Events and Activities
Hybrid lecture ‘Animals in Japanese Society’ with Barbara Holthus

DIJ sociologist Barbara Holthus, together with Maho Cavalier (Uehara), will give a lecture on “Animals in Japanese Society – The case of companion versus farm animals” at Temple University’s Japan Campus on February 20. Addressing power imbalances in a human-centric world towards animals and the environment, their presentation focuses on how companion and farm animals are included in social norms and legal frameworks of human and non-human relationships in Japan. Barbara’s sociological qualitative and quantitative analysis explores the role of social movements advocating for companion animals, while Maho provides insights into the challenges and possibilities for improving the lives of farm animals through non-profit work. Their talk is part of Temple’s Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies’ lecture series and takes place onsite and online. Details and registration here
German Embassy and DFG Delegations visit the DIJ
In January, delegations from the German Embassy in Tokyo (photo) and from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) – German Research Foundation visited the DIJ. Headed by Ambassador Petra Sigmund, the German Embassy delegation, including Timotheus Felder-Roussety (Social Counselor) and Oliver Pieper (Head of the Research and Technology Division), visited our institute to learn about our research and outreach activities. After the presentation of our current research projects, we had an exciting discussion about the changing significance of Japan in the region, the role of China, Prime Minister Ishiba’s political agenda, digital transformation, and imaginations of the future. We also had a very fruitful exchange with the delegation from the DFG, including director Ingrid G. Krüßmann, Johanna Kowol-Santen, Aiko Sato, Saiki Hase, Gerrit Schlepper and Raoul Wagner. It was agreed to further intensify our scientific exchange and cooperation.
Open access article co-authored by Sébastien Lechevalier studies impact of digitalization on job satisfaction
A new open access paper, co-authored by DIJ’s Sébastien Lechevalier and Malo Mofakhami analyses the diverse effects of the first wave of digitalization on job satisfaction through a comparison between Japan and France. The study neither finds substantial differences between the two countries regarding the impact of digital use on work organization practices nor a direct effect of digital use on job satisfaction. However, digital use is correlated to some work organization practices, such as autonomy, flexibility, and learning, through which it has positive mediated effects. The major source of the digital divide, in terms of satisfaction, is, in both countries, related to the perceived absence of digital skills by some workers. “Assessing job satisfaction in the era of digital transformation: a comparative study of the first wave of tasks digitalization in Japan and France” is published online first in the European Business Review (Springer).
Book chapter by Carolin Fleischer-Heininger studies literary visions of the future

A new book chapter by DIJ researcher Carolin Fleischer-Heininger analyses the novel ‘Chiryō-tō’ (Therapy Station, 1990) by the Japanese Nobel Prize laureate Ōe Kenzaburō with regard to its two contrasting visions of the future. The first shows a technology-based, exclusive society of the ‘chosen’, the second an inclusive community of ‘failures’. Using the depiction of intellectual disability – particularly through the character of Hikari – the novel criticises destructive narratives of progress and creates a vision of a more humane society. The text is interpreted as a time-critical commentary on Japan’s affinity for technology and as a plea for more inclusion. Carolin’s chapter “Zwischen destruktivem Fortschritt und inklusiver Menschengerechtigkeit: Zukunftsentwürfe als Zeitkritik und Kompass in Chiryō-tō von Ōe Kenzaburō (1935–2023)” is published in the volume Regenerative Zukünfte und künstliche Intelligenz: SDG-Forschung, Konzepte, Lösungsansätze zur Nachhaltigkeit (SpringerVS 2024), co-edited by Kai Gondlach, Birgit Brinkmann, Mark Brinkmann, and Julia Plath.
DIJ expertise in German TV and radio

DIJ deputy director Barbara Holthus and historian Torsten Weber have contributed their expertise to German TV and radio features. For the ZDF documentary “The truth about our pension” (in German), Barbara Holthus explains how Japanese society has adapted to having the world’s oldest population and the lessons that Germany may learn from Japan’s experience. Barbara was also interviewed for the Nippon Navigator podcast series on a broad range of issues, including work-life balance, social movements, pets, the Tokyo Olympics, and the upcoming Expo 2025. In the history podcast “John Rabe: ‘The good German of Nanjing'” (in German), broadcast by the German radio station WDR, Torsten Weber explains the role the German businessman John Rabe played in providing help to Chinese civilians during the Japanese-Chinese War and in documenting the Japanese atrocities in Nanjing in 1937/38.
Hybrid DIJ Forum on Sustainable Food Practices in Japan
This DIJ Forum combines approaches to sustainable food practices of two different worlds within Japan. The urban landscape of Japanese cities—embodied in Shibuya’s bustling streets and iconic food vending machines—adopts an accelerated pace, catering to the fast schedules of modern Japanese life. Sustainability scholar Patricia Hein discusses Japanese approaches to food rhythms and uncovers how temporality influences sustainability practices through interviews with chefs, founders, vendors, and consumers. Farmer and local activist Eri Ōtsu shifts the focus to sustainably food production in rural Kumamoto. She illustrates the challenges and achievements of running an organic farm in rural Japan and demonstrates the possibilities of a sustainable lifestyle in Japan’s depopulating areas. Both speakers show how food is deeply tied to time, place, and seasonality in two different regions within the country. The event will be held in English, admission is free. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session and a small reception. Details and registration here
Eri Ōtsu, O2 Farm (Minamiaso, Kumamoto)
Hybrid DIJ Study Group on Generative AI and the Question of Authorship
Whether in Japan or elsewhere, the creation of books has never been an individual endeavor. The AI boom following the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022 sparked debates on the ethical use of generative tools and copyright issues. At the same time, however, it also prompted a reconsideration of the inherent fluidity of authorship as a concept in both arts and literature. This presentation examines how authorship is negotiated in contemporary Japanese literature in the context of AI. Focusing on several case studies it argues that each of them demonstrates how the notion of who (and what) can be an “author” has been gradually expanding over the past decades. Details and registration here
DIJ Newsletter Winter 2024/25
The winter issue of our DIJ Newsletter features updates on our research, publications, and events as well as news from the Institute, our team, and our alumni. We hope you will enjoy exploring this new edition of the DIJ Newsletter. If you haven’t done so yet, you can subscribe to receive our Newsletters directly to your inbox. The full issues and subscription form are available here.