What’s in thisissue

WelcomeMessage
Japan holding
off on lockdown
Escape to Tokyo– report byNadine Willems
Winter CJS
Seminar
ReportsCJS Project Co-ordinator: Oliver MoxhamCJS Director: Professor Simon Kaner

News fromJapan

Welcome Message
Welcome to the new weekly CJS e-newsletter! In response to the unprecedented measures being taken inresponse to COVID19, CJS has taken the initiative to bring all the latest in Japanese research online, startingwith this weekly e-newsletter. In this issue, we will providing a brief rundown of how Japan is responding tothe COVID19 virus, including an on-the-ground report from UEA Lecturer in History Professor Nadine
Willems who is currently in Tokyo. You can also find a message from CJS Director Professor Simon Kaner on
the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures website. You can find more from ourSISJAC colleagues on their e-bulletin.
As we develop our online strategy, future issues will include book recommendations from our researchers,
as well as Japanese film and manga suggestions to bring Japan to you at home. We are also exploring
beginning a new CJS podcast to bring our CJS seminars to your living rooms – stay tuned for more updates!

Holding off on lockdown
The Japanese government has been reluctant to impose the unprecedented lockdown measuresobserved across the world against COVID19. With its population of over 10 million and its
infamously cramped spaces, the capital Tokyo would seem like the perfect city for the highly
contagious coronavirus to rapidly spread through. However, according to official testing numbers, the total
number of infections in Japan stands just over 2,500, paling in comparison with the 90,000 cases reportedin Italy. Whether this is due to severe undertesting or the nation’s reputation for cleanliness and culturally
inherent social distancing, Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike seems reluctant to impose a complete lockdown
seen in capitals around the world. Many Tokyoites have been seen enjoying the seasonal cherry blossoms,
although there has been a noted shift away from picnicking beneath the trees in groups to strolling by
without stopping.

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Escape to Tokyo – report by Nadine Willems
As it turned out, I landed at Tokyo Haneda airport just before Japan’s
imposition of travel restrictions on people coming from overseas.
One day later, and I would have been asked to self-isolate for 14days. It had been difficult enough to secure a seat on an airplanesince for several days demand far outstripped supply. Many flights
had been cancelled while some airlines charged astronomical prices.
But I was lucky in the end, although interrogated in earnest by thecabin staff before boarding about my whereabouts in the previous
couple of weeks.
It was a relaxing flight, in spite of the odd atmosphere, a few of myfellow travellers having donned a full plastic moon suit, a mask,
goggles and gloves to make the trip. It seemed a bit exaggerated on
the occasion, but they must have felt safe inside their vinyl envelope.
I felt relatively safe too. After all, I had never experienced Heathrow
Airport so quiet and its security procedures so smooth. If I was indanger of catching a virus, it would not be due to overcrowding.

Seki echiketto: Signs have been
erected urging people to respect“coughing etiquette”

Twelve hours later, Haneda Airport appeared livelier, if only just. Thecoronavirus has kept away millions of Chinese and other tourists who
usually throng to Japan in the spring to enjoy hanami, or cherry blossoms viewing. Indeed, this year hanami
is a toned-down affair. Along the Meguro River, young people stroll and take selfies, but they do not needto fight their way through jam-packed bridges. There are no queues to buy pink fizz and sakurazake, andanyway Meguro Ward has issued an injunction curtailing the number of stalls allowed to do business along
the cherry-tree lined roads. As I look around, I notice that it has also planted signs urging people to respect
the “coughing etiquette”. They contrast awkwardly with the cheerful banners announcing the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics that hang at regular intervals in the city streets. As we know now, the 2020 Olympics are
rescheduled for the summer of 2021.
Restraint - jishuku - is thus the motto of the season. In the past few
days, the number of coronavirus infections has increased markedly,
especially in Tokyo. As I write, Prime Minister Abe has not declared astate of emergency yet and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has no legal
power to impose a lock down. She can only rely on the obedience andunderstanding of the public to slow down contagion. In any case, it is
not clear that she would want to take such a drastic measure as theparalysis of Japan’s capital, given the huge economic fall-out thatwould follow.
As things stand, the population appears to be cooperating. In the past
couple of days, a few shops and venues have closed in myneighbourhood. The little fish restaurant in which I often have lunch isopen but reports that no customers show up in the evenings. At theweekend, railways in Tokyo suffered a 70 to 80% fall in passenger
numbers. Small eateries have started offering take-away business inthe hope to bag some revenues in spite of declining footfall. Hand
sanitizers are available almost everywhere. And although face masks
are in short supply, they remain conspicuous in the city.

