bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DEVELOPMENT OF INQUIRY-BASED HYBRID TRAINING PROGRAM FOR STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCIES
Authors:   Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Satthaphong Tasanee , Kaewmoragot Siriorn Jullasap ,   Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Unnanantn Thassanant ,   Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Secil Varlik Yasemin ,   Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300 Thailand
Published: January 2025

This research was to develop an inquiry-based hybrid training program enhance English communicative competencies of Thai students participating in an exchange program. The research procedure was divided into two phases. The first phase was the development of a hybrid training program based on inquiry-based learning and its effectiveness was evaluated by five experts. Second, the tailored learning platform was implemented to the 30 Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University students in the first semester of the academic year 2022, joined the Thailand-Taiwan-Australia Exchange Program. The instruments of this study were a questionnaire with efficiency at the highest level (x̅ = 4.81, SD = 0.30) and an English communicative competency test with item difficulty ranging from 0.42-0.57, item discrimination ranging from 0.42-0.76 and reliability of 0.89. The statistical analysis was frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and t-test for dependent variables. The results of this research revealed that the inquiry-based hybrid training program consisted of seven components: 1) principles, 2) objectives, 3) training program content, 4) the training program’s structure, 5) activity guidelines, 6) training program media, and 7) program evaluation. Also, the instruction process set for both on-line and on-site classes were divided into five stages: 1) engagement, 2) exploration, 3) explanation, 4) elaboration, and 5) evaluation. Moreover, after the training program implementation, the students’ post-test mean scores were significantly higher than those of the pre-test and the increase with .05 significance level. These findings suggest that the use of inquiry-based hybrid training program enhances English communicative competencies of Thai students participating in an exchange program.
DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA FOR SELF-LEARNING ON COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS IN PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA 3 OF UBON RATCHATHANI
Authors:   Faculty of Computer Science, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University, Ubon Ratchathani 34000 Thailand, Boonprasom Chanidapa
Published: January 2025

This study develops and evaluates the quality of interactive multimedia for self-learning on computers and technology for students in the Ubon Ratchathani Primary Educational Service Area 3. The study compares students' learning outcomes before and after using the multimedia, examines the retention of knowledge, and evaluates student satisfaction with the learning experience facilitated by the interactive multimedia by using the ADDIE model. The ADDIE model, consisting of five steps in Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation, was employed in the creation of the interactive multimedia which features a combination of cartoons, still images, animations, videos, narration, and interactive elements such as matching games, drag-and-drop exercises, and multiple-choice questions. Interactive multimedia can verify accuracy and provide immediate feedback to learners by displaying numerical scores. Interactive multimedia can verify accuracy and provide immediate feedback to learners by displaying numerical scores. The sample consisted of 30 upper primary school students, selected through stratified random sampling, and then further divided by simple random sampling into three groups: 10 fourth graders, 10 fifth graders, and 10 sixth graders. The research instruments included the interactive multimedia, a quality assessment form for the multimedia, and a student satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-tests. The results indicated that the quality of the interactive multimedia for self-directed learning on computers and technology was rated as the highest level, with an average score of 4.53 and a standard deviation of 0.55. The effectiveness of
the interactive multimedia for self-directed learning was found to be 83.07/82.06, exceeding the established criteria. The students' learning outcomes after using the multimedia were significantly higher than before at
the .05 significance level. Additionally, the retention of knowledge after two weeks was significantly higher than
immediately post-learning at the .05 significance level. Student satisfaction with the learning experience using the interactive multimedia was also rated as the highest level, with an average score of 4.55 and a standard deviation of 0.53.
Montmorillonite-Alginate Gel for Basic Red 51 Adsorption and Desorption
Authors:   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand, Pun-on Duongdaw , Ruangrit Papawarin ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand, Chuenchomnakjad Saksit ,   Program of Industrial Education and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Phitsanulok, Phitsanulok, Thailand, Thongkum Duangrat ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Published: January 2025

This research focused on the synthesis of the 6 formulas of sodium alginate gel bead mixed with montmorillonite clay mineral to be used for Basic red 51 dye adsorption. The influencing factors for the adsorption were studied such as the gel bead dosage, adsorption time, initial pH, and initial concentration of dye. The concentrations of residual dye in solution were followed up by UV-vis spectroscopy. The removal efficiency of formula 6 was 97.05%. The adsorption kinetic was best fitted to pseudo-second-order reaction and the adsorption isotherm confirmed Freundlich. Then Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique was used to characterize the functional group of formula 6 of sodium alginate gel bead modified with montmorillonite before and after adsorption. Moreover, the adsorption-desorption isotherms of N2 gas were studied by Brunauer, Emmett and Teller technique, can be classified to type IV, indicates some degree of mesoporosity. From the desorption studies, it was found that the desorption of Basic red 51 dye from formula 3 gel beads was 36.75% using water and ethanol solution (70:30) and concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Security in Bluetooth and Wearable Devices: A Survey
Authors:   Computer Engineering &Parul Institute of Engineering and Technology Vadodara, India, Kumar Hardik , Bhaidasna Hetal , Patel Kajol
Published: January 2025

