List of kanji being revised by the Council for Cultural Affairs

Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008

EDITORIAL
Japan Times  Revising the list of kanji

A panel of the Council for Cultural Affairs is working to revise the
official list of Chinese characters in common use (*joyo kanji).* The final
proposal is expected in February. The revision should draw the attention of
not only Japanese but also foreigners interested in Japanese culture.

The current joyo kanji list contains 1,945 characters. The kanji panel plans
to add 186 characters, including “kan” of “kankoku” (Korea) and “satsu” of
“kosatsu” (ancient temple). But “mou” of “mouko” (Mongolia) is one of six
kanji to be dropped, since “mou” is hardly used anywhere except in the
combination for Mongolia.

The kanji for “go up a stream, or go back to the origin” will also be added.
Since the “road” radical of this kanji has two strokes on top, unlike the
usual “road” radical, the council may face difficulty in deciding on an
acceptable form.

New *on* and *kun* readings will also be added to the list. For example, the
character that means “I” will get the new kun reading of “watashi” in
addition to the currently allowed kun reading of “watakushi.”

A Japan-made kanji for “smell good,” with a kun reading of “niou,” will be
added to the list, and the kanji already on the list for “smell bad” will be
allowed a new kun reading of “niou.” This will enable the use of different
kanji for sentences referring to “sewage odors” and the “smell of roses.”

In 1981 the joyo kanji list superseded the old *toyo kanji* list ・the list
of Chinese characters, which was announced in November 1946 and designated
for daily use. Since the latter was compiled rather hastily after World War
II, it contained kanji with incorrect forms, so the joyo list took over some
incorrect forms. The council should carefully discuss this matter.

But the council will have a difficult time deciding which forms should be
accepted as correct in the new list. Some kanji planned to be added to the
joyo list contain radicals whose forms are different from the ones usually
used by mass media and in computers. The council may need to accept
different forms, assigning priority to avoid unnecessary burdens and rigid
uniformity. Japan Times

See also: Train Your Brain (Kanji)
Japanese Kanji Flashcard Program Learn Faster, Study Less, Remember