ID
Name
Title
Supervisor

160058
Mizuki ICHIHIRA
A Study on Gender Equality:
From a comparison between Pride and Prejudice and Bridget
Jones’s Diary
Prof. Chihiro KATO
Summary

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how gender equality could be achieved in
the UK and Japan. According to the World Economic survey in 2018, gender equality in
the UK is promoted more compared to Japan. However, it is not completely achieved ineither country. I examined the gender issues in the UK from a comparison between Prideand Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
First, I analyzed Pride and Prejudice and examined how gender equality wasportrayed in the story through the background of story, factors of the character
development and communications. Next, I analyzed Bridget Jones’s Diary and examinedgender equality in the same way as Pride and Prejudice. Finally, I considered genderissues and improvement plan from comparing the two literatures.
Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary have some common points in termsof gender equality such as social pressure and the way that family works. These would be
the issues that the UK has had for a long time. In order to solve these issues, education
and action for men are necessary. Another common point in the two literatures is almost
all of characters are white. Equality in every respect including race is also important forgender equality because it could build a permissive society. Compared with the UK, I
discovered Japanese have lower awareness of gender issues. Therefore, not only theconscious approach, such as the actions detailed above but also an institutional approach
would be effective to improve equality in Japan.
In this paper I concluded that action for men, education and equality in every
respect such as racial equality are important for achieving gender equality in the UK.
Moreover, I suggested that an institutional approach should be taken in Japan besides theactions suggested above. This thesis is significant in that I suggest the improvement plan
not only for the UK but also for Japan from comparing the literatures from different times.
Keywords: gender equality, Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary

186

ID
Name
Title
Supervisor

160140Azusa OKA
The Main Theme of 1Q84 by Haruki MurakamiProf. Chihiro KATO
Summary

The purpose of this thesis is to consider the author's message in 1Q84 written by
Haruki Murakami from 2009 to 2010. His early works were not related to Japanese society.
However, in the wake of incidents in Japan, such as the Sarin Subway incident, he began
to write novels related to Japanese society. 1Q84 is one of the most famous works among
them. In this paper, I clarify the main theme of the work.
Firstly, I examined parenthood, one of the themes of the work. The main sets ofparents and their children in the story broke their relationship. Among them, only the main
character Tengo and his father improve the relationship at the end. This relationship issimilar to that between the author and his father, so it can be presumed that the author
reflected his experience in Tengo and his father. Another theme is good and evil. Evil is
portrayed in a way that does not make the readers think it evil. It is considered that theauthor is trying to convey to the readers the fear of not being able to distinguish between
good and evil.
I found that these two themes link to memory, the most important theme of thisstory. The author feels a crisis about the loss of memories of war and raises the alarm
against people’s indifference to history through his work. The reason for writing aboutparenthood is to convey the importance of the inheritance of history between generations.
In several interviews, the author has talked about losing memories since his father's death.
The reason for writing about good and evil is to show his fear that losing memories makes
it very difficult to distinguish between good and evil.
In conclusion, the main theme of 1Q84 is memory, and the author wanted to show
the sense of crisis if memory would be lost. The significance of this thesis is that I showedthat this work can be an opportunity for readers to realize the importance of rememberinghistory.
Keywords: Haruki Murakami, 1Q84, memory, good and evil

187

ID
Name
Title
Supervisor

160358
Hidekazu SUZUKI
A Study of Cultural Exchange between Chinese Gardening andEnglish Gardening in Britain: Sir William Chambers and theRoyal Botanic Gardens, KewProf. Chihiro KATO
Summary

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the cultural exchange between Chinese
gardening and English gardening. In the late 18th century, Chinese gardening became
popular in England. This thesis explores why Sir William Chambers designed Chinese
gardening and buildings at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
First, I clearly defined the characteristics of the English garden culture and theChinese one, using previous research. Second, I analyzed Chambers’ works to learn how
he designed Chinese gardening and buildings. Finally, I examined what Chinese
gardening means to English gardening in today’s English society, and whether Chinese
gardening influenced European countries’ gardening culture or not.
I found that when Chinoiserie was popular in Britain, Sir William Chambers felt
attracted to the beauty of Chinese gardens in China and learned from travelers from theFar East about gardening, and he innovated the Chinese gardening and buildings to theKew. Through comparison between his work and elements of Chinese gardening, it canbe inferred that he wanted to make a Chinese garden, with Chinese gardens’ elements andChinese landscaping values of the four seasons. Therefore, the Kew has botanical andarchitectural evidences of connections to the Orient. Moreover, “the British Chinesegardening”: oriental gardens including the Kew, influenced European gardening culture
not only in Britain but also in France and Germany.
I concluded that Sir William Chambers designed the Chinese garden in the Kew,bringing Chinese classic garden elements and landscaping ideas to Britain. And, his “theBritish Chinese gardening” influenced European gardening culture. The significance of
this thesis is to show both intentions of Sir William Chambers and one unique aspect ofBritish garden culture as “the British Chinese gardening”.
Keywords: English garden, Chinese garden, Sir William Chambers, Kew garden

