Governor of Tokyo is sued for insulting French language
{{date|July 18, 2005}}

On July 13, 21 [[France|French]] and [[Japan]]ese individuals sued [[w:Shintaro Ishihara|Shintaro Ishihara]], the governor of [[Tokyo]], for defamation towards people who use the [[w:French language|French language]]. Those 21 were French language teachers and Japanese researchers who <!-- engaged French studies --> taught French. In 2004, Ishihara said that no one can count in the French language. Ishihara was sued for 500,000 yen (approx. US $4,457) for each plaintiff, including Malik Berkane, a French private language school owner in Tokyo.  In addition, the plaintiffs demanded that he make an apology.
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13日東京都内にある語学学校のマリック・ベルカンヌ校長(46)らフランス人と日本人のフランス語研究者ら合計21人が、[[w:石原慎太郎|石原慎太郎]]東京都知事の「[[w:フランス語|フランス語]]は数を勘定できない言葉」という発言によって「フランス語に携わる人々の名誉を傷つけた」として、知事に謝罪広告と原告1人につき50万円の損害賠償を求める訴えを[[w:東京地方裁判所|東京地方裁判所]]に起こした。
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On October 19, 2004, Ishihara said "French language is a language in which no one can count, therefore it seems to me reasonable that it is disqualified as an international language. People who are tied to the language have taken it upon themselves to oppose [me]. It is all ridiculous" in a speech Ishihara made at the inaugural celebrations of the "Tokyo U-Club". The Tokyo U-club was founded to support the foundation of [[w:Tokyo Metropolitan University|Tokyo Metropolitan University]] (Japanese: 首都大学東京, ''Shuto daigaku Tokyo''), which was planned by Ishihara as replacement of universities run by the Tokyo metropolitan government including the same name in English (Japanese: 東京都立大学 ''Tokyo Toritsu Daigaku'').
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石原知事が2004年10月19日、東京都庁で開かれた[[w:首都大学東京|首都大学東京]]設立支援組織「the Tokyo U-club」の設立総会の祝辞の中で、「フランス語は数を勘定できない言葉だから国際語として失格しているのも、むべなるかなという気がする。そういうものにしがみついている手合いが反対のための反対をしている。笑止千万だ。」と発言していることに対するもの。
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<!-- This part is original based on Japanese documents issued by TMU stuff(s) -->
On August 1, 2003, Ishihara issued his plan to found the new university. His plan had no relation to the restructuring plan of the former Tokyo Metropolitan University which had been on-going for years in cooperation with faculty and Tokyo prefectural government. In his new plan faculties of Humanities, Economics and Law would be drasticially changed and divided into newly organized faculties and departures. As for humanities, literature and language studies would be re-organized into language section and literature section, reduced in number of students, and undergraduate and graduate would be relocated into separate campuses. Quite a few members of the Faculty of Humanities opposed this idea strongly and called for opposition widely. As to that its all faculty issued the opposition on the consensus of all faculty on September 25, 2003. <!--The department of French literature and language was one of core members in that movement. [edited to next sentence]-->The department of French literature and language was a key group in the movment. Also in 2004, Professor Masato Goda, a teacher of French literature, resigned to express his opposition toward Ishihara's educational policy. 
<!--
2003年8月1日に、石原知事は東京首都大学の構想を発表。それまで準備が進められていた[[w:東京都立大学|東京都立大学]]の組織改変の枠組みを継承せず、また文学系学科の大幅な定員削減と教員の別組織への移転を含むこの構想に、人文学部各学科は反発し、反対運動を展開していた。仏文学科はとくに活発な運動をみせ、2003年9月25日人文学科教授会が抗議声明を決議した際にも、同日仏文専攻教員は緊急アピールを学科関係者へ送付していた。また2004年には合田正人仏文学科教授が抗議のため辞職していた。-->

Berkane said "I was very shocked when I heard that. Of course we can count numbers in French, and it is used as an official language in international organisations." "I have been in Japan for 23 years. I am sad that what I have taught in that time is denigrated." Berkane said that he had sent a memorandum to Ishihara in February to ask the governer to apologize<!--changed from "to apology"--> but he had as yet received<!--from "he had got"--> no reply from Ishihara.
<!--
ベルカンヌ校長は「発言を聞いた時はショックだった。フランス語は当然、数を数えられるし国際機関でも公用語として使われている」「日本に来て23年になるが、この間教えてきたものが否定されて悲しい」と述べた。また、2月に謝罪を求め送った質問状にはまだ返事がないという。-->

