CNEAS
Center for Northeast Asian Studies 2022-23

VOLUME

The Bulletin

11

March 2024

Contents
Focus

01

Recent Events

01-03

Online Release

04

Awards04

New Staff

05

Publications

06-07

Letters

07-08

Editorial

08

Focus
The Context of World History
During one of my history lectures a
student commented, “Professor, yourstories are interesting,” leaving me
somewhat puzzled. The focus of thelecture was Mongolian history. While
it would be great if the student foundMongolian history captivating, I’mleft with mixed feelings if their interest was more in my storytelling thanin the historical content. As a researcher, my desire is for students
to discover the inherent fascination within history itself. However, if their interest is more tied to my narrative style than the historical substance, then the allure of history becomes linked to me.
It might sound obvious, but I’m not just presenting historicalevents as they occurred; I’m organizing and narrating my understanding and interpretation of these events. To put it in extreme
terms, the events themselves are mere raw materials, and historyis the narrative I’ve crafted using these materials. This raises thequestion: is my understanding or interpretation “correct”? Achieving a complete and “accurate” description of historical events is
impossible because the primary sources historians grapple with areinterpretations of events by someone, not the events themselves. In
essence, I am adding my interpretation to someone else’s interpretation. Therefore, the “correctness” of historical awareness is more
about “legitimacy” than “accuracy.”

So, what determines the presence of “legitimacy”? It lies infulfilling the meaning of the era and place to which I belong. Consequently, even if we live in the same era, the meaning of history
discussed varies based on our respective locations. Many issues inhistorical awareness originate from this discrepancy.
Is it possible to have an awareness that transcends a specificera and place? In recent years, there has been much discussion in
the field of history about how to describe world history. If I were todescribe world history, it would require not only extensive knowledge spanning the globe but also positioning my place of residence
in the world. In other words, the “legitimacy” of narrating world
history lies in the fact that I am a global citizen. Modern historical studies once placed historians in a position of a transcendent“god.” However, this proved untenable. Although laws of humandevelopment were once rigorously debated, the schema of development turned out to be a product of local European cultures. The
current debate surrounding “world history” seems to be linked tothe era of “globalization.” The truistic term “global world” signifies a world where people worldwide are interconnected like a network. Its history might resemble an exchange history where nocentralization or development is presumed. However, since historians can no longer stand in the position of “gods,” it feels like thetime is approaching when questions will be asked about the roleof historians as “global citizens” narrating this “world history” andthe context in which they position themselves. (Hiroki Oka)

Recent Events

Insights Into Human History in the Eurasian Stone Age
Recent Developments in Archaeology, Palaeoanthropology, and Genetics

From late September to early October 2022, we held an international
symposium (September 27-29) and two international workshops(September 30, October 4) at TOKYO ELECTRON House of
Creativity. Initially planned for May 2022, as previously introduced
in Newsletter No. 91, these events were postponed due to theimpact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tohoku University, aiming
to contribute to solving common challenges in human society,has established the “Tohoku Forum for Creativity (TFC)” as anintellectual community, providing support for various programs.

This event was realized as part of the Thematic Program 2022,
supported by the TFC. One aim of the Thematic Program is tohost international symposiums and workshops to which leading
researchers are invited from around the world, thereby fostering indepth discussions to advance and develop research in their respective
fields. Another aim of the Thematic Program is to contribute to thedevelopment of young researchers in Japan.
The theme I proposed and that was adopted for this Thematic
Program is “Insights into Human History in the Eurasian Stone

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Age: Recent Developments in Archaeology, Palaeoanthropology,
and Genetics.” The aim is to interdisciplinarily discuss the latest
achievements in archaeology, palaeoanthropology, and genetics
concerning the human history of the Eurasian Stone Age. Theinternational symposium comprised four sessions discussing the
diffusion, hybridization, and extinction of archaic humans inNortheast Asia, the emergence of Homo sapiens and their spreadto Western and Eastern Eurasia, and the diffusion of Homo sapiens
to the Japanese archipelago and the historical cultural and genetic
exchanges with surrounding regions. Detailed information about
the program is available on the TFC website (https://www.tfc.
tohoku.ac.jp/program/2164.html).
In this Thematic Program, as indicated by the title, researchers
from the fields of archaeology, palaeoanthropology, and genetics
presented their work. The results from each field intertwinedorganically, yielding discussions that surpassed our expectations.
The symposium featured lively Q&A sessions, and discussions
exchanged during breaks and social events hinted at the emergenceof future collaborative research. Many participating researchers
expressed delight and enjoyment at the opportunity to focus on thetheme, hear presentations from researchers in all three fields, andengage in in-depth discussions. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed thisweek-long event.
We were determined to hold this event in person. Since somepresenters from China were unable to travel to Japan, and there were
presenters who couldn’t come in person due to various reasons, we
decided to hold the symposium and workshops as hybrid events.
Preparing for an in-person international symposium and workshop
amid measures against COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,soaring fuel costs, and rapid yen depreciation presented challenges.
However, the discussions that ensued during breaks after Q&A

