COMPLETION REPORTIn Searching of Modernity: Articles on Japan in the Chinese Indonesian Media in 19451955
Yerry Wirawan
Lecturer
History Department
Faculty of Literature
Universitas Sanata Dharma
1. What I Did.
I did a research on examining the articles on Japan in the Chinese Indonesian Media in 1945-1955. In
this research, I studied the articles published in three Chinese Indonesian major publications(Pantjawarna 1948-1962, Star Weekly 1946-1961 and Java Critic 1948-1951) during the first decade ofIndonesia independence era 1945-1955. I seek how Japan being presented in these publications. I
collected the sources from the Chinese magazines in the collection of Indonesia national library.
2. Please describe your research activity in your trip
I did a trip to Kyoto for a Conference “Towards a New Nanyang Studies: Examinations of Tionghoa andTsinoy beyond the ‘Sinophone’” at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University on
December 16-17, 2019. I presented part of my research on the Chinese journals during the post colonial
Indonesia in this conference where I got insightful suggestions from expertises in this field to develop
my research.
3. what you found,In my research, I found a wide range of articles on the modernity of Japan published in the ChineseIndonesian major magazines during the post war era. These articles demonstrated an extensive
knowledge of the journalists on Japanese modernity at that time. They were able to provide attractive
informations with beautiful photos from Japan. Yet, these Chinese magazines are still waiting for further
exploration by scientific researchers.
4.what was the result through your research,
We can understand the rapid recovery of Japan in the post war era being perceipt by the ChineseIndonesian medias and how the journalists portrayed Japan as an Asian model of modernity in the postcolonial Indonesia.
5.what is your advice if any you have,
The corona virus outbreak has suggested us to improve techonology facilities for the research of digital
humanities in Indonesia. Therefore, there is a need to massively digitize the library collection for a wider
usage of digital humanities.
6. what kind of action will be required in future etc. through your research
1. To increase the role of medias in bridging the cultural dialogue between Asian countries.
2. To ease the access of old magazines and newspapers in library for academic researchs.
3. To increase the academic seminars on Asian social and cultural issues.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)
I presented a part of my research “A Preliminary Research: The Peranakan Chinese Magazines inIndonesia 1945 to 1960” in a conference : Towards a New Nanyang Studies: Examinations ofTionghoa and Tsinoy beyond the “Sinophone” at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto
University on December 16-17, 2019.
Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)“In searching of modernity : Articles on Japan in the Chinese Indonesian Media in 1945-1955”, Jurnal
Sejarah, Forthcoming in early 2022.
The journal website adress http://jurnal.masyarakatsejarawan.or.id/index.php/js
Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)