Events
January - December 2014
Arts & Culture

Business & Government

Education

Lectures

LifestyleSpecial Events

For more information or to book for Japan Society events,
please visit the website or contact the office.

The Japan Society, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace, London NW1 4QP

tel: 020 7935 0475 email: info@japansociety.org.uk www.japansociety.org.uk
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Can Tokyo become a world financial centre in the
Asia-Pacific as London is in Europe?

Friday 17 January 2014

9.15am - 1.00pm

The Royal Institute of International Affairs
Chatham House
10 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4LE
Free for Japan Society members and their guests
Booking essential
Booking deadline – Wednesday 15 January
As the capital of one of the world’s largest ­economies,
Tokyo’s position as a global hub is ­challenged by­other competitive financial centres in Asia, suchas Hong Kong, Singapore and ­Shanghai. The­Japanese government is trying to develop further
its financial market through several initiatives. On
one hand, it is using Japanese Government Bonds
to ­accelerate ­Japan’s strategic investments. On theother, it is ­encouraging the private sector to expand
the ­domestic and international corporate bond­markets, and to broker capital from all over the world.
­Combined with the ‘arrows’ of Abenomics, the 2020
Olympic Games will have a significant effect insideand outside of Tokyo, with positive impacts on thelocal equity market, as shown by the experience ofLondon 2012.
This roundtable, with a keynote speech from the­Japan Bank for International Cooperation’s current
CEO Mr Hiroshi Watanabe, will focus on the ­potential
role of Tokyo as a global mega-city and financial
centre in the Asia-Pacific, offering opportunities forcomparison with London, Hong Kong, Singapore
and Shanghai.
To book, please email ­internationaleconomics@
chathamhouse.org, mentioning that you have­registered through the Japan Society.

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Organised by:
Chatham House
Supported by:
Japan External Trade Organisation in London, Daiwa Capital­Markets, the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese ­Foundation, AstraZeneca,
Hitachi, and Development Bank of Japan.

Found in Translation: An Architectural Exchange
Between Glasgow, Berlin and Japan - Neil Jackson

Monday 20 January 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free – booking recommended
Nearest underground station: Holborn
Light refreshments will be provided
In 1866, Yamao Yōzō, one of the Chōshū Five, cameto work and study in Glasgow and there began a
relationship between that great port city and Japan
which developed to such an extent that, by the endof the century, there were more Japanese ­living
in Glasgow than in any other British city outside­London.
The effect of Japanese culture upon the artists andarchitects of Glasgow was soon apparent, from thepaintings of the Glasgow Boys to the graphic ­design
and architecture of Charles Rennie ­Mackintosh.
­Although Mackintosh, unlike the Glasgow Boys,
never visited Japan, there is a presence in his work
which extends far beyond the Japonisme of latenineteenth-century fashion. The connection to­Japan, which made this possible, came throughhis close friendship with the German architect andwriter, Hermann Muthesius. This illustrated lecture
argues that it was Muthesius’s first-hand knowledgeof Japan, as well as Glasgow’s Japanese zeitgeist,
which allowed Mackintosh’s most famous building,the Glasgow School of Art (pictured), to assume suchan idiosyncratic yet, at the same time, recognisably
Japanese appearance.
Neil Jackson is currently a Professorial Research­Associate in the Japanese Research Centre at
SOAS (the School of African and Oriental Studies),­University of London. He also holds the Charles Reilly
Chair in Architecture at the University of Liverpool,has published widely and is currently working on
a new book, Japan and the West: An Architectural­Dialogue.

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In

association‘2020 Vision’: insights from the London 2012 Games– Lord Deighton

Thursday 30 January 2014

6.00 for 6.30pm

Simmons & Simmons LLP
CityPoint
One Ropemaker Street
London EC2Y 9SS
Free for Japan Society members and their guests
Booking essential
Booking deadline – Tuesday 28 January
In this lecture, Lord Deighton, Commercial ­Secretary
to the Treasury and former CEO of LOCOG, will share
his insights on London’s experiences during the­run-up to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics anddiscuss lessons which can be passed to the 2020
Games organisers in Japan.
Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Games proved successful inthe summer of 2013, at a time when the triumphs
and challenges of the 2012 Games were still freshin the British consciousness. One of Lord Deighton’s
key responsibilities as a Government minister is for­infrastructure and for the delivery of new projects
across the public sector. His Olympic experienceis hugely relevant to these responsibilities; he will
speak about how these can be applied to some of
the major decisions now facing the Government andalso all those companies investing in the UK.
The Japan Society is most grateful to Simmons &Simmons LLP for kindly hosting this event.
The Rt Hon The Lord Deighton KBE joined theTreasury following his role as Chief Executive of the
London Organising Committee of the Olympic andParalympic Games. Over six and a half years as CEO
he was in charge of the day-to-day operations of theCommittee, overseeing £700 million of contracts to
help deliver the hugely successful Games. Prior tojoining London 2012, he was the Chief Operating­Officer of Goldman Sachs in Europe, and a member
of its European Management Committee.

Japanese early-modern ephemera: the world of
Shioya Kihei’s single-sheet prints – Laura Moretti

Monday 17 February 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on
Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free – booking recommended
Nearest underground station: Holborn
Light refreshments will be provided
This talk explores the world of the single-sheet prints
published by the Osaka publisher and ­bookseller
Shioya Kihei in the first half of the nineteenth­century. Overlooked in both Western and ­Japanese­scholarship because of their intrinsic popular ­nature,
Shioya Kihei’s corpus of broadsides takes the shapeof a vast collection of practical, educational and­humorous pieces of illustrated writing, which ­provide
the readers with knowledge and topical information
while keeping them entertained.
Being the first study on this material, the present talkwill address a broad range of questions. The close
reading of selected examples will give further ­insights
in the multifarious nature of these ­broadsides andoriginals will be shown in order to offer a clear ideaof the materiality of these objects.
For the specialist of Japanese Studies, the talkwill shed light on a little known field in Japanese­literature and book history. For the non-specialist,
it will prompt reflections on the existence and on
the meaning of printed ephemera in early-modern­Japan and encourage comparisons with examples ofbroadsides in early-modern Europe.

Dr Laura Moretti is Lecturer in Pre-Modern JapaneseStudies at the University of Cambridge. Her field isJapanese early-modern literature, with a specificfocus on popular prose. She is the author of various­articles among which are ‘The Japanese early-­
modern publishing market unveiled: a survey of Edoperiod booksellers’ catalogues’, East Asian Publishingand Society 2:2 (2012), pp. 199-308.

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association

Lecture by Tim Hitchens,
British Ambassador to Japan

Monday 3 March 20145.30 for 6.00pm

Nomura International plc
One Angel Lane
London EC4R 3AB
Free for Japan Society members and their guests
Booking essential
Booking deadline – Friday 28 February
There will be a reception following the talkIn this year’s annual update to the Society by the­British Ambassador to Japan, Tim Hitchens will share
his views on the political, diplomatic and commercial
situation in Japan from his unique perspective as theUK’s representative in Tokyo. Mr Hitchens has beenin his post for just over a year and this talk will bechaired by his predecessor, Sir David Warren.
The Society’s annual lecture by the current ­British­Ambassador invariably provides a very useful­background to the year ahead. The Ambassador will
speak for about 30-40 minutes, after which there will
be time for ­off-the-record discussion and questions.
There will be a reception immediately after the­lecture, and the Japan Society is most grateful to
Nomura International plc for kindly hosting thisevent.
Tim Hitchens CMG, LVO read English at Cambridge.
He joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Officein 1983 and has since held posts in Tokyo (19851989), Islamabad and Paris, as well as increasingly­senior roles in London. He was Director for European­Political Affairs (2008-2010) and Director for Africa(2010-2012). He and his family moved to Tokyo in
December 2012 and he speaks fluent Japanese.