sessions and the informal exchanges of opinions during social eventswould not have been possible if the event was not held in person.
This event reaffirmed the significance of holding conferences inperson.
Coincidentally, during this event, ancient DNA researcher
Svante Pääbo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine (although he initially agreed to give a keynote speech, theevent’s rescheduling from May to the end of September prevented
his attendance). The recognition of the importance of human
evolution research in addressing common challenges faced byhuman society underscores the crucial role this field will play in the
future. This Thematic Program, focusing on the complex history of
Homo sapiens with Denisovans and Neanderthals in Northeast Asia,
highlighted the region’s extreme importance in human evolution
research.
Finally, I express my sincere gratitude to Satoshi Chiba,
Director of Center for Northeast Asian Studies (CNEAS), andthe administrative staff of CNEAS for their tremendous support inorganizing this Thematic Program. (Katsuhiro Sano)

Group photo of in-person participants at the International Symposium

Recent Events

Sukagawa in the Edo Period as Seen in the Naito-ke Monjo (Naito family documents)
Themed Exhibition at Sukagawa City Museum

Since 2019, we have been conducting collaborative historical
document research on locally transmitted materials with the
Sukagawa City Museum. The results have been presented asa themed exhibition at the museum every autumn. The 2022
exhibition, titled “Sukagawa in the Edo Period as Seen in the
Naito-ke Monjo (Naito family documents),” was held at the
Sukagawa City Museum in Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecturefrom October 25 to November 27, 2022. It offered an insightful
exploration into the history of Sukagawa, which flourished asa post town along the Oshu Kaido during the Edo period. The

Sukagawa City Museum Exhibition Room

exhibition showcases administrative documents, letters, accountbooks, as well as artistic materials such as portraits.
The Naito family, with roots that trace back to samurai in
Ise Province (present-day Mie Prefecture), relocated to Sukagawa
town at the end of the Warring States period. They achieved successin commerce and were appointed to the position of “daikankayaku” (civil administration officer) by the feudal lord (Shirakawa
Clan) during the Edo period. The successive heads of the Naito
family, with such roots, dedicated their efforts to protecting
the lives of townspeople. They actively provided relief during
famines, established funds such as child care allowances, and madesignificant contributions to the local community. Sukagawa town
has been recognized for its character as a “self-governing city” that
does not rely on the lord for administrative management, and thisexhibition provides a detailed explanation of its specific features.
For those interested, we recommend exploring “Fumi No
Mori Bessatsu No. 7,” a supplementary booklet distributed during
the exhibition period. It’s available as a PDF
on the Uehiro Historical Resources Research
Division website (in Japanese). You can access it athttps://uehiro-tohoku.net/survey/survey01.
(Kenichiro Aratake)

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3

Recent Events

Cultural Conflicts and Well-being in East Eurasia
Annual Meeting for 2022 of East Eurasian Studies (EES) Project

The first annual meeting of the EES project, themed “Cultural
Conflicts and Well-being in East Eurasia,” was held at theTokyo Shigaku Kaikan on January 21, 2023. EES was launchedwith the aim of understanding the influence of East Eurasia,
encompassing the vast nations of China and Russia, on the
global world from the perspectives of cultural conflicts and wellbeing. This inaugural general meeting was held to confirm theoverall direction of the project and discuss the interaction among
cooperating members.
The meeting consisted of four sections: Keynote Speech,
Branch Directors Panel, Presentations by Members from Each
Branch, and Exchange of Ideas on Inter-branch Collaborative
Activities. In the Keynote Speech, Professor Hiroki Takakura,
the project representative from Tohoku University, presented on
the topic “Cultural Conflicts and Well-being in East Eurasia.”
He discussed the overall purpose and goals of the project andreported on the possibilities of regional studies that can beenvisioned within the framework of East Eurasia.
In the “Branch Directors Panel,” Hiroki Takakura (Tohoku
University Base), Ippei Shimamura (Vice President andMinpaku Branch Director), Hiroki Okada (Kobe University
Branch Director), and Akihiro Iwashita (Hokkaido University

