In cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation and the OAG Tokyo, the DIJ organizes a special preview screening of the film Ushiku on November 19, ahead of its Japan theatrical release. The screening at the OAG House Tokyo will be followed by a discussion with director Thomas Ash, several protagonists, and human rights expert Ai Kihara-Hunt (University of Tokyo). The film takes viewers deep into the psychological and physical environment inhabited by foreign detainees in one of the largest immigration centres in Japan. On the eve of Japan’s recent immigration reform efforts, the director bypasses the media blackout the government has imposed on its immigration centres, bringing viewers into immediate contact with the detainees, many of whom are refugees seeking asylum. The event will be moderated by DIJ principal researcher Nora Kottmann. Please note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic special rules for attendance apply. This event is fully booked. We regret that registration is no longer possible. Details here

DIJ director Franz Waldenberger will moderate the panel “Digital Currencies – European and Japanese Initiatives” at the Group of Nations ‘Solutions through Inclusivity’ virtual summit on November 17.  Together with panelists Andrea Pinna (ECB), Jonas Gross (Frankfurt School Blockchain Center), Hiromi Yamaoka (Future Corporation), and Nobuyuki Kinoshita (Tokyo Financial Exchange), he will discuss how digital currencies are changing the future of financial systems in the digital age. The panel will introduce major findings of the open access book publication The Future of Financial Systems in the Digital Age: Perspectives from Europe and Japan, edited by Markus Heckel and Franz Waldenberger. It is forthcoming from Springer Singapore in 2022 and contains chapters by leading scholars, policymakers, and regulators from Japan and Europe, including the editors as well as panelists Jonas Gross, Hiromi Yamaoka, and Nobuyuki Kinoshita. Registration for the virtual summit is open here

Japan is home to no less than 25 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Himeji Castle, Hiroshima Peace Memorial, and Mount Fuji. In July, two new sites in Japan were added to this list: the first comprises Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures); the second are Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Akita prefectures). In this year’s joint autumn book exhibition, the International House of Japan Library, the Bibliothèque de la Maison franco-japonaise , and the DIJ’s library are displaying English, French, and German materials on Japan’s World Heritage sites. The exhibition takes place from October 1st to October 30th. For further information, please contact each library. Details here