Constructing Community and Affirming Culture:
Canadians of Japanese Descent in Postwar Canada– Jonathan Mackintosh

Monday 17 March 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on
Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free – booking recommended
Nearest underground station: Holborn
Light refreshments will be provided
On 1 April 1949, the Canadian Government lifted thelast of the restrictions it had placed on the Canadiansof Japanese descent at the beginning of the ­Second
World War. The seven-year-long incarceration thatmuch of this population were forced to endure hadcome to an end. But what happened next? This
talk considers some of the ways we might begin
to ­approach this important if largely unexplored­question.
In 2011, Dr Jonathan D Mackintosh commenced aseries of oral history interviews in western Canada,
as well as preliminary archival research. His research
considers how the Canadians of Japanese descentemerged from the trauma of the Second World War
to construct their communities anew. With its focus
on the Nisei (second generation), it explores the­difficulties that individuals and groups faced and thesuccesses that they achieved.
Dr Jonathan D Mackintosh gained his PhD in­Japanese Studies at University of Cambridge in2005. He is Lecturer in World History at Plymouth­University. His research interests include genderand sexuality in twentieth century Japan and East
Asia, and more recently, the history of trans-Pacificmigrations of Japanese (the ‘Japanese Diaspora’).
He is author of Homosexuality and Manliness inPostwar Japan (Routledge, 2009) which explores therepresentation of masculinity, the male body, andmale-male ­relationships in the context of Japanesecultural, racial, and national identity.

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In
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Hosted by:

Joint Lunch with the JCCI: ‘More open for business’:
Corporate governance and engagement in Japan– Takafumi Sato

Friday 21 March 201412.30 for 1.00pm

The National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE£50 per head for members of the Japan­Society, the JCCI and their guests
Booking essential
Booking deadline - Wednesday 19 MarchThe Japan Society and the Japanese Chamber of­Commerce and Industry in the UK are delighted towelcome Dr Takafumi Sato, President of Tokyo Stock
Exchange Regulation, as the guest of honour at theirfirst joint lunch of 2014.
In the wake of financial scandals affecting markets
across the world, and as Tokyo strengthens its position
as a world financial centre, the role of the ­independent
self-regulatory arm of the Tokyo Stock Exchange­becomes increasingly important. In summer 2013,
the 1,100 companies which previously traded only
on the Osaka Stock Exchange were merged into theTSE, ­making it the third largest bourse by number of­companies listed. TSE Regulation specialises in the
self-regulation of financial instruments exchanges
comprised of ­listing ­examination, listed company­compliance, market ­surveillance, and participant­examination and ­inspection. It operates ­independentlyof the exchange market operators. Dr Sato’s careerin ­financial regulation and oversight makes him­particularly well-qualified to speak on this crucial areaof business.
Takafumi Sato joined the Ministry of Finance in 1973,
and has served as a Japanese government official for­almost forty years. Before taking up his current ­positionin June 2013, he was Professor of the Graduate School ofCommerce and Management, Hitotsubashi ­University(2010-2012), and Commissioner of Japan’s Financial
Services Agency (2007-2009). He has read Economics at
Nagoya University (PhD, 2002), the University of Oxford(MPhil, 1977), and Hitotsubashi University (BA, 1973).

The Indispensable Nation:
Can Japan save the world in the 21st century?

Tuesday 1 April 20146.30pmThe Japan Foundation
Russell Square House
10-12 Russell Square
London WC1B 5EHFree admission
Booking essential – places are limited
It is hard to find anyone in Japan, suggests Roger­Pulvers, who is optimistic about the future of the­country – other than members of the ruling ­Liberal
Democratic Party. The swelling national debt, the­denial of the country’s past transgressions in Asia, theominous moves to reverse the course of the country’s
peaceful diplomacy and replace it with a threatening
aggressive stance – all these darken the clouds of agathering storm over East Asia.
Is Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s ‘beautiful Japan’ theonly past that people can turn to in order to give thema justified pride in their nation? This lecture considers‘­another Japan’ – and a mainstream one, at that – which
offers positive and practical hope for the country.
The basis for this alternate ethos is found in the ethical,
cultural and social values, expressed in the works ofmany of the nation’s artists, writers and thinkers. Roger
Pulvers argues that, through these values, particularly
as described in the works of poet Miyazawa Kenji, film
director Ozu Yasujiro, essayist Shirasu Masako and­playwright Inoue Hisashi, the Japanese can free theirnation from the trap of today’s political retrogression
and give the world a model of genuine progress worth
emulating.
Roger Pulvers is a prolific author, playwright, theatre
director and translator, who has published more than
40 books, including several novels and plays written in
Japanese.

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Co-organised by:

Hosted by:

Book launch: The art lover’s guide to
Japanese museums by Sophie Richard

Tuesday 8 April 2014

6.00 - 8.00pm

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QP
Free to attend
Booking via the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
Copies of The art lover’s guide to Japanese­museums will be available to purchase at the event
The Japan Society is delighted to announce the­London launch of a new publication on Japanese art
museums by Sophie Richard.
The museums of Japan feature rich collections
and excellent exhibitions in world-class galleries.
Yet they can be difficult to navigate without firsthand ­knowledge. The art lover’s guide to Japanese­Museums acts as a personal guide, introducing­readers to some of the most distinctive and ­inspiring
museums in the country. In depth information is­given about each listed venue, including the story
behind their creation. From magnificent traditionalarts to fascinating artist’s houses and from sleek­contemporary museums to idiosyncratic ­galleries,
museums are the perfect gateway to discover­Japan’s culture both past and present.
Sophie Richard is a freelance art historian. ­Educatedat the Ecole du Louvre and the Sorbonne in Paris,
she worked in the art world in New York ­before­moving to London where she is now based. She
has ­travelled to Japan many times during the last 10
years. ­Passionate about Japanese arts and culture,
she set to explore the country’s many museums.
In the course of her research she has interviewed­museum ­curators and directors, visiting over 100
venues across the country. Her articles on Japanesemuseums have appeared in magazines in America
and the United Kingdom. Her first book, ­The art­lover’s guide to Japanese ­Museums, is published by
the Japan Society.

