As Great Power competition in the Indo-Pacific accelerates, South East Asia has emerged as an arena in which strategic rivalries are played out. As part of its more proactive international diplomacy in recent years, Tokyo has sought to strengthen relations with both ASEAN and a number of individual member states through the “Strategic Partnership” mechanism. It has also worked to build support for its vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” in tandem with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and anticipates the official announcement of a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic engagement. This hybrid DIJ Forum on 25 July examines the objectives and activities of these Strategic Partnerships, and assesses their future prospects, to offer insights into how Japan seeks to navigate Great Power competition in South East Asia. Details and registration here

The nature of Japan-China relations has shifted from “friendship” to “coexistence” during the five decades since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1972. The newly published book Japan-China Relations, 2001-2022 (日中関係 2001-2022, University of Tokyo Press, 2023) collects seventeen chapters analyzing two decades of Japan-China relations since 2001 from different angles including politics, diplomacy, economy, and society. The online book talk “Japan-China Relations 2001-2022” on 5 July 2023 features the editors Takahara Akio (Graduate School of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo), Sonoda Shigeto (Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo), Marukawa Tomoo (Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo), and Kawashima Shin (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo). Peter Gries (Manchester China Institute, University of Manchester) and DIJ principal researcher Torsten Weber will serve as discussants. The event is organized by the Global Asian Studies Initiative at the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia and co-organized by the DIJ and the Manchester China Institute. Registration here

One of the most noteworthy examples of the Japanese art form known as karesansui (枯山水), i. e. dry landscape garden, can be found at the Ryōan-ji in Kyoto. Philippe Bürgin proposes that the aesthetic appeal of this garden’s composition can be fruitfully recontextualized in accordance with the aesthetic category of the Kantian sublime, in the sense that its abstract moments point towards a void, an idea, something that goes beyond our perception – but still within our perception. The aesthetic moments of the sublime coincide with Japanese aesthetic categories such as wabi-sabi by marking the spatial and temporal thresholds of what is representable. The presentation argues that there is a latent sublimity to Japanese art works in which even modern forms of artistic expression might have been anticipated. Details and registration here

The 17th century holds historical significance as the formative period of Japan’s early modern scholarship. Heavily influenced by Confucian learning traditions, this era’s academic structures and intellectual patterns paved the way for Japan’s modernisation in the 19th century. This presentation aims to shed light on two new perspectives regarding the reign of Maeda Tsunanori (1643-1724), the fourth ruler of Kaga domain. Firstly, it will examine the standing of primarily Confucian scholars within the Kaga domain, their affiliation with Tsunanori, and his initiatives to support them. Secondly, the role of knowledge and scholarship in Tsunanori’s position within the political system will be investigated, along with the extent to which his education and his academic endeavours shaped his interactions with other rulers and prominent figures. This presentation also seeks to explore whether Tsunanori engaged in what might be termed “Confucian diplomacy”. Details and registration here

The Growth-oriented Carbon Pricing Concept in Japan refers to a set of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a market-based approach that incentivizes the use of low-carbon technologies and practices. It is the most important part of the Basic Policy for Green Transformation (GX) Realization, as outlined by the Kishida administration, and consists of GX Economic Transition Bonds, emission trading system and carbon charge system. Its goal is to reduce emissions and to promote sustainable economic growth and job creation, by encouraging innovation and investment in low-carbon industries. The concept is part of Japan’s broader strategy to address climate change and achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. This session of the DIJ Study Group on ‘The Political Economy of Carbon Pricing and Green Finance – Comparing the EU and Japanese Discourses and Policy Approaches’ takes place online. Details and registration here

With the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/08, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the opening decades of the 21st century has already been a period of global crises. While these crises emerged out of different spheres of human activity, they have demonstrated the transnational economic, political, and social interconnectedness of human societies, as well as the connections between the human and non-human worlds, and between the realms of ideas and physical existence. The philosophical traditions of South, East, and Southeast Asia know the metaphor of Indra’s Net to express the fundamental interconnectedness and interdependence of all existence. Inspired by this frame, the workshop Caught yet blind in Indra’s Net: Reflections on Interconnected Crises in the Late Capitalist Anthropocene explores holistic multispecies worldviews and critically connects recent theoretical debates to case studies in order to advance programs for achieving social and environmental justice. Details here

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