DECLINE IN JAPANESE STUDIES

Early day motion 322, tabled 7 December 2004 by Roger Godsiff (Labour). Signed by 28 members.

That this House believes that the decline in the national provision of Japanese studies through individual universities closing centres or departments of Japanese language teaching and Japanese studies has reduced our pool of expertise on Japan to a critically low level; believes that these developments if left unremedied in the long-term will lead to a decline in the UK's relationship and standing with Japan, the world's second largest economy and one of the UK's most important economic partners for both trade and investment; further believes that many universities are failing to adhere to binding contractual commitments to support the development of Japanese studies; welcomes the recognition by the Government in recent statements of the need to safeguard endangered subjects including Japanese; and calls on the Department for Education and Skills to undertake specific and targeted action to ensure that the UK-Japanese relationship continues to prosper.

Signatures by party: Labour 17, Liberal Democrat 4, Conservative 3, Labour/Co-operative 3, UUP 1.