On July 15, Ishihara <!--showed-->again expressed his opinion <!--again -->that French was formerly a diplomatic lingua franca but due to its complexity it had been falling back. He mentioned that no student had registered in French language lessons at the newly founded <!--fixed typo here (founeded)-->Tokyo Metropolitan University. He also stated plaintiffs should have considered seriously if his criticism was appropriate or not.

== Sources ==
*Japanese Wikinews, [[:ja:「フランス語は国際語失格」発言で石原都知事を提訴|「フランス語は国際語失格」発言で石原都知事を提訴]] (Governer of Tokyo Ishihara is sued due to his words "French language is unqualified as the international language")

*{{source|url=http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=9&id=343367
|title=Tokyo Gov Ishihara sued for insulting French language
|author=
|pub=Japan Today
|date=July 14, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=9&id=343367
|title=Tokyo governor Ishihara sued for insulting French
|author=
|pub=Khaleej Times Onine
|date=July 14, 2005}}

{{publish}}

{{PD-Article}}
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[[es:Gobernador de la prefectura de Tokio demandado por criticar la lengua francesa]]
[[ja:「フランス語は国際語失格」発言で石原都知事を提訴]]
[[Category:Tokyo]]
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Language]]
On July 13, 21 French and Japanese individuals sued Shintaro Ishihara, the governor of Tokyo, for defamation towards people who use the French language. Those 21 were French language teachers and Japanese researchers who  taught French. In 2004, Ishihara said that no one can count in the French language. Ishihara was sued for 500,000 yen (approx. US $4,457) for each plaintiff, including Malik Berkane, a French private language school owner in Tokyo.  In addition, the plaintiffs demanded that he make an apology.


On October 19, 2004, Ishihara said "French language is a language in which no one can count, therefore it seems to me reasonable that it is disqualified as an international language. People who are tied to the language have taken it upon themselves to oppose me. It is all ridiculous" in a speech Ishihara made at the inaugural celebrations of the "Tokyo U-Club". The Tokyo U-club was founded to support the foundation of Tokyo Metropolitan University (Japanese: 首都大学東京, Shuto daigaku Tokyo), which was planned by Ishihara as replacement of universities run by the Tokyo metropolitan government including the same name in English (Japanese: 東京都立大学 Tokyo Toritsu Daigaku).

On August 1, 2003, Ishihara issued his plan to found the new university. His plan had no relation to the restructuring plan of the former Tokyo Metropolitan University which had been on-going for years in cooperation with faculty and Tokyo prefectural government. In his new plan faculties of Humanities, Economics and Law would be drasticially changed and divided into newly organized faculties and departures. As for humanities, literature and language studies would be re-organized into language section and literature section, reduced in number of students, and undergraduate and graduate would be relocated into separate campuses. Quite a few members of the Faculty of Humanities opposed this idea strongly and called for opposition widely. As to that its all faculty issued the opposition on the consensus of all faculty on September 25, 2003. The department of French literature and language was a key group in the movment. Also in 2004, Professor Masato Goda, a teacher of French literature, resigned to express his opposition toward Ishihara's educational policy. 


Berkane said "I was very shocked when I heard that. Of course we can count numbers in French, and it is used as an official language in international organisations." "I have been in Japan for 23 years. I am sad that what I have taught in that time is denigrated." Berkane said that he had sent a memorandum to Ishihara in February to ask the governer to apologize but he had as yet received no reply from Ishihara.


On July 15, Ishihara again expressed his opinion that French was formerly a diplomatic lingua franca but due to its complexity it had been falling back. He mentioned that no student had registered in French language lessons at the newly founded Tokyo Metropolitan University. He also stated plaintiffs should have considered seriously if his criticism was appropriate or not.

*

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es:Gobernador de la prefectura de Tokio demandado por criticar la lengua francesa
ja:「フランス語は国際語失格」発言で石原都知事を提訴
Tokyo France Japan Politics and conflicts Crime and law Language