Locals engaging in a subdued, yetstill lively, hanami along MeguroRiver2

As far as I can tell, though, Tokyo keeps on rolling. The
megalopolis is operating in a low gear, but by nomeans in panic mode. By the time I left the UK, I could
not escape the impression that human life on earth
was about to end – that the spread of the coronavirus
was no less than apocalyptic. The country was on awar footing and fear insinuated itself into every cornerof daily life. The message I hear in Japan differs starkly.
Here caution takes priority over alarm. The main
recommendation focuses on avoiding the “threemitsu”, or three “proximities” – a play on words sincein Japanese it reads “mitsu no mitsu” (３つの密):
mippei kūkan (poorly ventilated spaces); misshū bashō(packed venues); and missetsu bamen (closeconversations). And so like almost everyone else in thiscity, I comply with official advice, making the most of
the time and quiet forced on me, and all the while
hoping that things will not suddenly accelerate into a much worse outcome.
Written by Nadine Willems, Lecturer of Japanese History at UEA. All photos taken by the author.
CJS Research Seminars – Autumn Semester report
While several of our schedule seminars have been postponed, we were able to have three fascinating
speakers from a range of disciplines come and give insightful talks on our behalf.
In Conversation with Anthony Thwaite
On the 23 January, following our MA Information Session, thefirst CJS Research Seminar of 2020 saw esteemed poet Anthony
Thwaite join us to give readings of some of his best works to a fullhouse. These were accompanied by Japanese translations
provided by SISJAC's Ryoko Matsuba and Junzo Uchiyama, whogave powerful, evocative renditions of the classics. Anthonyreminisced on his time in Japan at the University of Tokyo as thenation was rebuilding following the aftermath of the Second
World War whilst in conversation with CJS Director Simon Kaner,
who also got the opportunity to discuss their shared passion ofarchaeology. The evening was rounded off with a book signing of
Anthony's new poetry compilation and platters of delicious sushi.
A bilingual English-Japanese edition of Anthony Thwaite's
collection of poems can be purchased from amazon.co.jp. Copies
can be bought and delivered to the UK.

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Gender and National Image: Representations of figure skating in Japanese anime
On the 4 February, we were delighted to have Dr Michael Tsang visit from Newcastle University to give atalk on how, over the years, Japanese figure skating anime has reflected its real-world counterpart and thebroader socio-political shifts of the time.
Such observations included the intimate relationship between multinational characters of Yuri on Ice beinga means of conveying the desire of Japanese officials to cooperate internationally, as well as various
references to 'bromance' as a reflection of the changing attitudes in Japan today on homosexuality. DrTsang also cited the fiery protagonist of Ginban Kaleidoscope as a symbol of female strength andindependence, a casting off of 'Yamato Nadeshiko', the traditional Japanese concept of the kind, submissive
female archetype.

A key aspect highlighted was the element of 'non-victory' whereby the protagnists failed to come out on
top despite displaying superb skill. Dr Tsang associates this with a Japanese desire to appear as a nonthreatening nation full of technical and artistic potential on a global stage and champion its ambition toconstantly improve, although Dr Tsang acknowledged that if the protagonist wins outright then the anime
is unlikely to get a sequel. The talk was then followed by an engaging Q&A where UEA Japanese Studies
students fully took the opportunity to tangle with the notions put forward by Dr Tsang.
Extending Virtual Kyoto with Professor Keiji Yano
On 5 March, we were visited by Professor Keiji Yano of Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, who gave a talk on
his long-running project 'Virtual Kyoto'.
Virtual Kyoto is a virtual time-space created on a computer for the purpose of investigating the past,present and future of the historical city of Kyoto, using the cutting-edge technologies in GIS and VR. (Yanoet al., 2008). Professor Yano explained how Virtual Kyoto has evolved into various ways since 2002,4

adapting new technologies as well as new materials on Kyoto. This was demonstrated through stunningvisuals of the street-by-street reconstructions of central Kyoto, the incredible amount of information andsource material that had been used to put together such a detailed reconstruction that spanned several
eras. This included not just key landmarks such as Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace, but also the 50,000
traditional kyo-machiya houses that dot the city with meticulous accuracy as well as many industrial era
Western-style buildings.

The talk also covered the various spin-off projects that had derived from Virtual Kyoto, including: anAugemented Reality smartphone app that provides a window into Virtual Kyoto as you walk the streets ofKyoto yourself; an open high-resolution database of historic maps; and high quality scans of modernbuildings throughout the city.
News from JapanNational
For a running number of reported COVID19 infections, victims and recoveries in Japan, see the Asahi
Shimbun homepage: https://www.asahi.com/
An up-to-date document from the Japanese ministry of health displaying the spread of the virus can be found here:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10900000/000618504.pdf
For information on government measures to financially support households:
Japan to give ¥300,000 to struggling households as COVID-19 cases rise
For Japanese speakers, here’s an article laying out vocabulary coming out of the crisis:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/03/31/language/japanese-self-restraint/
For updates on Japanese universities nationwide:https://twitter.com/JapanIntercult/status/1245265575556689921

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TokyoFor details of life on the ground:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/03/30/national/japan-social-distancing/
For more information on the postponing of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200330/p2a/00m/0sp/018000c

Useful Links
Embassy of Japan: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/
Japan Foundation: http://www.jpf.org.uk/
JSPS: http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/
British Association for Japanese Studies: http://www.bajs.org.uk/
Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation: http://www.dajf.org.uk/
Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation: http://www.gbsf.org.uk/
Japan Society: http://www.japansociety.org.uk/
EU-Japan Centre: http://www.eu-japan.eu/
Canon Foundation: www.canonfoundation.org
Applications for JET Programme: http://www.jetprogramme.org/
Japanese Language Proficiency Exam: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/index.html
UEA Japan Society: ueajapansociety@gmail.com
Taiko Centre East: http://www.taikocentre.org.uk/
Career Forums: http://www.careerforum.net/event/?lang=EContact Us
If you have any contributions for the next issue of the e-newsletter,
please send them to us by Wednesday to make the next issue.
The CJS office is located in the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts (the mezzanine floor), although theoffice is temporarily closed as per university guidelines. You can email us (cjs@uea.ac.uk).
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