The Ceramics of North-East Japan – David Hale

Monday 14 April 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free admission
Japanese sake and light refreshments will beserved following the lecture
In this illustrated lecture, collector David Hale will
give an overview of the contemporary and historical­ceramics of the Tohoku region, a subject on which hisbook, Ceramics of North-east Japan, remains the solework.
After taking up his wife Anne’s hobby of pottery ­making
at the local Tsutsumi kiln, Hale became ­fascinatedby the ceramics of the Tohoku region and began
to ­research contemporary pottery (1966 – 72) and­historical ­examples of local ceramics. Gradually the
Hales ­acquired a collection of pots from all the ­existingkilns and individual potters as well as from many of
the historical kilns. They carefully documented theirtrips around the region, interviewing potters and­photographing the processes involved.
This research was transformed into a book project ­afterDavid was introduced to a publisher, Yūzan Kaku ofTokyo, by international ceramics scholar, Koyama Fujio.
A Japanese translation of David’s original appeared in1974 but the English text has yet to be published.
To conclude, David will reflect on his return to Sendai
in October 2013 after an interval of forty years. In spiteof several decades of economic pressure, and setbacks
following the disastrous earthquake, tsunami, and theensuing radiation in March 2011, many Tohoku kilns
are alive and well. Traditions and characteristics havelargely been maintained and there are some ­interesting
new developments.
David Hale is the author of Ceramics of North-East­Japan (Tohoku-no Yakimono) published in Japanese by
Yūzan Kaku, Tokyo, 1974.

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Japanese Conversation Group Hanami Picnic

Saturday 26 April 2014

1.00 – 11.30pm

Kensington Gardens
London W2 2UH(Meeting on the east side of the Albert Memorial)

Joint Lunch with the JCCI:The Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP,
Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Wednesday 14 May 201412.30 for 1.00pm

The Caledonian Club9 Halkin St
London SW1X 7DR

No booking required£60 per head for members of the Japan­Society, the JCCI and their guests

The Japanese Conversation Group will be holding
their annual Hanami cherry blossom viewing party in
Kensington Gardens, under the cherry trees close to
the Albert Memorial, from around 1pm on ­Saturday
26 April. Complimentary sushi will be provided earlyin the afternoon, and of course you may bring alongas much additional food and drink as you care toshare or enjoy!

Booking deadline – Monday 12 May

This is a popular event and friends and family arewelcome, regardless of Japanese language ability.
You can pop by whenever you like, or stay the wholeday. The day will round off with a trip to the nearby
Queens Arms pub (30 Queens Gate Mews, SW7 5QL),
which sports an excellent range of English and continental beers, from about 5-6pm, or earlier if theweather does not prove co-operative.

For their second joint lunch of 2014, the Japan­Society and the Japanese Chamber of Commerceand Industry in the UK are delighted to welcome theRt Hon Danny Alexander MP, Chief Secretary to theTreasury.
The next eighteen months may prove to be a­tumultuous period in British politics. The European
Parliament elections on 22 May could fundamentallychange the way that the UK relates to the EU. Debate
surrounding the Scottish independence referendumin September is steadily intensifying, with both sides
refusing to back down from their stated aims, and as
next year’s general election draws closer, the major
political parties and others are beginning to assert
their differences to gain and maintain votes.
As one of the ‘Quad’ of high-ranking figures in thecoalition, and as the second-highest-ranking ­Liberal
Democrat in government, Danny Alexander is­qualified to speak on all of these matters and more.
Danny Alexander was elected to Parliament as the MP
for Inverness, Nairn, and Badenoch & Strathspey in2005. Prior to assuming his current role in June 2010
he acted as Secretary of State for Scotland (2010),
Chief of Staff to Nick Clegg (2008-2010) and ­Shadow
Secretary for Work and Pensions (­2007-2008). ­Before
being elected to Parliament Mr ­Alexander had
worked in communications for ­Cairngorms National
Park Authority (2004-2005), Britain in Europe (19992004) and the European Movement (1996-1999). He
read Politics, Philosophy and Economics St Anne’s
College, Oxford (1990).

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Competing Identities:
Japan, the Koreas, and Missed Opportunities– John Swenson-WrightMonday 19 May 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free admission
Japanese sake and light refreshments will beserved following the lecture
Since 2011, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) andthe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
have all undergone important leadership ­transitions.
Abe Shinzo, Park Geun-hye and Kim Jong-un each,in their different ways, reflect both important­historical continuities and new opportunities for a­breakthrough in diplomatic relations in Northeast
Asia.
Notwithstanding this important change in ­leadership,
Japan’s relationship with the Korean ­peninsula­remains mired in controversy and the ­opportunities
for an improvement in ties between Tokyo, Seoul
and Pyongyang seem frustratingly ­limited. How
much of this is a function of historical disputes,­geopolitical tensions, or personal ­proclivities on thepart of ­individual leaders? To what extent might­external actors, whether the United States or China,offer a way out of the current predicament? This talkconsiders the current situation, drawing upon recent
visits to Seoul, Tokyo and Pyongyang, and also fromfindings from the British archives.
John Swenson-Wright is Senior University Lecturer
in Modern Japanese Studies and fellow of Darwin
College, Cambridge. He has a BA from Christ Church,
Oxford, an MA from SAIS, Johns Hopkins, and a DPhil.
From St. Antony’s, Oxford. His publications include
Unequal Allies? United States Security and Alliance
Policy Towards Japan, 1945-1960 (Stanford, 2005),
The Best Course Available. A Personal Account of theSecret U.S.-Japan Okinawa Reversion Negotiations(Hawaii, 2002), (with Ruediger Frank) and Security
Issues for Northeast Asia: Korea and East Asia: The
Stony Road to Collective Security (Brill, 2013).

Maritime Security for the Shipping Industry

Thursday 22 May 2014

6.00pmJETRO
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London WC1V 6AL£12 for members of Japan Society & JCCI and
those introduced by JETRO£18 for non members

Booking essential
Booking deadline – Monday 19 May
In November 2013, Japan passed legislation allowing Japanese registered shipping companies todeploy privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) with firearms aboard Japanese-flagged
vessels when passing through piracy hotspots in the
Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea. It
brings Japan’s registered shipping industry closer
into line with practices increasingly being adopted
by the rest of the world, when shipping passes
through areas at high risk to piracy.
Maritime security is a global issue, which affects allnations with merchant fleets; London, as the centreof the global insurance and maritime legal industries,
has a particular relevance and expertise in this area.
A panel discussion will consider the wider global issues of maritime security, defence against and theprevention of piracy and other forms of maritime
criminality and the relevant legal financial protective
and remedial measures. It will look in particular at theramifications of the recent Japanese legislation for ashipping industry which caters to energy-dependent
Japan’s needs. The speakers will also focus on the
evolving nature of piracy and other criminal activity
at sea, and the countermeasures that can be put inplace by both governments and the private sector.
With contributions from the private maritime security sector, law firms, the Japanese Ministry for Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and others, this is a chance to debate this key developmentwith a diverse panel of experts.