Branch Director) each reported on the objectives and plans of
their respective branches, and discussed the direction of interbranch collaboration and interaction.
Through this meeting, the overall direction of the project
and the topics and progress of each branch were shared.
Furthermore, individual reports by members from each branchand discussions on common issues such as well-being deepened
the understanding of those in attendance. Our network was
expanded through interactions with participants from various
regions. (Alimtohte Shiho)

Members participating in the EES 2022 Annual Meeting

Recent Events

Navigating Between History and Memory
Perspectives on Postwar Sino-Japanese Relations

On February 21, 2023, we had the honor of hosting Professor
Guangtao Wang, Associate Professor at Fudan University’s Japan
Research Center and Research Fellow at Kyoto University’s
Graduate School of Law ( Japan Foundation Fellow for JapaneseStudies), for a public lecture presented in a hybrid format. The
lecture was titled “Navigating Between History and Memory:
Perspectives on Postwar Sino-Japanese Relations.”
Professor Wang commenced the lecture by elucidating the
intricate relationship between history and memory. He delved into
the narratives surrounding postwar Sino-Japanese relations andexplored their repercussions on the ongoing reconciliation efforts
between Japan and China. The discourse unfolded with the aid ofconcrete examples. Emphasizing that history is a blend of memory
and forgetfulness, Professor Wang highlighted that historicalissues are not merely about past facts but are deeply rooted in thehistorical narratives crafted by involved parties up to the present.
The lecture pinpointed the absence of shared memory points on
history between Japan and China and the increasing prevalenceof “discontinuity” over “continuity” in memory as significant
obstacles hindering the harmonization of historical perspectives.
This lecture was thoughtfully conceived and executed as partof the “Research with Social Impact” project (D2 Understanding
Neighboring Countries), in which the Center for Northeast AsianStudies actively participates. The event drew a diverse audiencefrom both within and beyond the university. An engaging Q&A
session was held after the presentation. (Yuanyuan Teng)

Poster of the lecture

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Online Release
Honorary Professor Motoyuki Sato’s Retirement Lecture and Interview with Honorary Professor Masahisa Segawa
In honor of the retirements of two CNEAS professors in thespring of 2023, a lecture and an interview celebrating their decades of research have been provided online.
Professor Sato’s retirement lecture, titled “Engineering inNortheast Asian Studies: From Komochi Village Ruins to Ukrainian Landmines,” was held as part of the Center for Northeast
Asian Studies’ public lecture series. The first half of the lecture began with a lecture-style explanation of electromagnetic theory, followed by discussions on the radar technology applications conducted by Professor Sato at the center.
Professor Segawa’s interview, entitled “Cultural Anthropology Focused on Southern China,” was published in “Jinsha Salon’s‘Santaro no Komichi,’ ” which introduces the research achievements by researchers of the humanities and social science faculties
at Tohoku University. Professor Hiroki Oka conducted the interview. The interview delves into the nature of cultural anthropology,
which is Professor Segawa’s specialty, and explores why he chose
China as his research subject.

Both the retirement lecture and the interview are currently
available online, and we invite you to watch them.
(Akio Goto)
Professor Sato’s Retirement Lecture:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7PCi2fr1PU

