Japan in Comparison with Korea-A Multiculturalistic View

多元文化主義被加拿大國家政策採納，並得以施行。此後，多元文化主義雖然擴展至其它國家，但未被世界任何一個國家採納為國家政策。上世紀90年代，多元文化主義傳播到了日本，但這與其說是具有實際性意義的政策，還不如說是僅停留在了開展活動的階段。隨著外國人的人口比率達到韓國國民總人口的10%，韓國政府欲求關注多元文化主義，但並未像日本政府這樣信賴這一多元文化主義思潮。韓國同日本一樣，對單一民族主義的神話意識較為強烈。這種神話意識對保持國家統一性可以起到積極作用，但也會起到一個種族排斥另一個種族的負面作用。從多元文化主義的角度來看，有必要減弱這種神話意識的負面影響力。多元文化主義的另一個角度，便是日本還談不上具有多元文化主義。日本至少有北海道的阿伊努（Ainu）文化、包含所有日本群島的大和號（Yamato）文化、南西諸島島民（South-Western Islanders）文化等三種文化。那麼以同一邏輯來看，韓國也始於至少三大截然不同的文化，即高句麗、百濟、新羅文化。由多元文化主義的觀點出發，若把韓國、日本或者其他國家視同為自己的國家，可以理解為各國將不是孤立的個體，而是全球跨國文化網絡的單一體。

關鍵字

多元文化主義；單一民族；神話；群島；半島；全球跨國文化網絡

並列摘要

Multiculturalism started as a national policy of Canada. It spread later to other countries, but almost no country in the world has adopted it as a national policy. In Japan, it was transmitted in 1990's, but it has been taken for a campaign motto rather than a real policy. Few know what it is. As for the Koreans, their government has taken it seriously since the moment that more than 10 percent of the population are foreigners, but just like the Japanese, they do not believe in multiculturalism. The myth of one single ethnic nation is as strong in Korea as in Japan. The myth may be useful for maintaining the national unity, but it tends to lead people to exclusivism toward other peoples residing in their homeland. From a multicultural point of view, the influence of such a myth should be attenuated. The Japanese should recognize the Archipelago has at least three different cultures: Ainu culture in Hokkaido, Yamato culture all over the Archipelago and South-Western Islanders' one. The same can be said about the Koreans. They should recognize they have at least three different cultures coming from the ancient kingdoms of Kogryo, Baekje and Shilla. The merit of being aware of the multicultural aspect of one's country is enormous. It will allow one to see his or her country is not an isolated entity but a dot on the worldwide and transnational cultural network.