The rise of Bluetooth tech & wearable gadgets has greatly changed our personal lives. These devices offer amazing convenience & help us connect in many areas like healthcare, fitness, and daily activities. But, with this fast growth, we need to think about important & privacy issues too. Bluetooth, which many people use to communicate wirelessly, faces various security risks. There are threats like eavesdropping, man-in-the-middle attacks, and device spoofing. All these vulnerabilities could lead to unauthorized access, data leaks, or even messing up how devices work. Wearable devices are especially enticing for cyber attackers since they collect & share sensitive personal information, including health metrics and location info. Protecting these gadgets is important because if something goes wrong with the data, it doesn't just affect personal privacy; it can also impact safety & well-being. This review paper closely examines the security challenges that come with Bluetooth and wearable gadgets. It dives into main security threats and vulnerabilities, discussing how attackers might exploit these weaknesses to gain access or disrupt device operations. Plus, it highlights the consequences of security breaches in wearables. This shows why we need strong security measures to keep our data safe and private. Understanding these security challenges is super important for finding ways to reduce risks. The goal of this paper is to emphasize how vital it is to set up strong security frameworks & good practices. Doing this can help keep our private information safe & make sure users feel secure in a world that's increasingly connected. KEYWORD-: Bluetooth, Wearable device, Security, BLE, Security Technique.
50th Anniversary of the Normalization of Sino-Japanese Relations: Outcomes and Problems
Authors: Kulneva P. V.
Published: January 2025

The article is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the normalization of SinoJapanese relations. The author analyzes the development of Sino-Japanese relations, paying special attention to economic interaction, changes in geopolitical situation, and ways of overcoming internal challenges and external threats. The two main trends in the Sino-Japanese relations over the last 50 years are deepening of economic interdependence between the two countries and change of their roles in both economy and politics, primarily due to the growing influence of China. Successful economic reforms carried out in China in the 1980s and 1990s opened up new prospects for the countries and led to a tremendous increase in trade and investment. However, while in the 1980s Chinese economy was more dependent on trade with Japan than vice versa, by the 2000s the situation changed and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, China even became a locomotive of Japan’s economic recovery. China has also overtaken Japan as an influential political player. This has forced Japan to seek security guarantees and opportunities to build up its military potential in order to counter the Chinese threat. Despite the intention to establish relations of peace and friendship, the countries are still unable to resolve a number of issues related to historical memory. Besides serious tensions remain in the East China Sea around the disputed Senkaku/ Diaoyudao islands. The issue of Taiwan also remains a dangerous flash point for conflict. Other recent challenges are the COVID-19 pandemic and the situation around Ukraine, which, the Japanese side thinks, might be repeated with Taiwan. All this still poses a threat to the stability of Sino-Japanese relations. The ability of the two countries to draw lessons from history and to resolve differences through dialogue gives hope that the conflicts will be settled.
New Aspects of “The Case of Richard Sorge”. View From Modern Russia (2017–2022)
Authors: Kulanov A. E. , Sharova A. B.
Published: January 2025

Due to the expiration of a number of previously classified materials related to the activities of the Soviet special services during the Second World War, and also due to the especially high public interest to “the case of Richard Sorge” within the last 5 years, a military historian and Doctor of Historical Sciences Mikhail A. Alekseev introduced a large number of previously unknown Russian- language documents on this case into scientific circulation. These documents are of exceptionally high interest to researchers. For example, it is the first time the published materials definitively answer questions on whether Sorge was a double agent, whether he reported to Moscow the exact date of the attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union, and also what the real reason for the failure of the network of Soviet military intelligence in Japan in 1941 was. Soon after that, the authors of this article for the first time made a complete translation of the memoirs of Ishii Hanako, Sorge’s Japanese wife, which were analyzed in detail and commented on by the authors of the book Another Sorge. The Story of Ishii Hanako. The memoirs of Ishii Hanako give a chance to take a fresh look at Richard Sorge’s personality, his goals in studying Japan and his approaches to this issue, to form a more personal and, at the same time, objective picture of his character. Together with the case of the “Special Folder” of the Central Committee of the CPSU on perpetuating the memory of Richard Sorge, declassified in 2020, for the first time in history, these materials allow to fully estimate Ishii Hanako’s effort to preserve the memory of Sorge in Japan during the period from 1945 to 1964. By comparing the memoirs, the documents of the Soviet side, and by carrying out the research and analytical work, the authors have reached a new level of understanding of “the case of Richard Sorge”. In addition, a number of new materials devoted to the same case and revealing the level of awareness of not only the government and law enforcement agencies of this country, but also the emperor himself, as well as the division of powers of special services in the liquidation of Sorge’s intelligence network were published in Japan within the period of 2017–2022. However, for a number of reasons, in Russia, these documents remain poorly studied.
“Neurasthenia” (Shinkei Suijaku) and Writer Tanizaki Jun’ichirō
Authors: Selimov M. G.
Published: January 2025

