「民族(みんぞく)」一詞是19 世紀末做為「nation」的譯語所創造出的詞彙， 此前在東亞世界不存在「民族(みんぞく)」的概念。高舉王政復古以圖加入近代國 家的日本，從神話尋求民族起源，雖然創造出「大和民族」的概念，但回溯古代的 民族設定也同時誕生「不歸順」大和民族的出雲、蝦夷、熊襲等民族。以如此混和 民族論為主流的日本中，為何在戰後為轉為單一民族論呢？筆者認為其中也有環繞 著現代日本人的民族認同與民族認定的問題之根源。本文從出雲民族論的視角，掌 握以大和為中心的nation building，理解日本人內部的多元性，再探討一種「立基 於民族融合的克服以及多元國家觀」的民族意識的再建構。

In the interests of forging the nation state, Japanese leaders in the Meiji period (1867-1912) created a national consciousness based on the ancient Japanese texts Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), written in CE 712, and the Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan), written in CE 720. They were originally used as the ideological foundations of the “Oseifukko” (Restoration) which justified the abolition of the shogunate as well as regency rule, and the revival of imperial rule for the first time in about a thousand years. Consequently, and from the middle of the Meiji period until the end of World War II, the ideology of Japan as a multi-ethnic nation including the Yamato (Tenson), Izumo, Emishi, Kumaso, Hayato, Ainu and other groups was mainstream. However, after 1945, and especially during the 1960s as Japan entered a period of accelerated economic development (which resulted in dramatic changes in social structure and popular consciousness), references to Japan as a “homogenous country” and “homogenous society” emerged and became dominant. This shift was of great significance for conceptions of national identity of the Japanese people and their recognition of national or ethnic groups. In this article, I discuss the deconstruction of the illusion of a homogeneous society (also known as the “fusion of ethnic groups” or “melting pot” theory in Japan), and the reconstruction of a multi-ethnic identity comfortable with its internal diversity, and able to acknowledge groups such as the Izumo which are different in terms of their historical origins, cultures and language from the majority Yamato people.