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From Urashima to Fukushima:
the erotic, political and environmental p­ rovocationsof Japanese Surrealism

Monday 16 June 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free
Booking recommended
The extraordinary, beautiful and sometimes
challenging works arising from the collision between
Surrealism and Japanese culture deserve to be better
known. Histories of Surrealism typically concentrateon the provocations of French practitioners against
the rise of totalitarianism in Europe around the timeof the Second World War. The case of Japan, where
Surrealists were imprisoned by wartime authorities,
presents an intriguing but overlooked exampleof the clash between State and avant-garde.
Censorious wartime Japan is said to have prohibitedthe development of Surrealism, which was overtly
provocative. Yet Surrealism proved irrepressible,
making lasting impact on practitioners such as
Takiguchi Shūzō and Okamoto Tarō.
This talk will expose three important areas ofSurrealist provocation: a celebration of the erotic,
a commitment to political radicalism, and aburgeoning environmental critique.
Majella Munro is an art historian, journalist andJapanologist, whose research focuses on censorshipand cultural repression. She is interested in art
production under totalitarian political regimes,
inter- and trans-national exchange within the avantgarde, and the sociological study of erotic art. She
is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Tate’s AsiaPacific Research Centre, researching a monographentitled Close to Nature: Japanese Artists and theEnvironment from Hiroshima to Fukushima. Her
monograph Communicating Vessels: The Surrealist
Movement in Japan was released through Enzo Arts
and Publishing in December 2012.

Japan Society Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 18 June 2014

6.00pmEmbassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London W1J 7JT
Free
Booking essential
We hope to see many members at this year’s AGM.
Please remember that the Embassy of Japan’s
security policy means that you need to let us know inadvance if you are planning to attend.
Please also bring with you to the meeting a form ofphotographic ID.
Following the formal business of the AGM there will
be a drinks reception to which all members are mostwelcome.
All documentation concerning the AGM, including
the formal Notice of AGM and Proxy Voting Form,and the Trustees’ Report / Japan Society Accounts(ending 31 December 2013), is available on requestfrom the office.
REMINDER TO MEMBERS
The Japan Society Awards are presented each year tomark significant contributions in the field of UK Japan
relations which have not otherwise been recognized.
All members are encouraged to nominate those whothey feel are deserving of such an Award, at any time
during the year. Please do not tell the nominee thatyou have put his or her name forward for an Award.
Nominations should be made by post to Heidi Potter
at the Japan Society offices, or by email toheidi.potter@japansociety.org.uk
Please see www.japansociety.org.uk/about/awards/
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Tanabata: Fukinagashi Workshop

Sunday 22 June

10.00am to 6pm

Royal Festival HallSouthbank Centre
Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XX

Netsuke: Miniature Masterpieces

Thursday 3 July 2014

6.45pmThe Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH

Free
Booking essential

Free
Booking recommended

Be part of something big this summer!

We are delighted to welcome Noriko Tsuchiya, authorof a new British Museum publication Netsuke: 100
miniature masterpieces from Japan, and art dealer
Max Rutherston to speak at this special event. They
will discuss the history of netsuke, the small toggles
intricately carved from various materials including
ivory, wood and metal, and how they evolved from
relatively insignificant objects to artistic treasuresprized by collectors around the world. Uncovering
the story of specific pieces and their individual andcontextual significance, this talk will provide an
insight into the world of netsuke from creation tocollection.

As part of the Southbank Centre’s Festival of Love,huge Tanabata fukinagashi streamers will be hungon the balcony of the Royal Festival Hall.
Together with the Southbank Centre and awardwinning design team Kinetika, the Japan Society
is hosting a workshop day, during which we will
work on decorations to hang from the fukinagashi.
Come and participate in the making of these iconic
decorations, which will bring a touch of Japan toone of London’s great landmarks throughout thesummer.
The workshops are open to all, but booking isessential so that we know how many people toexpect. You can come just for a few hours, or stayfor the morning or afternoon, or even the whole day.
However, please note that places are limited.
To reserve your place, please contact the Japan
Society office and, when making your booking,please let us know what time you plan to come. We
will give you directions to the workshop room.

The Southbank Centre, Embassy of Japan andJapan Society are teaming up for more Tanabatacelebrations on Sunday 13 July. Please watch thisspace for further information.
Tanabata photograph c Yasufumi Nishi c JNTO

To coincide with the publication of the book,between 19 June and 17 August the British Museum
is holding a special exhibition of the finest pieces
from its 2300-strong collection of netsuke, placing
them in their original context as worn accessories.
Noriko Tsuchiya is a Project Curator at the British
Museum. Together with external experts, she
examined all the netsuke in the British Museum’s
collection and identified the top 100 for inclusion inthis new publication.
Max Rutherston is Chairman of Max Rutherston Ltd,an Asian art dealership that specialises in netsuke. In
November 2010 he was joint organiser with Rosemary
Bandini of the London Netsuke Symposium, andin 2013, they organised the International Netsuke
Society’s Convention in London.
Copies of Netsuke: 100 miniature masterpieces fromJapan will be available to purchase on the night at
the discounted price of £10 (RRP £14.99)...............................................................................................................................................................................................
Supported by:Japan Society Book Club
with translator Stephen Dodd

Monday 14 July

7.00pmThe Japan Society
13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QPFree
Booking recommended
Copies of the book available for purchase / loan
The Japan Society book club is delighted to welcome
Stephen Dodd, Senior Lecturer in Japanese at the
School of Oriental and African Studies, to discuss
his new book The Youth of Things: Life and Death in
the Age of Kajii Motojiro. The focus of the book club
will be on Dodd’s translations of Kajii’s short stories,
which comprises the second half of the book.
When he died from tuberculosis at the age of thirtyone, Kajii Motojiro had written only twenty shortstories. Yet his life and work, Dodd argues, shed lighton a significant moment in Japanese history and,ultimately, add to our understanding of how modern
Japanese identity and literature developed.
The book club is held every month. There is norestriction on the nationality of the authors read,but books should be available in translation in both
Japanese and English. The discussion is conducted
mainly in English, but you can choose the language
in which you read the book. The intention is simple:
to explore the themes of the book, express personal
opinions on the style and content, discuss how thebook has changed (or not) in translation and to havea relaxed discussion with others who have similarinterests.

Carmen Blacker Lecture 2014 - Peter Kornicki

Monday 21 July 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free
Booking recommended
Few Japanese or tourists ever visit Tsushima, the conjoined islands lying between Japan and Korea. This isa shame not only on account of its unspoiled natural
beauties but also because of its intrinsic historicalinterest. Up to the end of the nineteenth century it
served a crucial role as a conduit for goods, knowledge and information moving between Japan and
Korea and in the early twentieth century it is famousas the site of the great naval battle of the RussoJapanese War in 1905. Peter Kornicki will endeavour
to convey something of the appeal of these rugged
mountainous islands with their fjords and beautiful
islets before exploring their historical significance.
Tsushima may lie on the margins of Japan, but it
had a fascinating role to play in the transmission ofknowledge to Japan.
The Carmen Blacker Lecture Series honours thememory and scholarship of Carmen Blacker (19242009). Each year a senior scholar will lecture on atheme related to Japanese religion or folklore. Peter
Kornicki studied Japanese and Korean at Oxford andcompleted his doctorate in 1979. He taught for someyears at the University of Tasmania in Australia andat Kyoto University, where he was the first foreigner
to hold an associate professorship in eighty years. He
moved to Cambridge in 1985 and is now Professor ofJapanese and Deputy Warden of Robinson College.
He received the Japan Foundation Special Prize in1992 and the Yamagata Bantô Prize in 2013, and in2000 he was elected a fellow of the British Academy.
He has worked for many years on the history of thebook in Japan and has published catalogues of old
Japanese books in Cambridge, Moscow, Lille andother places.

