

Their contracts were for three years, but they could renew their contracts if they wished. After that, approximately 1,000 Chinese laborers worked on the island each year. In 1907, Chinese laborers were first brought to the island in order to dig for phosphate. And Okamura (2007) advanced research a little further with regards to the nature of the language. Siegel (1990) is the first scholar to have analyzed the use of the language on Nauru. There is another contact language called Pidgin English. All of the various interviews were conducted in Japan in March 2000, and in Nauru in June 2000. The average age of those interviewed was 83. There used to be many members in the past, and they organized a meeting each year, but there are fewer than ten members today since many have died, and those who are still alive are too old to actively participate and volunteer in the group.

The “ Nauru Tsuushinkai” is a group of Japanese veterans who experienced war in Nauru. It is impossible to ask higher-ranking officers because they have all already died or were executed by Allied forces.

However, those who were interviewed by the author arrived on Nauru after 1943 so they did not know directly what had happened before then. Japanese soldiers who served in Nauru were also interviewed. The results reflect the different roles of men and women in wartime. The respondents were grouped according to age and sex. Six Nauruans were interviewed in order to understand the actual conditions in relation to Japanese language teaching in Nauru. Since archival records are insufficient in terms of quantity, interviews were conducted. Thus, Okamura (2002), through interviews, explored in detail this question. The actual situation regarding Japanese language teaching in Nauru during the occupation has never been examined. Japan tried to facilitate a consciousness of membership in the Japanese Empire among the local people and to obtain phosphate for development. In August 1942, Japan occupied the island.
