Urdu and Hindi

Abstract

Urdu and Hindi boast a large number of speakers worldwide—almost 800 million—even though they are not the working languages of international organizations. British Indian merchants established businesses in Japan in the late 19th century and left a significant mark in the urban cultures of Kobe and Yokohama. Their independent spirit remains in the Indian and Pakistani communities of modern Japan, which are active in business, political, religious, and educational spheres. Along with English, Urdu and Hindi are still a lingua franca among South Asians in Japan who may have different linguistic backgrounds. From fashion and food to Bollywood films, South Asian culture is popular among local Japanese, and its acceptance is supported by a relatively strong presence of South Asian studies in Japanese higher education.