Professor Segawa’s Interview:
http://www.cneas.tohoku.ac.jp/jinsya/interview1/

AwardsProfessor Motoyuki Sato Named Recipient of 72nd (2022) Kahoku Culture Award
In January 2023, Professor Motoyuki Sato of our center
received the 72nd (2022) Kahoku Culture Award. The Kahoku
Culture Award is presented to individuals or groups who havemade remarkable achievements in the academic, artistic, sports,
industrial, and social activities sectors in Tohoku, contributing to
the region’s development.
Professor Sato, in collaboration with Kurihara City in Miyagi
Prefecture, has been involved in monitoring and developing an
early warning system using Ground-Based Synthetic Aperture
Radar (GB-SAR) for the “Aratozawa Landslide” that occurred
during the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake. GB-SAR
enables precise measurement of the displacement of a wideranging landslide area, approximately 100 meters in height and
900 meters in width, with accuracy in the millimeter range.
The system has been operational for over a decade, providing
continuous monitoring and information to stakeholders aroundthe clock.
In 2013, Professor Sato developed the Array Ground
Penetrating Radar (Array GPR) named “Yakumo” to efficiently
conduct cultural asset surveys during the relocation of homes
to higher ground after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The
technology was used in tsunami victim search activities conductedin collaboration with prefectural police in Miyagi, Fukushima, andIwate for several years.
The humanitarian landmine exploration system “ALIS(Advanced Landmine Detection System),” based on this ground
penetrating radar technology, has been used in Cambodia, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, and Colombia since 2018. Starting January2023, landmine removal activities have commenced in Ukraine,with collaboration from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA.
ALIS is expected to play a significant role in future landmineaffected countries.
These substantial contributions to society have been highly
recognized, leading to Professor Sato’s well-deserved award.
(Ryuma Saito)

Training for the Humanitarian Landmine Exploration System“ALIS” (January 2023 in Cambodia)

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New Staff and Visiting Scholars
Visiting Scholar

Yu-Ting Lee

Associate Professor, National Taiwan University
Dec 2022 - Feb 2023
Literature

Associate Professor

Kouhei Tamura

Apr 2023 - present
Anthropology, Digital humanities

Associate Professor

Yumi Ishii

Apr 2023 - present
Modern Chinese history, Oral history

Assistant Professor

Minami Nemoto
Apr 2023 - present
Japanese history

Visiting Scholar

Thomas E. Currie
Professor, University of Exeter
June 2023 - July 2023
Human behavioral ecology, Cultural evolution

Research Fellow

Satoshi YoshidaAug 2023 - present
Earth history, Geochemistry

Visiting Scholar

Ria-Maria Adams

Research Fellow, University of Vienna
Oct 2023
Social anthropology

Research Fellow

Hwana Park

Oct 2023 - present
Cultural anthropology

Research Fellow

Lai JinOct 2023 - present
Mongolian history

Visiting ScholarCharlotte Marchina

Associate Professor, Inalco University
Nov 2023 - Feb 2024
Cultural anthropology

Visiting Scholar

Vasilii Shchepkin

Senior Researcher, Russian Academy of Sciences
Nov 2023 - Dec 2023
Japanese history, International relations

Visiting Scholar

Nataliia Kutafeva

Associate Professor, Novosibirsk State University
Nov 2023 - Feb 2024
Japanese linguistics

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CNEAS vol.11

Publications
The language of the following books is Japanese, unless otherwise noted.
■Northeast Asia Monograph SeriesThis commercially published series presents scholarly monographs
in Northeast Asian regional studies aimed at specialists, generalreaders and university students.

Center for Northeast Asian Studies(eds), Nature and Culture in Northeast
Asia volume 2, Tohoku University
Press. January 2023.

Masahisa Segawa, Hua Nan: The
Cultural Diversity and Ethnicity ofGuangdong and Hainan, South China,
Fukyosha Publishing Inc., January
2023.

■Northeast Asian Studies
Northeast Asian Studies is anannual academic journal for the purpose of contributing to thedevelopment of area studies and its related fields in Northeast
Asia. Northeast Asian Studies vol. 27, February 2023.

Sunhee Lee and Hiroki Takakura(eds),
Life in the Disaster
Aftermath: Disaster Humanities
of Commemoration and Recovery,
Shinsensha, March 2023.

Hiroki Takakura, Anthropology
and Disaster in Japan: Cultural
Contributions to Recovery after the2011 Earthquake and Tsunami,
Routledge, March 2023. (in English)■Northeast Asian Books
Northeast Asian Books are being published as a trial to introduce
fundamental knowledge about nature, history, culture and society
in Northeast Asia to general readers. They are the result of natural,social science and humanities research on environmental andsocietal problems.