................................................................................................................................................................................................
Co-organised by:Behind the scenes - members tour ofJapanese collections in Cambridge

Wednesday 23 July 201410.45am meet

The Fitzwilliam Museum
Trumpington St
Cambridge CB2 1RB
Free for Japan Society members
Booking essential - numbers strictly limited
The Japan Society is organising a special visit to two
Japanese archives in Cambridge, the Japanese printcollections at the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Japanese Department at Cambridge University Library.
Members will make their own way to and from Cambridge (unless otherwise requested), allowing themto explore the town at their leisure following the
day’s programme of events.
The Fitzwilliam’s extensive collection contains prints
that have been used in headline exhibitions, such as
Snow Country: Woodcuts of the Japanese Winter in
2013, alongside others rarely displayed. Japan Society members will have the opportunity to meet with
the Fitzwilliam’s print keeper, Craig Hartley, and explore the museum’s archives in detail, including thework of Kitagawa Utamaro, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi andUtagawa Kunisada.
Following a break for lunch at the famous Fitzbillies
Cafe, members will continue onto Cambridge University Library to join Noboru Koyama, Head of theJapanese Department, for a tour of the archive. We
will examine some of the rare books in the collection,
many of which regularly feature in museum exhibits,
such as the current Buddha’s Word: The Life of Books
in Tibet and Beyond at the Museum of Archeology
and Anthropology.
Don’t miss this chance to see behind-the-scenes at
two outstanding collections.

An evening of Rakugo

Tuesday 29 July 20146.30pmClifford Chance
10 Upper Bank Street
London E14 5JJFree admission

The Canadian High Commission and the Japan
Society invite you to an evening of rakugo; comic
storytelling from Japan with Canada’s own Katsura
Sunshine. We are very grateful to Clifford Chance for
hosting this event.
Rakugo is an ancient form of comic storytelling inJapan, still very much alive and well, with over 700
professional storytellers practicing today in the twomain traditions of storytelling, that of Tokyo ‘Edo’ andOsaka ‘Kamigata’. Toronto-born Katsura Sunshine is
the first ever Western rakugo storyteller in the history of the ‘Kamigata’ tradition, and the only Western
professional rakugo storyteller today. A regular on
Japanese television, Sunshine will be appearing at
this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
“Hilarious. Charming. Traditional. Universally funnyand yet so very Japanese.” – EFF
Sunshine Katsura studied classics at the Universityof Toronto, where he got his first introduction to theworks of the Ancient Greek comic playwright, Aristophanes, under the renowned scholar of ancient
comedy, Eric Csapo. He became involved in translating, adapting, and performing in versions of Aristophanes’ comedies for the Department of Classics.
On September 1st , 2008, Sunshine was accepted as
an apprentice to the great Rakugo storytelling master, Katsura Bunshi VI, and subsequently received
the name Katsura Sunshine. In the Rakugo tradition,
he received both his master’s last name and part of
the first (his master, Sanshi combined the first part ofhis name, ‘San’, meaning ‘Three’, with the Japaneseword for ‘Shine’, and gave it the Japanese pronunciation of the English word ‘Sunshine’).

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In association with:
In association with:

Japan Society Book Club – Granta 127: Japan

Monday 11 August 2014

7.00pmFamily Culture Day with Furusato Project

Sunday 7 September 201410am – 1pm& 2pm – 5pm

The Japan Society
13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QP

Cecil Sharp House
2 Regents Park Road
London NW1 7AYFree for Japan Society Members

Free (booking essential)

Hello Kitty, earthquakes, manga, samurai, robots andsushi. These are some of the things we think about
when we think about Japan. This small island nation
looms large in the popular imagination, in often contradictory ways: as the epitome of refinement andtradition, and as an embodiment of a shiny, soulless
future.

We are delighted to offer Japan Society members
and their families the opportunity to participate in an
activity-packed workshop led by the Furusato Projectat the iconic Cecil Sharp House. You will make hari-epostcards using Japanese paper collage techniques;discover the connection between kocarina andthe 2011 earthquake and tsunami; try your hand at
seasonal calligraphy; and create autumn haiku underthe expert guidance of Karen Tamamura.

What is Japan to those who really know it? This issue includes translated work from the most exciting
Japanese writers today, alongside work in English.
Here are twenty new Japans by its writers and artists,by residents and visitors and neighbours. This special
issue of Granta has been published simultaneously inJapanese and English.
The book club is held every month. There is no restriction on the nationality of the authors read, but
books should be available in translation in both Japanese and English. The discussion is conducted mainly
in English, but you can choose the language in which
you read the book. The intention is simple: to explore
the themes of the book, express personal opinions
on the style and content, discuss how the book haschanged (or not) in translation and to have a relaxed
discussion with others who have similar interests.

The volunteer members of the Furusato Project are
keen to share a sense of Japanese community spirit
with workshop participants. Though they are basedin the Kansai and Tokyo regions, they have been
actively engaged in supporting people in tsunamidevasted Tohoku, where many are still unable toreturn to their hometowns.
Workshop timetable
Morning Session
10:00 Hari-e post cards with Japanese paper
10:45 Kocarina
11:30 Calligraphy
12:00 Haiku
13:00 Finish
Afternoon Session
14:00 Hari-e post cards with Japanese paper
14:45 Kocarina
15:30 Calligraphy
16:00 Haiku
17:00 Finish
When booking please indicate which session you
wish to attend (10am or 2pm).

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

Music and nature in the transnational
shakuhachi scene - Joe Browning

Japanese home cooking with vegetables:
special class with Sozai Cooking School

Monday 15 September 2014

Wednesday 17 September 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free (Booking recommended)
Once the instrument of a sect of Zen Buddhist
monks, the shakuhachi, has, since the 1960s, become
important to a growing number of musicians outside
Japan, especially in Australia, Europe and North
America. This lecture explores the significance of“nature” in the lively transnational scene surrounding
this Japanese end-blown bamboo flute. For thoseencountering the shakuhachi for the first time, thelecture will introduce the instrument’s captivatingmusic; for those more familiar with the instrument it
will raise questions about the contemporary journeysof Japanese traditions on the world stage.
Ideas about natural materials, places and phenomena
pervade understanding of this instrument’s
construction, performance contexts and sound – asencapsulated in the idea that the shakuhachi sounds
like ‘wind through a bamboo grove’. The lecture
will trace the transposition of these ideas amongst
shakuhachi players in the West, where the histories
and geographies associated with shakuhachi music
are open to distinctly contemporary reinterpretation.
Browning will consider the diverse ways in which
the naturalness of this instrument is heard, felt
and understood: in texts that root the shakuhachi
in landscapes both inside and outside Japan; inrecordings that incorporate environmental sounds
alongside the shakuhachi; in new compositions
that evoke particular landscapes and animals; andin changes to the materials, sounds and forms of the
instrument itself. Along the way Browning will ask
why nature plays this important role in Western ideas
about the shakuhachi, arguing that it provides animaginative resource for players to negotiate culturaldifferences and to explore broader hopes andanxieties about the place of nature in the modern
world.

