Disturbances in microbiomes both at human and ecosystemic levels are resulting in serious health and environmental crises. Science and Technology Studies is beginning to analyze how fermented foods and fermentation are becoming a part of the commodified wellness market and a space of critical reflection on modern antibiotic relations. Using the case of tsukemono or Japanese pickles, the modern antibiotic turn and its contemporary probiotic modulation will be analyzed using both historical and ethnographic data. The case of tsukemono offers insights into the challenges of the Anthropocene and its impacts on microbiome that take stock of existing linguistic and cultural heritage. 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

On November 11, 2024, the Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to the anti-nuclear weapons movement Nihon Hidankyō. This decision not only acknowledged the movement’s ongoing commitment, shaped by its members’ traumatic experiences of ‘Hiroshima’ and ‘Nagasaki’. It was also an attempt to shape the present and imaginatively construct possible livable futures. Likewise, written history is often considered a fiction that primarily contributes to the formation, stabilization, and self-assertion of nation-states. In Japan, dominant historical narratives, such as Japanese victimization, have been foundational since the post-war period. The participants in the workshop Revisiting the Asia-Pacific War in Japan: Cultural Artifacts and Intellectual Discourse, organised by DIJ researcher Carolin Fleischer-Heininger, will explore how these narratives are being selectively contested by cultural artifacts and counter discourses. This event is part of the Max Weber Foundation series The Ends of War. International Perspectives on World War II. Details and registration here

When evaluating cases involving legal relationships between private individuals with cross-border elements Japanese courts determine which jurisdiction’s law shall be applied to the legal relationship using a set of rules called “Private International Law”. Based on the “Savignian approach” to Private International Law, Japan strives to apply the law that it considers most closely connected to the specific legal relationship. In this context, the so-called Public Policy clause provides a crucial safeguard. If the application of foreign law results in a violation of “public policy and good morals,” this clause enables Japanese judges to exclude the foreign law from application. This presentation will analyze the doctrinal development and practical application of the Public Policy clause, illustrating under which circumstances and conditions Japanese courts invoke it. Details and registration here