■CNEAS Monograph Series
Research results of CNEAS joint research projects, and individual
projects, irregular publication (in house publications)
Masahisa Segawa, Under the Ancestors’ Glory, Center for Northeast
Asian Studies, Tohoku University Series No. 71, September 2022.
Teiji Nomoto and The Nangou Komonjyo Reading Group, The
Documents of Gotou Family Served as Syukuro (Senior Vassal)
in Sendai Domain: History, Role, and Martial Arts, Center for
Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University Series No. 72,
January 2023.
Arata Hirakawa and Kazuo Takehara,
Drifting Records and Drifting People
in the Edo Period: Drifting Chronology
and Drifting Catalog, Center for
Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku
University, Series No. 73, September
2023.

■CNEAS Reports
Nagayama, Y., T. A. Golovaneva, and Pronina, E. P. (eds.),
Language and Life of Peoples of Kamchatka: Personal Histories andMemories. Volume 2, November 2022. (in Russsian)■Researcher’s Initiative Publications
Shiji Yamashita and Tomoko Kanou (eds), Cultural heritage,
Resilient tourism, and Disaster Risk Reduction, Shinyosha,
September 2022.

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Alimtohte Shiho, Islam and Confucianism: The Civilization Fusionof “Hui Confucianism”, Akashi shoten-Publishing, October 2022.
Masahisa Segawa, Huanan: Diversity and Ethnicity of Guangdongand Hainan, South China, Fukyosha, December 2022.
Yoko Takayama and Mutsumi Yama­guchi (eds), Norms and Models:Modernization and Globalization in
Northeast Asia, Fukyosha, February2023.
Masahisa Segawa, Parasol Tree inAutumn: Memories of my Forty Years asa Researcher, Fukyosha, February 2023.

Letters
There is some unfathomable historical connection between Russia and Sendai. It was in the sea off the coast of Sendai where thefirst Russian ship to reach Japan appeared in 1739. Kudo Heisuke,
who completed the first Japanese book about Russia in 1783, andHayashi Shihei, who was the first Japanese to declare the danger
from Russia in 1786, were both Sendai residents. And it was from
Sendai that the Japanese vessel “Wakamiya-maru” set sail, which
was then wrecked and carried away by the sea current to Russia in
1793. The four survivors from that vessel became the first Japanese
to circumnavigate the globe, as, after crossing Russia from east to
west, they were returned to Japan by the first Russian Round-theWorld expedition. They later spurred the study of Russia by Sendai
scholars such as Otsuki Gentaku and Shimura Hiroyuki.
Having realized such a historical connection during my first
brief visit here in 2014, I was confident that Sendai would be thebest place for my research on the history of Russian studies in early modern Japan and their influence on Tokugawa’s foreign policy
and intellectual life. Indeed, after joining the Center of Northeast
Asian Studies of Tohoku University as a visiting associate professor ten years later, in November 2023, I discovered both therich and rare materials at the University Library and the researchfriendly atmosphere of “Mori-no miyako”, a huge city which is literally dissolved in the surrounding nature, where a hawk or an osprey is much easier to spot than a pigeon.
However, the real discovery of Sendai for me wasn’t that. It
was the people. When applied to the fellowship, I didn’t know
anyone neither in the CNEAS nor in Sendai. But as soon as myfellowship started, I was surrounded by attention and care fromthe very first step onto the land of Sendai. Initially I thought that

7

Satoshi Chiba, Invited Natural Enemy,
Misuzu Shobo, March 2023.
Satoshi Yokoyama, Sinya Konaka,
Yoshimichi Yui, Masao Abeya, Izumi
Morimoto and Yuko Mio (eds), The
earth and its people seen from the eyes offieldworkers: Sixty topics for geographyclasses, Kokon Shoin, March 2023.
John P. Ziker, Jenanne Ferguson and
Vladimir Davydov (eds), The SiberianWorld, Routledge, March 2023. (inEnglish)Minami Nemoto, Mourike: Hagihan,
Yoshikawa Kobunkan, June 2023.

Vasilii ShchepkinInstitute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences

I would spend my two months at the
CNEAS just collecting and copying
materials for future research. However, my colleagues from the Uehiro Research Division of Historical Materials Study have managed to create sucha research atmosphere around me that
I spent all two months in incessant
preparation for presentations of my research. And I am not complaining, for
it organized and guided my work here,
and eventually led me to several new discoveries that I had noteven expected.
I would like to express my gratitude to Tohoku University, CNEAS and all members of the Uehiro Research Division ofHistorical Materials Study, especially to my host professor Aratake
Kenichiro and Dr. Cheng Yongchao, whose questions and interest in my research pointed me in the future directions of my work.
I am very grateful to Prof. Takakura Hiroki for his hospitality andfriendliness. I would also like to mention two people whose invisible presence was constantly felt during my stay in Sendai. They are
Date Masamune and Sendai Shiro, the two poles of the city’s history, with the former created this stunningly beautiful city, while
the latter reflected the hospitality and kindness of its people.
I would be very happy if my short stay and research work at
the CNEAS remains another invisible bridge connecting Russia
and Sendai.

