend and she said that the main reason for ‘Nippon’ gaining popularity is due to sports (volleyball, soccer etc) as it’s easier to shout ‘nippon’ than ‘nihon’.
I also noticed ‘nippon’ being used a lot when I watched TV (quite a rare occurrence) last week.
(Afterthought) Some examples from the NHK book:
日本 – にっぽん、にほん
日本海 – にほんかい (にっぽんかい is wrong)
日本国民 – にっぽんこくみん
日本人 – にほんじん、にっぽんじん
日本放送協会 – にっぽんほうそうきょうかい
日本料理 – にほんりょうり
I hope Japan gets some of its Nationalism back. Japan has become weak. The problem is that “Nationalists” are not just nationalists, they’re xenophobes.
I think because they have seen too much political interference from Korean illegals(Zainichi).
Oh my god give it a rest.
Zainich, as in the ethnic group, are not illegal, parkmount.
Last time I checked, April Fool was on April 1, not 27.
I use both Nihon and Nippon.
Many Japanese will use Nippon for Nippon cha cha cha in the Olympics with a Japanese flag. Militarism is coming back!!! Scary isn’t it?
I’ve been noticing this trend for a few years now. I’ve asked around various people I know, ranging from normal housewives to university history professors, to see if this is indeed a sign of right-wing ascendancy. The consensus is that if it is, it’s a complete failure, as no one associated it with nationalism at all. Even the university history prof, who is left-wing enough to dislike using Heisei dates as they validate the Emperor system, didn’t see anything sinister in it.
“Nihon” is generally used for more scientific names (eg Nihonzaru). “Nippon,” as has been pointed out both here and by one of the people I asked, makes a better sports chant (”Nip-pon, cha-cha-cha!” – much better than “Nihon-cha-cha-cha – people will think you are ordering tea). However the most interesting source on the difference I have found is in William Griffis’ “The Mikado’s Empire,” written in 1874. In it he notes that the double P is “a sign of careless speaking, and a lack of cultivation.” “Nihon and Yohodo of the Japanese gentleman are far more elegant than Nippon and Yoppodo of the common people. One can tell a person of cultivation by this sound.” This fits in well with the scientific use of “Nihon” (as scientists are educated), and suggests that the rise of Nippon is in part the rise of the “common” version.
I agree. I think Eric is reading way too much into it.
You guys had me worried! I just stared a weekly series on my blog that I call “Nihon on the Net” and I was about ready to change it because I didn’t want to be considered ‘old fashioned’. But, after a read through the comments is seems that it’s a toss up and both are still us -whew!
I have been using only Nihon instead of Nippon, such as Nihon Kokumin (Japanese citizen) or Nihon Housou Kyoukai (NHK).
Talking of names, I read a few years back how Ishihara Shintaro ran a poll on what to call Japan other than Nipponkoku/Nihonkoku, which he considers a bit dull, and the top answer was Nihon/Nippon Koukoku 「日本皇国」, which means “Japanese Empire” (Imperial Country: 皇の国) but isn’t quite as expansionist as （大）日本帝国. It is however a word used commonly in prewar years to refer to the country.
In reference to 大日本, I’ve often heard Japanese ask about why the UK gets to be “Great” Britain. What’s so great about it, they ask. But here, “Great” just means “Large,” not “Amazing.”
Overthinker, your comment about the “Great” reminded me of this video. Not sure if you’ve seen it, but I think it’s right up your alley.
I think this is Al Murray.
I know an old guy in town that always says nippongo instead of nihongo. I thought it was funny and tried to adopt it, but nobody finds the humor when I make jokes in Japanese, as usual.
It makes me feel so sick to see people who connect almost anything to “rising Japanese nationalism”.
“Nippon” and “Nihon” are two ways of pronouncing one word. They do not change meaning.
It is just like arguing that if one pronounces the “t” in “often”, he is a nationalist.
I wonder what these people say next about Japan. Maybe something like “the prime minister wears a blue tie and that the proof of rising nationalism in Japan.”
You must be a Japanese ultra-nationalist to criticize people who reveal shameful aspects Japan!!!—tell me how you deal with this sort of argument.
Don’t silly – *red* ties are nationalist.
“Nippon” does have a closer nationalist connection than “Nihon” simply as it was the one used in Dai Nippon Teikoku (Banzai!). That does not mean that the word itself, or its current resurgence, is nationalist. In fact as I noted earlier, seeing as the Japanese themselves don’t see anything overly right-wing about it, if it is a nationalist plot then it’s a pretty weak one.
Eric, you really should stop before it gets too funny. Do read your last sentence again, when you are sober:
“Well, I’ve never Heard anyone call Nihongo “Nippongo”, but I’m planning to hightail it straight out of the country if I ever do.”
You are going to do what?
As an aside, there are a large number of cultural institutions in Japan with the word “nihon” rather than “nippon” in their name, even though they deal with subjects that may be close to the hearts and minds of nationalists. For example, the Nishinihon Bugu Katchu Kenkyusho (the West Japan Armor research center) or the Nihon Karate Do Shoto-kai. So calm down, and have a nice Golden Week.
I’m a university student, but the vast majority of young people around me say Nihon, in many circumstances.
I don’t care what the idiot politicians say, or how NHK says it.
There are some circumstances where it would be odd to change it.
For example, I’ve heard most people say ‘nihon-jin’, not ‘nippon-jin’.
I’ve only heard ‘nihon-go’, not ‘nippon-go’.
When cheering at football/soccer matches, people will cheer ‘Nippon’, but then again, it’s hard to cheer saying the word ‘Nihon’, because in ‘Nippon’, you have the double-p (the small ‘tsu’ then the ‘po’) so it just is easier to say in a chant like that.
So, just because a person uses ‘nippon’ doesn’t mean anything about nationalism, and while these words may be used in different circumstances, I don’t see the pronunciation ‘Nihon’ disappearing or diminishing any time soon.
And you are aware that such nationalists in Japan are clearly NOT the vast majority of the people, I hope.