>>420
419 here.
It might happen... but if it does, it certainly shouldn't be a human initiative... as you said, culture changes and grows... by itself. Your point of view in this matter is ethnocentric, as you're viewing a culture that is not your own from the outside and judging it. Ask any Japanese, and 99% of them will tell you that they have no intention of getting rid of Kanji any time soon. Before Hiragana and Katakana were developed, Kanji were all they had. For what your proposing (phasing out Kanji) to even be an idea worth glancing at, it would have to be considered a 'social problem' by enough Japanese so that they'd start a movement to do just that. Until then, Kanji are here to stay.
Also, I'd like to point out for 416 that Kanji are part of the Japanese language... words written are as good as those spoken.
Also, I'd like to point out that they're called "Kanji" in Japanese. "Hanzi" is Chinese.