History and Structure
The DIJ was established in 1988, at a time when Japan’s economic might was at its peak and relationships between the second and third largest economies of the world intensified on all levels. It was felt that in Germany too little was known about Asia’s most advanced industrial democracy. The new research institute charged with investigating contemporary Japan, its economy, society, politics, and culture, was meant to reduce this information deficit. Bilateral relations between Germany and Japan, both in the past and at present, should receive special attention.
From 1988 to 2002, the German Institute for Japanese Studies was financed by the Philipp Franz von Siebold Foundation which had been set up by the German to this end. In 2002 the Institute was integrated into the newly created body Stiftung Deutsche Geisteswissenschaftliche Institute im Ausland (DGIA, http://www.stiftung-dgia.de/), an umbrella organization which is funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research. It comprises ten research institutes abroad and its office in Bonn.
The DIJ is independent in setting its research agenda. It reports to the council of the DGIA foundation and is advised in its research activities by a scientific advisory board. The academic staff of the Institute consists of the director, usually a German university professor on leave of absence from his or her university chair, and twelve research fellows.
Foundation Council
- Representatives of the Federal Government
- Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
- Max Planck Society
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
- Representatives of the Advisory Boards
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Heinz Duchhardt
Advisory Board
Honorary Advisor:
Professor Dr Okamoto Michio, Director of the International Institute for Advanced Studies, Kyoto
Advisors:
- Professor Dr. Dr. Christian Kirchner, Humboldt-University Berlin (Head of the Advisory Board)
- Professor Masahiko Aoki Ph.D., Hitotsubashi University
- Prof. Dr. Gesine Foljanty-Jost, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU)
- Prof. Dr. Kaori Hayashi, University of Tokyo
- Professor Dr. Steffi Richter, University of Leipzig
- Professor Dr. Wolfgang Seifert, University of Heidelberg
- Professor Karen Shire Ph.D., University Duisburg-Essen
- Prof. Dr. Gisela Trommsdorff, University of Konstanz
- Prof. Dr. Klaus Vollmer, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich
Goals and Tasks
By investigating the economy, society, politics and culture of contemporary Japan as well as Japanese-German relations, the DIJ seeks to advance knowledge about Japan and contribute to mutual understanding. To this end the Institute
- develops a research agenda;
- provides doctoral fellowships to graduate students and supports their studies in Japan;
- seeks the cooperation of Japanese institutions and scholars;
- maintains a research library.
The DIJ also sees itself as an "on-site" center for research on Japan, actively involved in international cooperation. |
