J-SLA Vision Statement

We hereby establish the Japan Second Language Association (abbreviated: J-SLA) for the express purpose of promoting within Japan the advancement of research into second language development that seeks to elucidate the process of second language acquisition through theoretically grounded analyses of empirical data.

Our approach sees second language acquisition research as a scientific field of study on par with cognitive science, first language acquisition research, and linguistics, one that does not, therefore, depend on whether the findings have a direct application to foreign language education per se. Ascertaining the mechanisms of second language acquisition through a rigorous scientific method will contribute, along with other areas of cognitive science, to our understanding of human cognition.

(English translation of the text adopted at the inaugural conference)

Greetings from the President

Though Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research is still relatively new as a research field, a massive amount of data has been collected and has revealed lots of interesting findings. At the same time, the theories and research methods supporting the research field have diversified, and the approaches to SLA have become more complex. On the other hand, the rapid progress of data collection, methods of analysis and theoretical progress have clarified some of the important issues surrounding SLA, which has led to the creation of an environment where more constructive discussions can take place. In any case, the desire to investigate underlying phenomena of SLA and the goal of elucidating its mechanisms are common to all SLA approaches and methodologies. J-SLA will continue to strive to make SLA research of interest to as many people as possible and to provide a forum where we can share the joy of research and constructive discussions together.

Hideki Yokota

President of the Japan Second Language Association

Professor, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture

Advisory Board

• Shuji Chiba (Tsuda University)

• Kevin R. Gregg (Momoyama Gakuin University)

• Roger Hawkins (University of Essex)

• William O’Grady (University of Hawai’i at Manoa)

• Yukio Otsu (Keio University)

• Bonnie D. Schwartz (University of Hawai’i at Manoa)

• Roumyana Slabakova (University of Southampton)

• Antonella Sorace (University of Edinburgh)

• Margaret Thomas (Boston College)

• Lydia White (McGill University)

• John N. Williams (University of Cambridge)

• Noriko Yoshimura (University of Shizuoka)

• Boping Yuan (Cambridge University)

• Noriaki Yusa (Miyagi Gakuin Women’s College)

• Michael Harrington (University of Queensland)

• Alan Juffs (University of Pittsburgh)

Steering Committee

Updated on April 1, 2024

President: TOMITA, Yuichi (Gakushuin University)

Vice-President: OKUWAKI, Natsumi (Tsuda University)

Vice-President: URANO, Ken (Hokkai-Gakuen University)

Secretariat: SHITE, Kazuyuki (Tokyo University of Social Welfare)

Accountant: HOKARI, Tomohiro (Atomi University)

Chief Editor: FUKUTA, Junya (Chuo University)

Chairperson of a publicity committee：OJIMA, Shiro (Waseda University)

Steering Committee Members:

• AKIMOTO, Takayuki (Kogakuin University)

• FUJIMORI, Atsushi (University of Shizuoka)

• FUKUTA, Junya (Chuo University)

• GOSS, Seth (Emory University)

• HASHIMOTO, Kenichi (Osaka Kyoiku University)

• HIRAKAWA, Makiko (Chuo University)

• HIRANO, Yohei (Kobe City College of Technology)

• HOKARI, Tomohiro (Atomi University)

• KADOTA, Shuhei (Kwansei Gakuin University)

• KANO, Akihiro (Kwassui Women’s University)

• KIMURA, Takayuki (Utsunomiya University)

• KONDO, Takako (Hosei University)

• MIKI, Kohei (Kindai University)

• MIYAO, Mari (Ritsumeikan University)

• NAKAGAWA, Yuya (Mie University)

• NAKANISHI, Hiroshi (Seinan Gakuin University)

• NAKANO, Yoko (Kwansei Gakuin University)

• NAKAYAMA, Mineharu (The Ohio State University)

• NISHIKAWA, Tomomi (Ochanomizu University)

• NOMURA, Jun (Kwansei Gakuin University)

• OKUMA, Tokiko (Ritsumeikan University)

• OGAWA, Mutsumi (Nihon University)

• OJIMA, Shiro (Waseda University)

• OKUWAKI, Natsumi (Tsuda University)

• OTAKI, Ayano (Shizuoka University)

• SHIRAHATA, Tomohiko (Shizuoka University)

• SHITE, Kazuyuki (Tokyo University of Social Welfare)

• SNAPE, Neal (Gunma Prefectural Women’s University)

• SUDA, Koji (University of Shizuoka)

• SUGIURA, Kaori (Ritsumeikan University)

• TOMITA, Yuichi (Gakushuin University)

• URANO, Ken (Hokkai-Gakuen University)

• WAKABAYASHI, Shigenori (Chuo University)

• YAMADA, Toshiyuki (Gunma University)

• YAMAGUCHI, Yumiko (Tokai University)

• YAMAZAKI, Tae (Komazawa University)

• YOKOTA, Hideki (Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)

Audit Committee Members:

• KUME, Keisuke (Nagoya University)

• MINEMI, Itsuki (Ritsumeikan University)