Highlights the shift in language planning and language change in Japan at the end of the 20th century against a background of significant socio-cultural, political, and economic change and places them in a comparative context.

Chapter 1 Language Planning and Language Policy in East Asia: An Overview, Nanette Gottlieb, Ping Chen; Chapter 2 Language Planning and Policy in Japan, Nanette Gottlieb; Chapter 3 Development and Standardization of Lexicon in Modern Written Chinese, Ping Chen; Chapter 4 Functions of Phonetic Writing in Chinese, Ping Chen; Chapter 5 Policy on the Selection and Implementation of a Standard Language as a Source of Conflict in Taiwan, Ping Chen; Chapter 6 Language Policy in Hong Kong during the Colonial Period before July 1, 1997, Ping Chen; Chapter 7 North and South Korea: Language Policies of Divergence and Convergence, Jae Jung Song; Chapter 8 Viet Nam: Quoc Ngu, Colonialism and Language Policy, Joseph Lo Bianco;