This article is devoted to the spread of the vogue “disease” — shinkei suijaku (神経衰弱) among the Japanese creative elite of the 20th century. Part of it was writer Tanizaki Jun’ichirō ( 谷崎潤一郎, 1886–1965), whose artistic image of a “mad genius” was formed under the direct influence of psychiatrist Sugita Naoki (杉田直樹, 1887–1949) and the works of R. Krafft-Ebing and Otto Weininger. The strong causal relationship between “madness” and creativity was caused by the fact that European works of literature came to Japan simultaneously with biographies of their authors. This formed the belief that literature (Dostoevsky or Maupassant’s works, for instance) depended on “madness”. Due to this, the image of a “mad genius” was popularized in Japan in the first half of the 20th century, becoming a key element of the persona of a “modern” writer. These widespread ideas were opposed to the Neo-Confucian thought of the past, Tokugawa era. Genius no longer depended on education, but mental pathologies, giving their owners a special flair and talent. The works of European philosophers and psychiatrists, biographies of writers of the 19th century allowed the “new” Japanese artists to create for themselves a privileged position in the developing market of mass culture. Shinkei suijaku became a marker of the fact that an intellectual was experiencing the full weight of modern civilization; they were at the very edge of the modernization process. The image of a morbid masochist genius constructed by writer Tanizaki Jun’ichirō formed the basis of almost all of his works. The main method of research is analytical. Special attention is paid to the specifics of the development of Japanese culture in the first quarter of the 20th century, when Tanizaki Jun’ichirō joined the discourse of the modernist era with his ideas about the ideal woman who had to change the “genetic” code of the Japanese nation, transforming a person both externally and internally. The works of the writer are a series of “manifestos”, aimed at rethinking the role and image of women in modern society, searching for one’s own identity and the place of the Japanese nation in the modern world.
Oscar — 2022: Hamaguchi Ryūsuke
Authors: Katasonova E. L.
Published: January 2025

The article is devoted to the work of the famous Japanese film director Hamaguchi Ryūsuke — a representative of the new generation of Japanese cinematographers. He is the winner of many prestigious awards of the international film festivals in Locarno, Cannes, etc. His film Drive My Car received the prize of the American Film Academy, Oscar — 2022, as the best foreign film. The film is unusual and interesting in many of its features, which are described in detail in this paper. But, first of all, the author draws attention to the fact that the plot of this picture is based on the eponymous story by the popular Japanese novelist Murakami Haruki. At the same time, the director borrowed a lot from the play “Uncle Vanya”, written by Russian classic A. P. Chekhov, whose influence is quite evident in all the director’s recent works. Another key figure who determined the main vector of creativity of Hamaguchi is Andrei Tarkovsky. The Japanese director owes his acquaintance with Tarkovsky’s films to his teacher — a master of modern Japanese cinema Kurosawa Kiyoshi. Thus, the Russian theme is one of the most interesting aspects of his work. At the same time, the author seeks to analyze in details other literary and cinematic origins of Hamaguchi’s directorial career and comes to the conclusion that his work is a complex but harmonious synthesis of Western and Japanese culture with the latter’s pronounced national traditions.
The 1945 Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation in the Light of New Sources
Authors: Zorikhin A. G.
Published: January 2025

The article focuses on the Manchurian strategic offensive operation of the Red Army against the Japanese troops in Northeast China in August 1945. Its relevance is due to the fact that, over the past decade, researchers have gained access to documents from Russian and Japanese archives that allow a detailed assessment of the nature of actions of both sides. At the initiative of the Imperial Supreme Headquarters, the main command of the Kwantung Army in September 1944 adopted a new operational plan of military operations against the USSR, which, unlike the previous ones, was defensive in nature.

Upon detecting in March – April 1945 the movement of Soviet troops to the Far East, Transbaikalia, and the MPR, in May, the Kwantung Army began preparations to repel the expected offensive of the Red Army. The intelligence agencies of Japan were able to accurately determine the operational plan of the Soviet command to conduct the Manchurian offensive operation and the number of forces allocated to this, but they were wrong by a month with the timing of the likely offensive of the Red Army.