7.00pmSozai Cooking School
5 Middlesex Street
London E1 7AA£38 – special price for members of the Japan
Society and their guests
They say in Japan that autumn is the season foreating, so how would you like to learn how to makeyour own Japanese food? Thanks to Sozai Cooking
School we are delighted to offer Japan Society
members the opportunity to join a Japanese homecooking class. This is a wonderful chance to learn
Japanese cooking skills from a professional chef,
Akemi Yokoyama. Akemi will teach you how to cooksome popular, healthy and tasty Japanese vegetabledishes at home.
Menu:
•
•
•
•
•

Mixed Japanese mushroom and ginger ricecooked with sakeKakiage (crispy tempura made with mixed
vegetables strips)
Grilled aubergine with black miso
Spinach with white sesame sauce
Green beans with Tofu and sesame sauce

All ingredients and cooking equipment will be
provided, but you may wish to bring an apron.
Akemi Yokoyama‘s enthusiasm for gastronomy
originated early in her childhood in Sapporo, where
enjoying the spoils of foraging for wild vegetables
and sea fishing were a regular part of family life.
This gave her an understanding of the importanceof using the freshest, highest quality ingredientsand of the taste pairings in Japanese food. Akemi
came to London in 1985, where she learned sushi
making while working in London’s popular Japaneserestaurant Hiroko.
Sozai is the first cooking school in the UK dedicatedto authentic Japanese food, offering a wide variety
of classes covering traditional cuisine and casual andstreet food.
In association with:

The Origins of Noh - Reijiro Tetsumara

Monday 29 September 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free (Booking recommended)
We are delighted to welcome Reijiro Tsumura to
discuss the origin, history and styles of Japan’s noh
theatre. This will be a rare opportunity to hear at firsthand from a master of the genre and ‘living nationaltreasure’.
One of Japan’s major classical theatre traditions, noh
has a rich history going back to the 14th century. In
his talk, Tsumura will consider its characteristics anddevelopment as well as the meanings embodied in
its name. He will also consider the noh mask, its use
and range of expression.
Reijiro Tsumura is head of the Ryokusenkai groupwithin the Kanze School of noh and received thedesignation ‘important intangible cultural asset’ in1991. After training under Kimiko Tsumura while
studying at Hitotsubashi University, Reijiro Tsumura
gained the level of master in 1969 and became
head of the Ryokusenkai in 1974. Since 1979 hehas been engaged in the planning and organisingof the annual night time, fire-lit Takigi Noh event
in Koganei. In addition to regular performances ofclassical noh plays, he is active in the training anddevelopment of young actors.
Reijiro Tsumura performs widely, not only within
the traditional repertoire but in creating new
productions and commissioning new plays. He has
toured internationally to countries including theUK, Belgium, Spain, Singapore, Sweden, Norway,
Denmark and Indonesia, where he has frequently
worked in collaboration with other performers
from different genres including opera and dance.
In 2010 he travelled to Russia and Hungary to teachas an Ambassador for Cultural Exchange under the
auspices of the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Book launch: The Growing Power of Japan,
1967-1972

Monday 6 October 2014

6.45pmThe Japan Foundation
Russell Square House
London WC1B 5EHFree (booking essential)

We invite you to join us for the launch of The Growing
Power of Japan, 1967-1972: analysis and assessmentsfrom John Pilcher and the British Embassy, Tokyo,
compiled and edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi. The
publishers, Renaissance Books in association with theJapan Society, would like to thank the Great Britain
Sasakawa Foundation, Julia Bonas and others fortheir generous help towards the costs of publication.
In this volume Sir Hugh has compiled the defining
reports from Sir John Pilcher’s time as ambassador
to Japan from 1967 to ’72, a period in which Japan’s
economy and power grew significantly and her
relations with the United States became increasingly
strained. Sir Hugh, who worked with Pilcher during
these years and was himself Ambassador to Japan
from 1980 to ’84, will open the launch with an
overview of the changing character of AngloJapanese relations and of the first overseas visit by aJapanese Emperor. This will be followed by an open
discussion led by Chairman of the Japan Society,
Sir David Warren, and a drinks reception. We aredelighted to announce that all attendees will receive
copies of the book.
This collection of Pilcher’s reports to Whitehall
provides a valuable record of Japan’s progress at
this turning point in her post-war history, as wellas insights into the hopes and expectations of the
British government in her dealings with Japan. His
writings on Japan have remained largely inaccessible,
and unknown to most researchers, and The Growing
Power of Japan offers readers a unique insight into
the thoughts of this distinguished scholar-diplomat.

Supported by:

Joint Lunch with the JCCI: The Middle Eastin Turmoil: Implications for the region andthe wider world – Sir William Patey

Monday 13 October 2014
			The National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE

12.30pm for
1.00pm£50 per head for members of the Japan
Society, the JCCI and their guests

Thenightmare: troubled sleep in tsunami
evacuation shelters in Yamada, 2011 –Brigitte Steger

Monday 20 October 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free (Booking recommended)

Booking essential (deadline 9 October)
For their third joint lunch of 2014, the Japan Society
and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce andIndustry in the UK are delighted to welcome Sir
William Patey, former Ambassador to Afghanistan,
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Sudan.
The Middle East, which is a key trading andinvestment area for a very significant number of
UK and Japanese companies, is in turmoil. The
situations in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, the Hornof Africa, Egypt and Libya are of particular concern,
influenced not only by ethnic and religious tensions
but also by the evolving strategies of the USA and its
coalition partners. Insights into the cultures, systems
and characteristics of the people involved are vital,
as are perspectives of possible eventual outcomes.
The situation will affect us all, whether deeply
invested in the region or not. Sir William is extremely
well qualified to give those attending some senseof the fast-changing and complex situation, a feelfor what is likely to happen and a better idea of theresulting commercial implications.
Sir William Patey KCMG joined the Foreign &Commonwealth Office in 1975, and served asa diplomat for over 30 years. Before becoming
Ambassador to Afghanistan, he was also
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (2007-2010), Iraq (20052006), and Sudan (2002-2005). After leaving the FCO,
Sir William advises businesses working in the Middle
East, in particular on topics relating to the oil and gas
sector, financial services, and defence. He read for an
MA in History from the University of Dundee (1975).
Following a two-course lunch, Sir William will speak
for about 20 minutes, after which there will be timefor questions until 2.30pm.
In association with:‘Ato wa neru dake’ – ‘And then all that’s left to do is tosleep.’ This is how two middle-aged women ended
their summary of life in a small tsunami evacuation
shelter in Yamada, Iwate Prefecture. Talking in midJuly, four months after the large tsunami and fires ofMarch 2011 had completely destroyed their houses,
they had found a daily routine of household chores
and some stability. Sleep seemed a simple matter.
However, during the night(s) immediately following
the tsunami not a single person was able to sleep
peacefully. Their sleep was disrupted by continuous
aftershocks, lack of comfortable bedding, cold, dirt
and crowds of often noisy strangers. They were
haunted by anxieties over the whereabouts ofloved ones (or the assumption of their death) andby ghosts; they were bewildered that they had losttheir homes and livelihoods.
Based on narrative interviews and participant
observation, this lecture explores life in the shelters,in particular the sleep habits and sleep problems
of tsunami survivors living in evacuation shelters
in Yamada. It analyses the vulnerability of sleepers
and how people were gradually able to find restfulslumber.
Brigitte Steger is Senior Lecturer in Modern JapaneseStudies at the University of Cambridge. Her researchinterest lies in the cultural and social embeddednessof seemingly natural, bodily matters and in daily –and nightly – life. Steger’s most recent publications
include: Manga Girl Seeks Herbivore Boy (ed. with A.
Koch, 2013), Sekai ga mitometa Nippon no inemuri(2013), and Japan Copes with Calamity (ed. with T.
Gill and D. Slater, in Japanese and English, 2013).

