In 1907, amidst the national triumph following the Russo-Japanese War and the domestic unrest symbolised by the Hibiya riots, Haga Yaichi published Kokuminsei jūron [Ten Essays on National Character]. As an heir to the kokugaku tradition, a “father” of Japan’s literary canon, and a transmitter of German philology, Haga identified ten characteristics of the Japanese people in this widely circulated volume. While scholars in the 1970s embraced it as a precursor to nihonjinron, recent scholarship has reinterpreted it primarily as a tool of governmental suppression. This presentation challenges both interpretations through a close reading and contextual analysis. It aims to expand our understanding beyond familiar themes of imperial loyalism or agrarian nostalgia, reframing kokuminsei as a dynamic site of identity production.  Details and registration here

This hybrid bilingual workshop focuses on local initiatives in response to the current challenges facing regional Japan, exemplified by the city of Hita in Ōita Prefecture. The event combines the perspectives of two scholars on this area in Northern Kyushu and one practitioner from the field. It addresses aspects of local resilience in times of disruption and postgrowth. The speakers illustrate two different revitalization approaches, displaying the merits and limitations of tourist-based machizukuri, or “town-making” activities.  The aim of the workshop is to critically engage in a discussion about adaptation processes in rural Japan. Investigating the same region from three different angles promises a more nuanced understanding of social dynamics and societal change. After the three presentations, a panel discussion including Q&A will conclude the event. Details and registration here

This talk provides an overview of the economic and political impacts of the presence of U.S. military bases in Japan. International relations research has traditionally examined U.S. bases qualitatively, treating them as an outcome of U.S. global security strategy. In contrast, military economics focus on the economic effects of base closures and realignments in the United States and Europe. Studies examining the impact of U.S. bases on Japan remain scarce. This research addresses this gap by presenting the historical and strategic background of U.S. bases in Japan, alongside empirical evidence and case studies that illustrate the effects of these bases on surrounding communities. The project employs a mixed-methods design and explores the relationship between U.S. bases and Japanese municipalities using the original dataset “The United States Bases in Japan”, which draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Details and registration here

Was the postwar economic miracle a result of the Japanese government’s industrial policy, or did it occur despite it? Numerous studies on the effects of government policy on industrial growth have produced contradictory or inconclusive findings. In this talk, Krautter argues that one of the main instruments of industrial policy toward growth industries was the licensing system for technology imports.  Focusing on technology policy, he finds that the licensing system positively influenced the terms and conditions of technology imports. Krautter contends that the government’s role in postwar industrial development was more that of a coordinator rather than of a “leader” or “guide.” This view is reflected in the description of the Japanese state as a coordination state, contrasting with the well-known concept of the developmental state. Details and registration here

Die Jause geht weiter! In Frankreich ist das café philosophique eine Veranstaltung zum Philosophieren, an der jede Person teilnehmen kann. Auch in Japan gibt es bereits ähnliche Programme auf dem Land. The University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy (UTCP) und das Deutsche Institut für Japanstudien (DIJ) organisieren gemeinsam ein philosophisches Café auch in Tokyo, allerdings mit einer kleinen Besonderheit: Wir möchten deutschsprachigen Personen die Möglichkeit des Austauschs bieten und daher das Café auf Deutsch abhalten. Das Organisationsteam (Yukiko Kuwayama, UTCP und Sebastian Polak-Rottmann, DIJ) freut sich, Sie wieder ins DIJ Tokyo einzuladen, um gemeinsam in entspannter Atmosphäre über ein Thema zu diskutieren. Fachliche Vorkenntnisse benötigen Sie nicht. Bei Interesse melden Sie sich bitte bis zum 12. Dezember an. Weitere Informationen hier

Rape represents a recurring theme in Japanese women’s literature. Even the earliest works created by Japanese women tell of rape, though over time these stories have been usurped and reinterpreted as tales of seduction and eroticism. While this reflects an androcentric worldview that still shapes perceptions of rape, Japanese women writers have long offered criticism and counter-concepts. Since the 1980s, as the discussion about sexual violence against women began in Japan, women authors have used literature to challenge androcentric conceptualizations of rape by writing from a female rape survivor’s perspective, criticizing romanticized and eroticized depictions by male authors. They contribute to breaking the taboo surrounding rape in everyday life, offering insight into women’s experiences and survival. This presentation examines selected works by contemporary Japanese women writers since the 1980s, comparing depictions of rape, trauma, and societal responses to show changes in the perception of raped women. Details and registration here

Speaker: Marija Tomic, University of Vienna/DIJ Tokyo