Despite problems with supplying the troops with equipment, primarily with weapons and armored vehicles, the Kwantung army, due to the mobilization of Japanese reservists living in Manchuria and the replenishment of troops with units and formations from Northern China and Korea, faced the offensive of Soviet troops from three directions in an organized manner. During the fierce fighting, the Japanese troops maintained stable control and, adhering to the pre-war plan, retreated to the previously prepared defense lines. Until the top command of the Kwantung Army ordered its subordinate units to cease hostilities on August 16, 1945, the troops generally retained their combat capability. In this regard, further in-depth research of the strengths and weaknesses of the Manchurian strategic offensive operation is required to use its experience in military pedagogical and historiographical practice.
The Image of Russia in the Works by Fukuzawa Yukichi and his Contemporaries
Authors: Sharova A. B.
Published: January 2025

The beginning of the Meiji period (1868–1912) was marked by the opening of the country and its integration into the architecture of the new world. In this regard, the role and importance of geography and, in general, of understanding what a particular country is like, has become extremely important. Writer, translator, and thinker Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835–1901) was one of the most outstanding representatives of the Meiji period. Realizing the urgent need to acquaint the reader with new European knowledge and achievements, he left a great literary heritage in almost every field of science, including geography. An important place in his work is occupied by such works on regional studies as Things Western (1866, 1868, 1870) and All the Countries of the World, for Children Written in Verse (1869), in which he tried to acquaint readers with geography and history, outstanding personalities and scientific achievements of other countries in a simple and understandable form.

The signing of the Treaty of Shimoda (1855) established diplomatic relations between Russia and Japan. Japan showed interest in Russia, in its development in the 18th – 19th centuries. Fukuzawa reflected these trends in his works, presenting Russia as a country not completely modernized, but actively moving along the path of progress. He assigned an important role to the figure of Peter I, whose activities and personal qualities contributed to Russia’s significant domestic and foreign political successes. However, not all his contemporaries adhered to such assessments. For example, a future Minister of Culture of Japan, Mori Arinori (1847–1889), who visited Saint Petersburg at the age of eighteen, believed that the idea of Russia as a powerful state was greatly exaggerated. He expressed his views in the Diary of a Sea Trip to Russia.
Tachihara Michizō: Poetics of “Pure Lyricism” (Introduction and Translation of Poems)
Authors: Yasinskiy A. A.
Published: January 2025

Tachihara Michizō (1914–1939) succeeded in refashioning the poetic language of the 1930s, inventing the genre of the “pseudo-sonnet,” which would prove to be the most convincing attempt to adapt the European sonnet to Japanese poetry. Tachihara was fascinated by German romanticism, in particular Friedrich Hölderlin, but he cannot be called a westernizer. Tachihara did not work in traditional Japanese poetic genres, but studied the anthology Shinkokinshū, which had a major influence on his stylistics.

Tachihara’s poems seem to be detached from everyday life: with the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and the subsequent militarization of society, the themes of his poetry did not change. A close examination of his work reveals that the changes in society were also a concern to Tachihara, a sickly young man who was not subject to conscription. His poems are monotonous: they are either landscape sketches or love poems, the choice of vocabulary or themes varies little from collection to collection. His poetry’s attitude is not one of novelty, but of full disclosure of feeling/emotion/plot.

A separate field of his work is architecture. He graduated from the Department of Architecture at Tokyo Imperial University, then he worked for two years as an architect. This article analyses the main motifs of his work, their stylistic and ideological origins. A translation of his major poetry collections, published during Tachihara’s lifetime, is annexed.
Japan in the 21st Century: An Economic Panorama. Review of the Textbook by I. L. Timonina The Economy of Japan
Authors: Lebedeva I. P.
Published: January 2025

In the summer of 2023, the textbook The Economy of Japan, prepared by a famous Russian Japanese Studies scholar I. L. Timonina, was published. As the author herself notes, her goal was to write not just a textbook containing material on the Japanese economy, but a “navigator textbook,” which gives the reader the tools to study the modern Japanese economy.

These tools are represented by references to scientific literature, as well as information and statistical sources, methodological materials that provide a methodology for calculating basic economic indicators, definitions of key terms and concepts, and theoretical approaches to the study of various economic processes. Students are encouraged to work independently by using “homework” – the sections “For those who want to learn more…” and “Assignment” are placed at the end of each chapter. Concise Summaries are also a kind of “navigator” that makes it easier for readers to “move” through the content-rich and sizeable textbook material.

