from wikipedia: The relationship of the Japonic (or Japanese–Ryukyuan) languages to other languages and language families is controversial. There are numerous hypotheses, none of which are generally accepted. also: Linguists traditionally consider the Japonic languages to belong to an independent family. furthermore: a Japonic–Korean grouping is widely considered plausible. Independent of the question of a Japonic–Korean connection, both the Japonic languages and Korean were often included in the largely discredited Altaic family.