188

ID
Name
Title
Supervisor

160397
Yuto TAKIZAWA
The Background of Unprogressive Tobacco Policy in Japan:
In comparison to the UK smoking banProf. Chihiro KATO
Summary

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the background factors which are causingsmoking regulations to be inadequate in Japan. In recent years, there is a trend regulatingsmoking worldwide to prevent secondhand smoke. Since Japan has ratified theFramework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Japan is supposed to introduce
indoor smoking ban. However, it was not until 2018 that Japan introduced the regulationby amending the Health Promotion Act. World Health Organization (WHO) ranked Japanas one of the worst smoke-free countries, whereas the tobacco policy in the UK is highly
valued. I investigated the problems of Japanese tobacco policy by comparing it to that inthe UK.
First, I examined how strictly Japanese Health Promotion Act might regulate
smoking behavior. Second, I analyzed smoking regulations in the UK, such as the indoor
smoking ban. Finally, I compared those two countries’ tobacco policies.
These examinations revealed that Japanese tobacco policy is inadequate especiallyin regulations on indoor smoking, cigarette packaging and taxation. The study also
revealed there is a financial collusion between Japanese politics and the tobacco industry,
which is discouraging legislation of tobacco control. Therefore, Japanese government has
to find ways to regulate smoking, while keeping financial income from tobacco industry.
I verified it is effective to increase cigarette tax to ease financial problems and improve
public health. I also emphasized the need to control electronic cigarettes and other related
products, since the possible health effects caused by use of these products are not certain.
In this thesis I verified that the tobacco policy is inadequate in Japan, comparedwith the UK and concluded that it is the financial collusion between politics and tobacco
industry that creates this inadequacy. This thesis is significant in that it illuminatesbackground factors which discourage tobacco legislation control in Japan.
Keywords: smoking ban, FCTC, secondhand smoke, tobacco industry

189

ID
Name
Title
Supervisor

160583
Kazuki HOSHINO
A Study on The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame as
Animal Fantasy: From the perspective of the satires
Prof. Chihiro KATO
SummaryThe objective of this thesis is to examine The Wind in the Willows, children’sliterature written by Kenneth Grahame in 1908, from the perspective of Animal fantasy.
Moreover, the purpose of this thesis is to reveal how English society was satirized byanimal’s perspective and how it influenced children’s literature and writers. This book is
one of the representative books of the Victorian age, a genre written in the end of 19th
century through the 20th century in England. I verify Grahame’s unique way of writing
satire in The Wind in the Willows which is different from other Victorian Fantasy.
Firstly, I clearly defined Animal fantasy as a story which make reader think about
the satire and lessons through personified animals. Secondly, I compared this book to theVictorian society and analyzed the satires in terms of the destruction of nature,Bohemianism and the destruction of the existing social model. In addition, I categorized
this book by two styles of satire: Horatius-style and Juvenalis-style. Thirdly, I consideredthe value of this book for English literature in the present day.
As a result, I found that the elements of the satire are categorized as Horatius-style,which includes empathic attitude through animal’s perspective. In addition, the adventure
and return of Mr. Toad shows how to acquire self-identity and the way to overcome thedifficult stage of early years in childhood development. Moreover, after the publicationof this book, many authors of children’s literature followed the story and animal
perspective to entertain both children and adults as a framework for Animal Fantasy.
In conclusion, the roles of The Wind in the Willows are to describe and satirize
human society which faces historical crises through Horatius-style, it includes a gentle
and empathic perspective through personified animals. Furthermore, the influence of thisbook is to show human’s fears or conflicts through animals and offer the way to overcome
them. The significance of this thesis is that it showed Grahame’s unique way of the satire
and verified the universality of this book even today.
Keywords: Animal Fantasy, Children’s Literature, The Wind in the Willows, Victorian
Age190