Japanese deaf students studying sign linguistics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong The legal recognition of sign language and the reality The bill to revise the Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities was adopted and enacted on July 29, without much notice as it was hidden behind the scene of discussions on the Great East Japan Earthquake related bills in the ever-disorderly Diet session. I asserted in the editorial column of Asahi Shimbun newspaper, �gWatasi-no-Shiten (My Viewpoint)�h of the morning edition of December 2, 2010, that sign language should be recognized as an official language, and it is indeed gratifying that the related law has been passed. It is due only to the result of long years of efforts made by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf and the entire deaf community. While many deaf people were also victims to the Great East Japan Earthquake, they were totally cut off from all available information, even news that was broadcasted on the radio and television, and were forced to lead a life filled with anxiety and perplexity. Belatedly, through the efforts of all concerned, sign language interpretation is now available for press interviews of the prime minister and the chief cabinet secretary. But in many cases, even for major news, with the exception of live broadcasts, sign language interpretation is eliminated. The most urgent and the most important duty of the media ought to be to deliver information to the citizens including information related to the great disaster and the nuclear power accident. Yet, rate of caption throughout the entire broadcasting time is not even 50% for both NHK (Japan Broadcasting Station) and commercial broadcasters, and almost nil that provide sign language interpretation. We would like television stations, especially NHK, a public broadcaster, to take appropriate steps to make improvements without delay. When we turn our eyes to deaf education, we find that there are very few schools that educate the deaf people in their primary language, the Japanese Sign Language (JSL). Meisei Gakuen School for the Deaf, private school in Tokyo is one such exceptional school. Moreover, the absolute number of teachers who are able to use sign language as fluently as their spoken mother language and to teach classes is very limited. There are not even courses for such teachers in Japan, nor are there any universities that are involved in high level scientific research work in sign language based on philology. Those that continue their research work in the area of sign language are only individual researchers who continue somehow to do their research work under difficult environment. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary to have reliable sign language interpreters in order to promote social participation of the deaf people, but unfortunately it is difficult for professional sign language interpreters to earn enough income to make a living in Japan. The low pay compared to foreign language interpreters is a hindrance to those with aim of becoming professional sign language interpreters. The video relay service that is used throughout the United States is hardly available in Japan. It is a service that allows the deaf people to communicate via telephone or internet with hearing people, in real-time by sitting face to face with the sign language interpreter. With this service, the deaf people can use the telephone both for work and private conversation just as the hearing people do. It is a service that is free of charge. The Nippon Foundation will start a free remote interpretation service for the deaf people who have been victimized by the March earthquake and tsunami disaster in the northeastern region of Japan. The adoption of the revision of the Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities is a big step forward, yet it does not mean that the passing of the law that stipulates that �gsign language is a language�h will solve all the underlying problems overnight. The Nippon Foundation has been making steady efforts in deaf education, sign language research and human resource development under the leadership of Mr. Yasunobu Ishii, an expert in this field. It is our aim to continue our efforts, working with all our collaborators in various different countries, until the day we see with our own eyes that the lives of the deaf people have improved. Furthermore, we will aim for comprehensible solution through simultaneously progressing on with the projects to lay down new laws, such as the Enactment of the Law of Sign Linguistics (provisional name), that we have initiated last year. We, the Nippon Foundation are ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, television companies and telecommunication operators. I would like to ask for your candid opinion and consideration for the possibility of collaboration with us.