As for the content of the textbook, it reflects almost all the most important processes and phenomena of the modern Japanese economy, and, in general, it gives the reader a fairly complete idea of the scale and quality of Japan’s economic potential, the peculiarities of the organization of the country’s economic life, its positions in the world economy, etc. Obviously, writing the textbook The Economy of Japan required a lot of effort from the author. After all, to collect, process, structure, and logically present such a huge amount of material, while focusing on a strictly defined order of presentation is a task that requires not only high professionalism, but also great effort. But this was fully justified.

The textbook prepared by I. L. Timonina is written at a level that allows to characterize it not only as a high-quality educational material, but also as a highly professional scientific work. There is no doubt that it will be in demand not only by students and teachers, but also by researchers studying the problems of modern economy.
Anime Industry: Traditional Culture and New Business Technologies
Authors: Timonina I. L. , Arimo M. M. E.
Published: January 2025

The article is devoted to one of the creative branches of the Japanese economy – the anime industry. The creative sector has become one of the promising and fast-growing segments of the global economy, including the economy of Japan. Anime, or Japanese animation, is a specific kind of animation that emerged in Japan as a unique product in the 1960s. Its distinctive visuals have turned anime into an authentic Japanese cultural phenomenon. In recent decades, the anime industry, like other creative businesses, has faced the need for significant transformation due to consequences of technological advancements and growing competition.

There is a trend towards a drop in demand for animation products offered through traditional media, due to the rapid spread of high-speed Internet connection, which enabled consumers to quickly access content in excellent resolution without relying on physical media. Under these conditions, companies are changing their marketing strategies, in particular switching to the production and distribution of anime for online viewing.

Streaming services have become one of the rapidly developing technologies for the anime distribution. There are several major national streaming services in Japan, which, despite being not very popular outside the country, have a wide audience at home.

The transition of the anime business to the digital plane is inevitably associated with the complexity of copyright protection, since it has become possible to copy video materials without loss of quality and binding to physical media. At the same time, such unauthorized distribution serves as free advertising for the copyright holders, so the industry had been tolerant to this phenomenon until recently.

The development of Japanese animation faces the problem of a shortage of animators. Due to growing demand in the 1970s, studios outsourced part of the work to reduce costs, which facilitated the creation of a multi-level subcontracting structure of the anime industry.

Among the current trends in the development of the industry is the transition to a strategy of multiplatform exploitation of intellectual property – the so-called transmedia franchising, when many secondary works are created around the original intellectual product – an animated work.

New technologies make it possible to make anime more accessible to wider audiences, but production structure and license management policies are not fully adapted to the new conditions, which creates new problems.
Ideas About the Common Origin of the Japanese and the Ainu During the Tokugawa (1603–1867) and Meiji (1868–1912) Periods
Authors: Shchepkin V. V.
Published: January 2025

Over the past century and a half, Japan has been debating whether it is a monoethnic nation-state or whether there are representatives of ethnic groups other than the Japanese living in it. In this article, I attempt to consider in a historical perspective the place of the Ainu in the discussion about the Japanese nation, in particular the idea about the common origin of the Japanese and the Ainu.

The formation of Japanese ideas about the world as divided into peoples with a set of distinctive features dates back to the Tokugawa era (1603–1867). At the same time, the concept of “Ezo,” a name for the Ainu at that time, acquires the character of an ethnonym, which in the previous epochs rather meant the inhabitants of the country’s remote periphery, not affected by the beneficial civilizing influence of the emperor. In the earliest descriptions of the Ainu, Japanese authors continued to rely on the Chinese civilizational narrative, presenting the Ainu as the exact opposite of the Japanese and focusing on the differences. At the same time, at the end of the 18th century, ideas about the common origin of the Japanese and the Ainu were first voiced, based on the similarity of some cultural practices and common vocabulary.

During the Meiji period (1868–1912), attitudes towards the idea of the common origin of the Japanese and the Ainu were ambivalent. In discussions about the Japanese nation, the Ainu could act in a variety of roles: as an indigenous people displaced by the Japanese “invaders,” as the closest relative and therefore a natural object of assimilation, as an integral element of the “mixed” Japanese people, and as a subordinate people at the lowest level of the hierarchy.
Journey to See Fuji (1567) by Satomura Jōha: About the Author, Circumstances of Creation, and Main Features of the Diary
Authors: Dudko A. A.
Published: January 2025

