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Quantitative applied linguistics research often takes place in restricted settings of an intact language classroom, workplace, phonetics laboratory or longitudinal sample. In such settings the samples tend to be small, which raises several methodological problems. The main aim of the current paper is to give a detailed explanation of methodological and practical implications inherent in a robust statistical method called bootstrapped quantile regression (BQR) analysis. Importantly for applied linguistics research, the BQR method could help to deal with methodological difficulties inherent in small sample studies. The current study employed a moderately small sample (N = 27) of students learning the Japanese language in a Malaysian public university. It examined the relationships between the students’ language learning motivation (specifically, integrative orientation), the students’ images or stereotypes about Japan and their global attitudes toward the target language country and its people. The findings indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between the students’ attitudes toward the target language country and their integrative orientation. In addition, these attitudes were found to be the most constant determinant of the integrative orientation. Besides the applied linguistics research, the BQR method can be used in a variety of the human sciences research where a sample size is small.

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Sports diplomacy possesses the power to bring the best of the human spirit by affirming shared aspirations. Olympic Games share a similar propensity to bring people together across boundaries regardless of race, nationality, religion, income and country, reinforcing the true basis of sportsmanship and solidarity between all nations and spectators. The Tokyo Olympics, which were originally scheduled to take place in Japan in 1940, was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War Two. Likewise, the 2020 Olympic Games was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While 80 years ago, amidst the war, Japan faced backlash before it cancelled the Olympic Games, the effect of the re-scheduled 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that such confrontational attitude has been replaced by understanding and solidarity from the global community of the consequences of hosting the games. Using a qualitative method, this article explores the differences in perceptions towards Japan during the 1940s which was overshadowed by war and the year 2020 which continues to be blanketed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the data published by JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co., for the period beginning 1990 until 2019, the growth rate of inbound tourism in Japan has shown a steady increase which resulted in an average of 11.5% every year. This encouraging development was the result of the full-fledged ‘‘Inbound Tourism Initiative’’ campaign launched in 2003, which originally aimed at attracting 10 million foreign tourists to Japan in 2010. However, it is undeniable that there were so many challenges Japan had to overcome alongside that process due to problems that arise out of things beyond control such as natural disasters and epidemics. This article discusses in detail the volatile situation plaguing the inbound tourism industry in Japan. Analyzing from one single perspective that is why people would or would not travel to Japan, this paper seeks to observe how Japan managed to realize the inbound tourism rebound after disasters and epidemics. By employing secondary data analysis, this effort aims to present data about the determinants and factors influencing inbound tourism to Japan from as many countries as possible. This work will then examine in depth the challenges and opportunities that Japan might need to deal with in addressing the impact of COVID-19 on inbound tourism by taking Malaysia as a case study.