The popularity of contemporary Japanese culture in Britain is helping to fuel a growing number of applications to study Japanese at universities, academics said.
Whereas in the 1980s the prime motivating factor for learning Japanese was business, today's reasons are more diverse, they said. Many people are choosing the subject because of their interest in modern-day aspects of Japan such as "manga" (comics), "anime" (animation) design and fashion.
But academics also believe the increasing number of children learning Japanese in schools — estimated to be around 10,000 — is also spurring interest.