At a time when many provincial daimyō were at war with their neighbors, and Oda Nobunaga was gradually becoming a central figure in the political arena, the renga poet Satomura Jōha and his disciples made a journey to Suruga province to see Mt. Fuji. Jōha described this journey in his travel diary, Journey to See Fuji. The diary clearly shows both the features of medieval travel diaries, such as the inclusion of renga and some waka, the strong influence of Ise Monogatari, references to Genji Monogatari and the diaries of Jōha’s predecessors, other renga poets. Journey to See Fuji also bears the characteristics of early modern travel diaries: the absence of a sense of forcedness and hardness of the journey (instead, Jōha is enjoying his travel), a detailed listing of the names of people met on the way, realistic depiction of places he visited, and descriptions of military hostilities.It is curious that, despite stating seeing Mt. Fuji as the main reason for his journey, Jōha writes about it very little. This diary is interesting not only for its literary and poetic part but also as a historical source from which it is possible to reconstruct the network of relationships between famous figures of the sixteenth century.
The Symbolism of Fish and Fishing in Japanese Culture. Whales, Dolphins, and Fantastic Sea Creatures in Legends and Ideas
Authors: Dyakonova E. M.
Published: January 2025

In Japan, there are many regional legends and traditions associated with water, fish, and fantastic creatures inhabiting the sea. These legends go back many centuries; the first mentions of large fish are found already in the first Japanese poetic anthology Manyōshū (8th century) and in the mythological and chronicle text Nihon Shoki (720). In different provinces, legends and traditions vary, some motifs are interpreted differently by folklorists, however, apparently, we can talk about a single body of related texts, united not only by plots where the main characters are whales, dolphins, etc., but also by accompanying actions: matsuri festivals in honor of fish and fishing, ritual performance of magical texts, dancing, songs, cooking, making amulets, etc. The symbolism that unites the theme of fish and fishing in Chinese and Japanese culture is also obvious: wealth and prosperity, which is reflected not only in written monuments, but also in works of art. Whales, for example, are associated with numerous legends, traditions and mythological motifs of local significance, ideas about these mammals as deities of the sea, to whom Shinto shrines are dedicated. Images of fish were part of offerings to the bride’s family due to the auspicious meaning of the item and their ability to bear children. It is noteworthy that the legends about the sea included famous literary and legendary characters and episodes from famous works of Japanese history and literature, such as Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, Manyōshū, Heike Monogatari.
They Were the First: Remembering the Creators of Post-War Japanese Fashion
Authors: Katasonova E. L.
Published: January 2025

The article is devoted to the recently deceased outstanding Japanese fashion designers, Mori Hanae, Takada Kenzo and Miyake Issey, who can rightfully be called pioneers of post-war Japanese fashion.They not only created a cultural phenomenon based on the synthesis of Oriental and Western art, but also made a powerful breakthrough of Japanese clothing into the world’s catwalks, creating new trends which became widespread in many countries. The work highlights the most important moments of their biographies and work.
Syncretism in New Religious Movements of Japan: The Case of Oomotokyo
Authors: Shechter A. G.
Published: January 2025

This work is devoted to the ideological content of one of the most significant Japanese new religious movements of the 19th – 20th centuries, Oomotoky, which to a high degree influenced the proselytizing methods and teachings of later new religions, the founders of which were also descendants of Oomoto (in particular, Seicho-no Ie and Sekai Kyseiky). The author attempts to identify the origin of various doctrinal elements of Oomoto, which, as in many other new religious movements, are syncretic in nature, existing side by side with postulates rooted in completely different religions.The study finds that Oomoto was particularly influenced by late Edo-era kosha folk religious organizations, traditional shamanism, Shinto beliefs and their interpretations within the Kokugaku tradition, as well as selected Buddhist elements taken out of context and ideas from various kinds of Western ideas, which include internationalism and biblical exegesis in its highly simplified, unorthodox, and loose version.The findings provide a more accurate understanding of the Japanese religious landscape from the late nineteenth century to the present day and help to better understand how Oomoto may have influenced the formation of the teachings of later NRMs. The work is also intended to draw attention to the poorly studied nature of Japan’s new religions in Russian-speaking academia.
Finding One’s Identity: Fukuzawa Yukichi About His Studies in Osaka (Chapter “Ogata School” From “The Autobiography of Elder Fukuzawa”)
Authors: Meshcheryakov A. N.
Published: January 2025

Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835–1901) is rightly considered a person who made a significant contribution to introducing Western civilization to Japan. His writings on politics, society, state, pedagogy, i.e., products of “mature” Fukuzawa, are often being studied. However, Fukuzawa’s personality itself usually remains outside the scope of such studies. But it seems extremely important to understand how the personality of this outstanding educator, who dared to raise his hand against the fundamental values of the state and society of the Tokugawa era, was formed. This will allow us to understand not only Fukuzawa himself, but also the type of person who was in demand during the time of revolutionary change.In 1899 Fukuzawa published his autobiography (Fukuō Jiden). It is considered the first “full-fledged” work of the autobiographical genre in Japan. In this text, with unprecedented frankness for former Japan, the author talks about himself. Fukuzawa dictated the text to a stenographer, so his publication has all the usual properties of spontaneous oral speech: liveliness, vulgarisms, factual errors, repetitions, contradictory statements, spontaneity and some randomness. This does not change the fact that Fukuzawa was an observant man and an excellent storyteller. A significant part of the “Autobiography” is devoted to his childhood and youth, that is, the time when the formation of one’s personality occurs.In this publication, we provide a translation of a chapter dedicated to Fukuzawa’s studies at the Osaka School of Medicine, which was opened by Ogata Kōan (1810–1863), a famous doctor who practiced European medicine. About three thousand people graduated from his school. In Fukuzawa’s description, the students at this school were characterized by deviant behavior, which provided them with an identity different from the personality type that prevailed in Tokugawa Japan. Many graduates of the Ogata school later became famous and had a significant influence on the appearance of the new Japan, which was significantly different from the old Japan.
Visit of Itō Hirobumi to Saint Petersburg in 1901
Authors: Rogov E. O.
Published: January 2025

The Russo-Japanese war had a dramatic aftermath for Russia, and both contemporaries of the period and historians speculated what was the key moment for Russo-Japanese relations to be improved and to prevent the war. The visit of Itō Hirobumi to St. Petersburg in 1901 is often mentioned as such a moment.At the beginning of the 20th century, Japan was looking for allies among Western powers to continue its expansion in the Far East. Japanese diplomats in London had consultations considering the conclusion of the Anglo-Japanese alliance. However, Japan had not made the choice yet, as there were supporters of the idea of an alliance with Russia, with Itō Hirobumi and his Seiyūkai political party as one of the most noticeable.After his resignation as Prime Minister in May 1901, Itō Hirobumi announced his trip to Europe and visit to Saint Petersburg. Even though the trip was claimed to be unofficial, political circles in Europe expected Itō to discuss the project of a Russo-Japanese agreement with the Russian government. At the end of November, Itō indeed went to Saint Petersburg and consulted with Russian ministers about the Korean problem – the main contradiction in the two empires’ relations. However, the visit was unsuccessful. Itō left St. Petersburg and went to London, where, on January 30, 1902, the Anglo-Japanese alliance was signed.Even though there were opinions expressed by minister Witte and ambassador Izvolsky that Itō’s mission was a real chance to set the controversies and prevent the war, the analysis of the negotiations in Saint Petersburg and such evidence as the memoirs of Hayashi Tadasu, the Japanese ambassador in London, allow us to assert that Itō had given up the idea of a Russo-Japanese alliance before he came to the Russian capital. Even though it does not exonerate the Russian government for its failure to prevent the Anglo-Japanese alliance, it cannot be blamed for Itō’s mission failure; by that time, the possibility of an agreement had been missed.
Ukiyo-e Masters of the Utagawa School: Kuniyoshi and Kunisada. Review of the Second Edition of M. V. Uspensky’s Monograph «Kuniyoshi and His Time»
Authors: Vorobeva D. I.
Published: January 2025

In early 2024, a Saint Petersburg publishing house and independent publishing partner of the State Hermitage Museum “Arka” published a reedition of the catalogue of the exhibition “Kuniyoshi and His Time. Japanese Prints of the 19th Century. The Utagawa School,” which took place in 1997– 1998. The author of this catalogue is M. V. Uspensky (1953–1997), one of the greatest Russian researchers of Japanese fine art and curator of the museum’s Japanese collection.Following the original, the central figures of the second edition’s narrative are contemporaries and graduates of the Utagawa school, the artists Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861) and Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865). Just as in the original, the texts describing their different periods of work are followed by catalogue descriptions. Bat, unlike the first edition, these cataloge descriptions have a larger number of exclusively colored illustrations, some of which are presented for the first time. Moreover, missing sheets of polyptychs from the collections of other museums are also included, which undoubtedly gives a more holistic perception of the works. In total, the catalogue descriptions contain 299 illustrations, 143 of which are by Kuniyoshi and his students, and 156 by Kunisada. As for the texts, they are published without much change, except for the addition of the article “Memorial Portraits and Self-Portraits by Kuniyoshi and His Disciples” and the inclusion of illustrations and images with fragments of kanji texts, seals, signatures, etc. in the narrative.e narrative. In general, throughout the book, Kuniyoshi and his mushae, to whom twothirds of the book is devoted, are contrasted with Kunisada and his yakushae and bijinga. This allows the author to paint a rather comprehensive picture of the state of ukiyo-e in the first half of the 19th century.
Sociocultural Aspects of Attracting Foreign Labor to the Japanese Service Sector
Authors: Kulneva P. V.
Published: January 2025

