On 30 June 2023, DIJ PhD student Sarah Puetzer (Oxford University) will give a talk on ‘Distant Intimacy: Negotiating Space in Japanese Pandemic Poetry’ to explore the work of young Japanese poets during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation focuses on the three exemplary poets Saihate Tahi, Fuzuki Yumi, and Mizusawa Nao. In response to social distancing measures and event cancellations, these poets created alternative spaces to showcase their poetry. Through an analysis of their works, Sarah’s presentation will delve into the diverse manifestations of these ‘poetic spaces’, ranging from indoor and outdoor poetry installations by Saihate Tahi and Fuzuki Yumi, to virtual exhibitions, as demonstrated by Mizusawa Nao. The presentation will unveil how their poetry sometimes fostered engagement and connection among recipients, while at other times, further isolating them. The event is part of the Japan-in-Asia Cultural Studies Program (JACS) Lecture Series at Nagoya University. Details here

The introduction of greenhouse gas emission rights and their allocation through trading schemes (“carbon markets”) is considered an essential policy tool to achieve the ambitious net-zero emission goals, to which countries – including Japan – have committed under the Paris Agreement. Japan has so far not established carbon markets on a national scale. Also, its carbon tax introduced in 2012 has remained ineffectively low. The presentation “Carbon Pricing – Why is Japan lagging behind?” by DIJ director Franz Waldenberger will discuss why carbon pricing has so far not been used within Japan’s climate policy framework. It will also try to assess to what extent the absence of a national emission trading scheme has impacted Japan’s ability to achieve the 2050 net-zero goals. This online presentation is part of the lecture series at Goethe University Frankfurt’s Center for Financial Studies. Details and registration here

In this book talk, Florentine Koppenborg (Technical University of Munich) argues that the regulatory reforms after the Fukushima disaster on March 11, 2011, directly and indirectly raised the costs of nuclear power in Japan. The new Nuclear Regulation Authority resisted capture by the nuclear industry and fundamentally altered the environment for nuclear policy implementation. Independent safety regulation changed state-business relations in the nuclear power domain from regulatory capture to top-down safety regulation, which raised technical safety costs for electric utilities. Antinuclear protests, – mainly lawsuits challenging restarts – incurred additional social acceptance costs. Increasing costs undermined pro-nuclear actors’ ability to implement nuclear power policy and caused a rift inside Japan’s “nuclear village.” Small nuclear safety administration reforms were, in fact, game changers for nuclear power politics in Japan. The book talk takes place on May 30, 6.30 pm at Temple University’s Japan Campus and online. Details and registration here

Given its rapidly aging society, Japan will need to increase labour productivity in order to sustain its current income levels. Value added per hour worked has been increasing over the last 30 years in Japan, but it remains very low in comparison to other OECD countries. In 2021, it was below 60% of the US level. This is rather surprising given Japan’s excellent resource conditions: a high education level of its workforce; high investment in research and development; and relative abundance of capital. In this online presentation, DIJ director Franz Waldenberger will try to resolve Japan’s productivity puzzle and discuss how productivity could be increased. His talk is part of the Lunch Webinar on Japanese Economy and Society organized by the French Research Institute on Japan at the Maison franco-japonaise (MFJ). It takes place on April 21, from 12.30 to 14h. Details and registration here