In the 1950s, high-rise housing projects called danchi appeared on Japan’s urban perimeters to address the nation’s urgent housing crisis after World War II. With modern kitchens, private baths, and steel doors that locked out intrusive neighbors, and inhabited by aspiring middle-class families that could afford refrigerators, washing machines, electric rice cookers and other new objects of

In anticipation of travel to Japan again being available, applications are now open for a UW Study Abroad program in Matsuyama, Japan, over spring break 2023. The program will focus on “glocal” culture—how the local and the global, including food, culture, and commerce—connect the United States, including the Puget Sound region, with Japan, including Ehime

Robert Pekkanen has recently received the “Outstanding Research Award” by JANPORA (Japanese Association of NPO Research), which is the nonprofit studies association of Japan, for a co-authored article titled, “Distinguishing Providing Public Services from Receiving Government Funding as Factors in Nonprofit Advocacy.” The article, authored by Itaru Yanagi, Yohei Kobashi, Robert J. Pekkanen, and Yutaka Tsujinaka was

Good news for foreign nationals who want to visit Japan. Foreign nationals newly entering Japan for short-term tourism have been allowed to enter Japan since June 10, 2022, but only when a travel agency in Japan, (among other organizations), serves as the receiving organization of the applicants. This is in addition to Japan nationals, relatives,

The UW Japan Studies Program extends its congratulations to Azusa Tanaka who is recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Librarian Award. Through her expertise, creativity, and relationship-building with donors, she has not only greatly expanded the collections of Japanese language materials available from the UW Libraries, but also expanded access through offering information sessions to students

May 15, 2022 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the ‘reversion’ of Okinawa to Japan by the United States. To commemorate this historic event the UW Japan Studies Program has invited an interdisciplinary and international group of Okinawa Studies scholars to present research that reflects on the reversion movement and its aftermath at a two-day workshop

Video for this event is now available Join us for a special evening with Michael J. Green, senior vice president for Asia, Japan Chair, and Henry A. Kissinger Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and director of Asian Studies at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He

Renovation of the Tateuchi East Asia Library (TEAL) in Gowen Hall is greatly anticipated. Here is the timeline for access to materials during closer. APRIL 15 – JUNE 10, 2022 Between April 15 and June 10, users can check out books from TEAL reference collection to use during TEAL closure. Beginning March 21, current issues

Spring is here! Yoshino shimashou!  The UW webcams bring the beauty of the Seattle campus to you wherever you have an internet connection. Keep watch on the quad yoshino cherry trees as they bloom over the next several weeks, and enjoy the season. The UW Seattle campus has an impressive and well known stand of

Has American foreign policy been a reflection of a desire to promote democracy, or a simple product of hard-nosed geopolitics? Jennifer Miller visits us from Dartmouth and will address this question focusing on the assumption that democratic ideals were crucial, but not in the way most defenders claim.  Go to our events page to register