The article focuses on the sociocultural aspects of attracting foreign labor to the Japanese service sector in light of the current labor shortage in Japan. The process of attracting foreign labor is analyzed in terms of Japan’s openness to interacting with other cultures and considering the Japanese model of borrowing and processing the elements of external cultures. The Japanese service model is viewed as a unique sociocultural phenomenon and a field of intercultural interaction that demonstrates Japan’s readiness to engage with the global community.The author aims to illustrate, using the Japanese hospitality industry as an example, the interaction between Japanese and non-Japanese values, and to delve into the sociocultural aspects of the current economic challenges Japan’s service industry is facing. The first part of the article explores the evolution of Japanese service in the post-war period, from the gradual increase in the service sector’s contribution to Japan’s GDP to the international promotion of the traditional concept of omotenashi as a unique way of welcoming guests for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The second part examines the crisis situation in the Japanese labor market and its impact on the service sector today, while the third part discusses the repercussions of the current scenario and the measures Japanese companies are taking to uphold the standard of Japanese service in a diverse sociocultural context.The author concludes that both Japanese companies and government agencies responsible for immigration policy are cautious in their approach, aiming to minimize external influences on the service industry. While it is crucial for companies to maintain the service standards, the government is seeking to safeguard national interests in the economic and political realms. Amidst increasing intercultural interactions, Japan leans on the concept of omotenashi as a cultural bridge between different societies.
Enhancing Analytical Reading Skills in Elementary School Students through Self-Regulation and Collaborative Learning
Authors: Khamkokkrund Oranut , Chaipichit Dudduan
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of integrating self-regulation and collaborative learning on elementary school students' analytical reading skills. The study employed a one-group experimental design, involving 39 Grade 3 students from public schools in Thailand. A learning management system was developed based on needs analysis and expert evaluation, incorporating principles of self-regulated and collaborative learning. Instruments included an analytical reading test, a learning achievement test, and a rubric for systematic assessment. Data were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation, percentage, and one-sample t-tests. Results indicated that participants' analytical reading skills and learning achievement significantly improved. These findings contribute to the understanding of how self-regulated and collaborative learning can enhance educational outcomes, particularly in elementary language education.
From What Types of Universities do New Scientific and Scholarly Disciplines Emerge?
Authors: Borden Victor M. H. , Tian Guiping
Published: January 2025

Advances in science are often associated with pre-eminent research universities. Policy makers and those who collaborate with university researchers may assume that this advantage generalizes to all types of research. This analysis explores whether this generalization applies to research in emerging disciplines. We do so by examining the production of research/scholarship doctorates (primarily PhDs) in new disciplines compared to more traditional disciplines, as determined by inclusion in the US National Center for Education Statistics (ED) Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) taxonomy and the US-based Carnegie Classifications to distinguish among types of institutions. Results suggest that the more traditional research-intensive institutions dominate production in more traditional disciplines, but other types of institutions play a larger role in producing emerging discipline scholars.
The Use of Geometric Wood Waste to Grow Early Childhood Artistic Expression and Imagination
Authors: Pamungkas Joko , Rahmawati Septika Cahya , Anggraeni Erina Putri
Published: January 2025

This study is development research investigating how geometric products can be made from wood waste materials and used to foster artistic expression and imagination in early childhood. Art is an important development in the early childhood. This study uses the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) model development approach. The subjects of this study were kindergarten children in a special region of Yogyakarta. The goal of this study is to produce geometric products from wood waste. These products are in the form of means of transportation such as pedicabs, planes, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, and locomotives. The art of transportation. The use of wood waste is for artistic expression and imagination when children use colors according to what they want. These colors represent a form of children’s exploration of pouring art as a means of transportation.
Observation Methodology in Police Research: Challenges, Innovations and Contemporary Reflections
Authors: Feys Yinthe , De Vocht Ludovic , Wicks Nikhaela
Published: January 2025

Observation Methodology in Police Research: Challenges, Innovations and Contemporary Reflections

Scholars use different methods trying to understand aspects of policing and the police, among which observations such as field-based observations of police officers, systematic social observations and, since the twenty-first century, observations by means of body-worn camera footage, dashcams and even civilian footage. Each observation method comes with specific challenges. This special issue on observation methodology in police research focuses on (current) issues regarding police observational research, such as challenges that may occur when observing police officers, reflexivity, use of covert observations and more recent approaches to police observations such as the use of ethograms. The issue is a collection of six different articles, all of which discuss some pertinent aspects of observational police research. With this special issue, we wish to initiate further discussions on police observational methodology and innovative approaches in this regard. We want to stimulate reflections on these topics and enhance our understanding of police observational methods. We also wish to help police researchers in designing their observational research project and encourage them to set up such projects. After all, observational research on policing is still one of the most important methods to get a grip on different aspects of real-life police work and decision-making.