The University of Tokyo
Global Japan Studies Summer Program
2019 (Report)

AN INQUIRY INTO JAPAN’S POSTWAR
July 1-11, 2019

Program Organizer:
Global Japan Studies (GJS) Network
Program Host Institution:
Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo
Global Japan Studies at the University of Tokyo is aninterdisciplinary and multilingual network of research andeducation on Japan. It seeks to bring together Japanese studies
overseas and studies of Japan within Japan. This summer program isa short-term education project in pursuit of this goal.

Introduction to the Global Japan Studies Summer Program (2019)Japan’s postwar period is most often described in terms of four decades of high economic
growth followed subsequently by the recent recession dubbed “the lost two decades”(1990-present). Japan’s postwar, however, points to a far more complicated and ongoingprocess of social, cultural, and political changes, which this program set out to explore.
Participants were immersed in a ten-day intensive program of interdisciplinary academic
lectures (in humanities & social sciences) as well as carefully planned fieldtrips in theTokyo metropolitan area. Through a well-designed combination of on- and off-campus
study, the program challenged participants to both critically analyze and actuallyexperience specifically identified sociological and technological issues such as genderinequality, historical memory and social stratification. These issues are key forunderstanding not only Japan’s postwar itself but also the larger world to which Japan isclosely connected and of which Japan is intrinsically a part.
Program requirements:
Participants were required to conduct group research projects and give presentations on
the final day of the program. Project topics were decided in consultation with program
faculty members. Participants completed a program evaluation.
The program lecture and fieldtrip counted toward two course credits. Participants also
received a University of Tokyo summer program certificate upon successfully completingthe program.

Visiting the Sensoji Temple

Lunchdiscussion
with Prof.
SahashiRyoVisiting Sanyaand Yoshiwara

Examining
primary sourcein classProgram Schedule 2019

Visiting the Kajima Corporation

Program Lecturers 2019
BAXTER Joshua (Project Assistant Professor of Japanese history, PEAK, College of Arts andSciences, the University of Tokyo)
KIM Sung-won (Associate Professor of Sociology, Graduate School of Humanities andSociology, the University of Tokyo)
NAKANO Yoshiko (Associate Professor of Japanese Studies, The University of Hong Kong &Visiting Fellow of Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo)
SAHASHI Ryo (Associate Professor of International Politics, Institute for Advanced Studies
on Asia, the University of Tokyo)
SATO Jin (Professor of Resource Politics, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, theUniversity of Tokyo)
ZHONG Yijiang (Associate Professor of Japanese History, Institute for Advanced Studies onAsia, the University of Tokyo)

Total Number of Participants: 18 (University of Tokyo student: 1)
Place of Origin: Aarhus University, Amherst College, Bard College, Boston College, Central
South University of Forestry and Technology (China), College of William and Mary, GeorgeWashington University, Instituto Politecnico Nacional (Mexico), National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens, Russian State University for the Humanities, University College London,
University of Hong Kong, University of Nottingham Ningbo, University of Oxford, Universityof Southern California, Wuhan University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Tokyo
Final-day Group Presentation Topics:-Nuclear Power in Japan-Lolita: An Inquiry into Postwar Japanese Society-Is Japan a Pressure Society?
-Society 5.0: A Realistic Vision of Japan’s Future?
-Aging in Postwar Japan-Ainu and Japan’s Minority
Q&A at the Japan Communist Party

Japanese language class

Lecture byProf.
NAKANO
YoshikoLunch discussion with Prof. SATO Jin

Participants’ Feedback:The program schedule and itinerary are really tight and densely packed. By the time the grouppresentations come around, most (if not all) students are exhausted; however, I really enjoyed every
lecture and field trip and don’t think any should be eliminated.
The program schedule strikes a pretty good balance between pushing the students to experience alot in a small amount of time and giving them enough free time for other activities. The same goesfor the lectures and field trips, as they were of appropriate length and relevant to one another.
The Japanese classes were very useful for me as a total beginner, I found myself using the phrases
learnt in the classes on a daily basis whilst being in Japan. I think the fieldtrips added to the nuances
to the topics we discussed in lectures.
The program exceeded my expectation, all the materials covered from this course expanded myhorizons and greatly enhanced my understanding of not only Japan, but the world.
The Japanese class is helpful. I think the lectures, fieldtrips and Japanese classes are well integrated.
I like the field trip to JCP most, which is a valuable opportunity to know about a communist party’s
condition in a capitalist country.
I think the schedule is just well. Actually before I came, I thought maybe the amounts of lecturesand field trips are small, but after experiencing it by myself, I think the length of the program is justright. For the group presentation, yes, I would like to have more time for preparation.

I would not change the schedule of the program. I really liked how logically the Japanese classes,
lectures and filed trips are organized. The program was very interesting and tight.
The hotel for the program participants was very comfortable and it was good that it was located near
the university and in the center of Tokyo. The lunches’ bento were very tasty. I was glad thatparticipants were provided with water all day long.

Visiting the Japan Airlines

Thank all the summer program participants of 2019! It is YOU
who made the program a success.
Latest information of the 2020 Summer Program will beavailable soon at gjs.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/summer program
We look forward to your participation in 2020!
Program Committee Advisers: Profs. SONODA Shigeto, NAKAJIMA Takahiro
Secretariat: Prof. ZHONG Yijiang, Mr. UCHIDA Chikara
Contact:
Prof. Zhong (person in charge)
gjs@ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Tel: (81)3-5841-5867
Fax: (81)3-5841-5898