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Letters

CNEAS vol.11

Charlotte Marchina
Inalco University (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations)

I am an anthropologist and Associate Professor in Mongolian
Studies at Inalco University (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations) in Paris, and have come to CNEAS
from November 2023 to January 2024. First of all, I am doubly
grateful to CNEAS and Tohoku University for having postponed(and not cancelled) this fellowship originally planned during theCovid-19 pandemic, as well as for the exceptional nursery care offered on the campus, without which I would not have been able towork in such good conditions, while living with my son. The International Support Center and CNEAS staff also ensured a smooth
installation, enabling me to settle quite quickly. I work on the relationship between herders, animals and the environment in Mongolia and Southern Siberia, and devoted my research time here
to writing a book on human-animal relations, while also starting a new research project on the perception of climate change inthis region. Being affiliated with the CNEAS enabled me to writein a most stimulating context, as I interacted daily with anthropologists as well as researchers from other disciplines working on
Northeast Asia. On the other hand, just like I experienced serendipity during other fellowships abroad in the past, this fellowshipgave me access to unexpected and fruitful theoretical and methodological insights, especially in anthropology of disasters, in connection with studies of the 3.11 disaster, thanks to my remarkable
host researcher Takakura Hiroki, participation in the anthropology graduate seminar, and discussions with other CNEAS and
IRIDES (International Institute of Disaster Science) colleagues.

These exchanges opened doors for me
to approach natural disasters in Mongolia from a new perspective. In addition, the allocation of a research budget and working space also allowed me
to strengthen cooperation with anthropologists from other Japanese institutions working on Mongolia, which isvery precious. This fellowship came at apivotal moment in my intellectual andresearch career, and there is no doubt that my stay at CNEAS willplay an important role in the successful completion of my projects
and the development of current and new collaborations.

A Mongolian riding camel tied up on a herder’s encampment during a snow storm (Central Mongolia, November 2012).

Editorial
Editorial postscript
Welcome to the 11th volume of the CNEAS Bulletin. Through thisBulletin the Center works to connect with scholars of research related to Northeast Asia and highlight the activities of select faculty members. Faculty continued to highlight their research throughnumerous symposia and exhibitions in 2022 and 2023 with topics
on the human condition spanning from the Stone Age (“Insights
Into Human History in the Eurasian Stone Age: Recent Developments in Archaeology, Palaeoanthropology, and Genetics” led by
Prof. Katsuhiro Sano), to the Edo Period (“Sukagawa City Museum Theme Exhibition “The Edo Period in Sukagawa as Seen in
the Naito Family Documents” by Prof. Kenichiro Aratake), to today (“Culture Clash and Well-being in East Eurasia” by Assist.
Prof. Alimtohte Shiho). Accolades found their way to CNEAS

when Professor (now Emeritus) Motoyuki Sato was awarded the72nd Kahoku Culture Award in 2022. In this issue we also invite
Visiting Research Fellows Dr. Charlotta Marchina and Dr. Vasilii
Shchepkin to present their experiences of their time at CNEAS.
Recent global events continue to present CNEAS with challenges in hosting overseas guest researchers. Though the COVID-19
pandemic finally slowed enough to host international researchers
again, the Center’s Visiting Fellows Program was again impacted, this time by Russian’s War on Ukraine, with CNEAS experiencing numerous challenges in hosting Russia-based colleagues.
We look forward to a return to things operating more smoothly in the future.

The CNEAS Bulletin is published once a year by the Center for
Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University.
The Bulletin promotes a continuing exchange of information withformer visiting scholars and others who related to the Northeast
Asian Studies.

Website: http://www2.cneas.tohoku.ac.jp/english/index.html
Editor: Yuanyuan Teng
Editorial panel: Alyne Delaney, Tatsuki Tsujimori, and Mitsu Hatakeyama©Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University 2024.