Investing in Africa: challenges andopportunities faced by Japan and the UK

Monday 3 November 20146.30pmKing & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin
10 Queen Street Place
London EC4R 1BE
Free for members of the Japan Society or JCCI
Booking essential (deadline 31 October)

The Monetary and Macroprudential Policy of the
Bank of Japan

Wednesday 12 November 2014

1.00pm for1.30pmBloomberg European Headquarters
City Gate House
39-45 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 1PQ
Free for members of the Japan Society, the
JCCI and those introduced by Bloomberg
Booking essential (deadline 10 November)

In his tour of Eastern Africa earlier this year, JapanesePrime Minister Shinzō Abe pledged over £8.7
billion in aid and trade deals. A large portion of thisamount would be channelled towards infrastructuredevelopment, which will give strength to the East
African export market.
While the UK’s presence in Africa has existed for
longer, there is less of a concerted push from the
British government, despite its very long-establishedlinks with many countries in the region, into subSaharan development The steadily increasing
working-age population of the region, however, iscreating new markets for telecommunications andother high-tech industries which in turn provides
more opportunities for private investors.
In the shadow of well-established presence by othercountries across the continent what implications
does the current situation in Africa hold for British
and Japanese companies looking to invest? Thispanel discussion aims to examine some of the issues
common to both countries, and ways in which they
can be surmounted.
The keynote speaker for the panel is Alex Vines
OBE, Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham
House. He is joined by Haruki Hayashi (Regional CEO
for Europe & Africa, Mitsubishi Corporation) and
Jun Arima (Director-General, Japan External Trade
Organisation). The event is chaired by Sir David
Warren.

In association with:In their 7 October ‘Statement on Monetary Policy’,
the Bank of Japan Policy Board has decided largely
to maintain the status quo, continuing their policyof aggressive monetary easing measures designed
to combat deflation, such as an annual increaseof Japan’s monetary base by about ¥60-70 trillion(£343-400 billion).
Takehiro Sato’s prior experience and current
position make him an ideal candidate to better
explain the current state of Japanese monetary
policy. His background as Japan’s prominent market
economist, and his current role as a member of the
Bank of Japan’s Policy Board, allows him to speakwith authority on the Bank of Japan’s monetary andmacroprudential policies.
Takehiro Sato read Economics at Kyoto University,and began working for Sumitomo Bank Ltd after
graduating in 1985. Following a 14-year period
working for Sumitomo he joined Morgan Stanley
Japan Ltd in 1999 where he held a number of
positions such as Chief Economist for Japan(2006–2010), Managing Director and Head of Japan
Interest Rate Strategy (2010–2012), and Head ofJapan Fixed Income Research (2012). He has held his
current position as Member of the Bank of Japan’s
Policy Board since July 2012, and his term will run
until July 2017.

In association with:

Japan Society Annual Dinner 2014

Wednesday 12 November 2014
1 Great George St
London SW1P 3AA

7.30pm for
8.00pmMembers under 30: £30 (first 30 to apply)
Members (& guests): £55
Non-Members: £90

Why History Matters: the legacy of the Imperial
Navy and the making of Japan’s post-war defence
policy – Alessio Patalano

Monday 17 November 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free (Booking recommended)

Booking essential (deadline 7 November)
The cost includes drinks on arrival, threecourse dinner, wine and coffee.
For its 2014 annual dinner the Japan Society isdelighted to be returning to the Great Hall of thespectacular One Great George Street, in the heartof Westminster, home to the Institution of Civil
Engineers.
This Grade II listed building is a monument to
Edwardian decadence and has played host to arange of historic events, including the signing of thecharter establishing UNESCO in 1945. More recently
it has provided a backdrop for films including Starterfor 10, Ghandi and Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason,
along with TV dramas Foyles War, Spooks and Silent
Witness. The Great Hall’s magnificent chandeliers
and painted ceiling – depicting soaring biplanes andsteel cranes – were donated by a former president of
the Institution of Civil Engineers as a reminder of therole its members played during the First World War.
The dinner is traditionally a black tie event and many
guests will wear formal dress, but for those who
prefer lounge suits, this is perfectly acceptable. Most
people will be sitting at round tables of 10. If you
have any seating preferences, please specify withwhom you wish to be seated. Please also inform usof any special dietary requirements. Tickets will besent to all those attending.
The Japan Society Awards 2014 will also beannounced and presented during the evening.
We are very grateful to JTI for their support whichenables us to offer discounted tickets to all members
and a further discount to members under 30,
ensuring that the event can be enjoyed by everyone.
This event is kindly supported by:This paper is about how history is remembered,memorialised, and displayed for the purpose ofnational defence. It focuses on how the legacy of
the Imperial Navy lived on in the post-war Japan
Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), informing
its strategic thinking and working as a militaryorganisation. This paper sets forth the rather
controversial argument that, contrary to common
academic views, the ability of the JMSDF in
articulating its roles as a tool of statecraft within anational maritime strategy rested on its ability to reexamine the imperial experience and the wartime
defeat. Indeed, the paper contends that the postwar navy cannot be understood outside the context
of its process of interaction with the imperial past.
This papers focuses on one particular dimensionof this complex process, the development of naval
policy. It tells the story of how, throughout a periodof sixty years, the post-war navy met the challengesof rearmament and modernisation to create amodern naval force that today stands as one of thepillars of the country’s security policy. Indeed, in themaking of the post-war naval policy, the Imperial
Navy provided the mortar and the blueprints.
Alessio Patalano is lecturer in East Asian Warfare andSecurity at the Department of War Studies, King’s
College London, where he specialises in Japanesenaval history, strategy, and East Asian security.
He has been a visiting researcher at GRIPS; he isaffiliated with the Institute of Contemporary AsianStudies, Temple University Japan, and is currently avisiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University.

