Japan is taking her place as a bastion of apparent linguistic stability. The basic concept used in this paper is "language correction." The assumption is that generative rules of language produce inadequate communicative acts that may be corrected through corrective rules. Japan in the last century has passed through a number of policy-type language correction processes contributing to the creation of present-day Japanese. Following World War II great reforms of the Japanese writing system were effected through the National Language Council. The number of characters in public use was limited to 1850, character shapes were simplified and readings defined, and "kana" spelling was made almost entirely phonetic. These reforms pushed the language of the public domain and the school closer to the spoken language. However, no reforms have been implemented since then. Government corrections have frequently been made in place names and weights and measures systems. Schools place some emphasis on written language, but outside reading counterbalances this influence. Mass media also modify language. Public correction is highly developed, in lectures, publications and courses on language matters. Generally the trend is away from a "policy" approach and toward a "cultivation" approach. (CHK)