A Study on the Usage Patterns of Korean Language Terms in Japanese Newspaper Headlines.

This study aims to analyze the usage patterns and co-occurrence relations of terms related to the “Korean language” in the headlines of Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun from August 15, 1945, to December 31, 2024. The analysis focused on six terms: “韓國語(Korean language)”, “朝鮮語(Joseon language)”, “ハングル(Hangeul)”, “韓語(Han language)”, “韓国·朝鮮語(Korean/Joseon language)”, and “コリア語 (Korea language)”. A total of 1,516 headlines were collected and analyzed by decade using frequency analysis and co-occurrence network analysis. The results show that “韓國語” was the most frequently used term, followed by “ハングル” and “朝鮮語”. The Asahi Shimbun used “朝鮮語” more than twice as frequently as the Yomiuri Shimbun. By period, the use of Korean language-related terms was low until 1974, increased with Korea-Japan exchanges after 1975, and declined again after 2015. “韓國語” mainly appeared in contexts related to Korean language learning and cultural exchange, “朝鮮語” in official documents and North Korea-related topics, and “ハングル” was primarily used to refer to the writing system. This study is significant in empirically revealing changes in the perception of the Korean language in Japan through a comprehensive analysis of newspaper headlines over approximately 80 years, and it suggests the need for further studies that expand the scope beyond headlines.