A Japanese View on World Energy Future: The
Impacts of Lower Economic Growth in China andIndia

Wednesday 19 November 201410.30am for10.45am

The Japan Foundation
6th Floor, Russell Square House
10-12 Russell Square
London WC1B 5EHFree for members of the Japan Society or those
introduced by JETROJapanese Beer Tasting at Tsuru

Wednesday 19 November 20146.30pm for
7.00pmTsuru Restaurant Bishopsgate
Broadgate Plaza (off Primrose Street)
London EC2M 3AB£35 per head for Japan Society members andtheir guests
Booking essential (deadline 17 November)Booking essential (deadline 17 November)
JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), London,
and the Japan Society would like to invite you toa seminar on a Japanese view on world energy
outlook with special focus given to analysing theimpacts of lower economic growth in China andIndia.
Professor Ken Koyama, Chief Economist andManaging Director of the Institute of Energy
Economics, Japan (IEEJ), will present an outlineof the IEEJ’s recently announced Energy Outlook,and will also touch upon Japan’s recent energy
policy challenges. Before discussion is opened up
to the floor, comments will be given by Professor
Paul Stevens, Distinguished Fellow for Energy,
Environment and Resources at Chatham House,
and Peter Hughes, Director of Peter Hughes Energy
Advisory Ltd.
Professor Ken Koyama received his BA and MA
degrees in Economics from Tokyo’s Waseda
University, and his PhD from the University of
Dundee where his thesis was titled Japan’s Energy
Strategies toward the Middle East. He joined the
IEEJ in 1986 and has held various positions within
the Institute, such as Senior Economist and later
Head of the World Oil and Energy Group, and SeniorResearch Fellow in the Energy and Strategy unit.
Alongside his current position, Professor Koyama
has also taught at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate

Following the success of our wine and whisky tasting
events at Tsuru restaurant, we are offering ourmembers another opportunity to get an insight into
the world of contemporary Japanese beverages.
This is a chance for Japan Society members and theirguests to enjoy an exclusive tutored Japanese beer
tasting led by ‘sommALEier’ and international beer
judge, Melissa Cole.
Tsuru have selected a line-up of Japanese craft beers
from Yo-Ho Brewery along with a stand-out offeringfrom the London-based Redchurch Brewery. Despite
the explosion of craft brewers in Japan, getting holdof their products in the UK remains a challenge; join
us and you can sample Yo-Ho brewery’s takes onclassic European and American beers accompanied
by a menu of dishes tailored to match.
Menu
Shinsu SunSun Organic Lager, 5%with beef jerky and edamame beans
Suiyoubi no neko Belgian White Ale, 4.5%
with prawn or shiitake gyoza dumplings with Yuzu
Soy
Indian Ao-oni IPA, 7%
with chicken kara age with Eat the Bits chilli oil
mayo
Hitachino Nest XH, 8%with katsu curry
Redchurch Old Ford Export Stout, 7.5%
with chocolate brownie

In association with:

In association with:

Book Launch: Biographical Portraits Volume IX

Monday 1 December 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Booking essential (deadline 28 November)
To mark the publication of Biographical Portraits
Volume IX, the Japan Society is holding a special
book launch, with accompanying talks by the editor
and key contributors. This presentation will last for
approximately fifty minutes, giving attendees aflavour of some of the personalities and institutions
featured in this volume, and will be followed by ashort Q&A session.
This book forms part of a series recording the livesof men, women and institutions who have playeda significant role in the development of UK-Japan
relations. The current volume, which contains 57‘portraits’, brings the Japan Society’s collection ofindividual memoirs to a cumulative total of nearly500. When read together these give a many-faceted
picture of modern history, shedding light oncontroversial issues, illuminating past successes andfailures, and providing a valuable point of reference
for researchers and historians.

Japan Society Christmas Party 2014

Thursday 4 December 20146.30pmEmbassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London W1J 7JT£17 per head (deadline 1 December):Members and their guests only
Please bring photographic identification with you as
those without may be denied entranceThis year’s Christmas Party will once again be held in
the Ballroom of the Japanese Embassy.
This annual gathering provides members with agreat opportunity to catch up with friends at theclose of the year and start thinking ahead to newchallenges in 2015. Please bring guests but space
may well be limited and places will be allocated ona first-come-first-served basis so early booking isadvised.
Once again, we are extremely grateful to the Japan
Centre who are generously providing the party
canapes for the evening.
Names are required for the Embassy security inadvance therefore early booking is advised. You will
be sent confirmation of your booking.

Structured thematically in four Parts – Japan in
Britain, Britain in Japan, Scholars and Writers,
Politicians and Officials – the highlights in thisvolume include ‘The Great Japan Exhibition, 198182’, ‘Japanese Gardens and the Japanese Garden
Society in the UK’, ‘Cricket in Late Edo and Meiji
Japan’, ‘Norman Macrae, pioneering journalist of
The Economist’, ‘Arthur Balfour – managing the
emergence of Japan as a Great Power’, ‘Michio
Morishima, an economist ‘made in Japan’’, and‘Margaret Thatcher – a pragmatist who radically
improved Britain’s image in Japan’.
We are delighted to be able to offer copies of
Biographical Portraits Volume IX free of charge tomembers of the Japan Society, while stocks last.
Copies will be available to collect on the night.
Supported by:

SIRO-A

Friday 12 December 2014

The Siege of Tsingtao – Jonathan Fenby

7.00pmLeicester Square Theatre
6 Leicester Place
London WC2H 7BX£15 per head (includes £5 discount):
Japan Society Members and a guest only

Monday 15 December 2014

6.45pmSwedenborg Hall
20-21 Bloomsbury Way(Hall entrance on Barter St)
London WC1A 2TH
Free (Booking recommended)

Booking essential (deadline 10 December)

The Japan Society is delighted to offer its members
discounted tickets for theatre phenomenon SIRO-A,
who are returning to Leicester Square Theatre withnew elements for 2014. Whether you have so far
missed SIRO-A, or have only caught parts of theirshow at Japan Matsuri or HyperJapan, nothingcomes close to the ‘full’ SIRO-A experience, whichmixes fast-paced and highly technical choreographyof sound, light and movement with engaging nods
to Japanese cultural traditions.
Through dance, mime and puppetry, the companyof six SIRO-performers interact with technology
in a way never seen before, fusing mime,
groundbreaking visual effects and an electrosoundtrack to create a mind-blowing theatricalexperience that is a feast for the senses.
SIRO-A is fast becoming a worldwide phenomenon
and following sold-out German and American tours
has returned to London with brand new seasonal
elements.
‘It’s a mind-blowing show’Metro‘A mesmerising mix of techno, high-tech lightengineering, performance art, dance, comedy,
animation and futuristic shadow-puppetry’
Daily Star

In 1914, Europe was not the only continent coming
to terms with a new form of conflict. Through a mixof complex alliances and global ambition, the war
had spread to northern China, where the Germanheld port of Tsingtao became a key battleground.
To strike a blow at Kaiser Wilhelm’s naval forces,
Britain and its ally Japan laid siege to the port during
October and November of that year. In this lecture
celebrated historian Jonathan Fenby will examine
the causes of the battle, the ulterior motives for it,
and the path on which it set East Asia for decades
to come.
The Siege of Tsingtao was to be the only armed clashof the First World War in East Asia, and – involving
32,000 troops and a death toll of less than 500 – wasa tiny affair compared to the conflict being foughtin Europe. However, the victory ensured that theFirst World War would not extend in the region
beyond 1914, as Germany’s naval squadron was
deprived of an operational base in East Asia and was
subsequently destroyed by the British as it tried toreturn to Europe. Japan was later to reap the rewardsof declaring war against Germany when, at theTreaty of Versailles, they were granted concession
over Tsingtao, sparking tensions with China thatwere to have significant long-term ramifications.
Jonathan Fenby, a former editor of the Observerand South China Morning Post, is editor in chief of
the information website, Trusted Sources. He is anauthor of several popular books on China, including
the acclaimed Tiger Head, Snake Tails; The Penguin
History of Modern China; Generalissimo: ChiangKai-shek and the China He Lost; and Will China
Dominate the 21st Century. His latest book, The
Siege of Tsingtao, was published in 2014 as part of aPenguin series marking the 100th anniversary of theFirst World War.