Ryukyuan languages Amami Kunigami Okinawan Miyako Yaeyama Yonaguni Japonic language family Ainu language language isolate moribund Korean Zainichi Korean dialect Chinese Portuguese Ainu Ryukyu Islands Japonic Okinawa Japanese
Besides Japanese, the Ryukyuan languages (Amami, Kunigami, Okinawan, Miyako, Yaeyama, Yonaguni), part of the Japonic language family, are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands chain. Few children learn these languages, but local governments have sought to increase awareness of the traditional languages. The Ainu language, which is a language isolate, is moribund, with only a few native speakers remaining as of 2014. Additionally, a number of other languages are taught and used by ethnic minorities, immigrant communities, and a growing number of foreign-language students, such as Korean (including a distinct Zainichi Korean dialect), Chinese and Portuguese.
