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

A new book by Robert and Saadia Pekkanen (editors) was published last month: the Oxford Handbook of Japanese Politics (Oxford University Press 2021). This handbook is the first / hardback edition. It’s also online through the UW libraries subscription to the Oxford Handbook Online platform. Robert authored a chapter on “Populism in Japan” and Saadia

In this new book, Ted Mack brings the writings of Japanese who emigrated to Brazil in the pre-war era to English language readers.  Aquired Alerity: Migration, Identity, and Literary Nationalism (UCPress 2022) is the first book-length study in English of the Japanese-language literary activities of early Japanese migrants to Brazil. It provides a detailed history

Professor Justin Jesty has been a keen observer and researcher into the role of art in social movements in Japan. In this article (Economist Jan 15th 2022 edition) he brings us up to date on recent interactive installations in rural areas of Japan and the impact the artists are having on communities.

The UW Japan Studies Program has scholarships and fellowships available to graduate and undergraduate students for the coming summer and next academic year. Scholarships for Japan studies are available to JSIS and other UW students (unless otherwise noted) including international students.  See our funding page for details on specific scholarships such as amounts and eligibility criteria,

Paul Atkins, Professor of Japanese at the University of Washington, has been awarded the Kyoko Selden Memorial Translation Prize Japanese in Literature, Thought, and Society by the Department of Asian Studies at Cornell University. This is the first time a UW faculty member has been awarded this prize, which comes with a cash award. Atkins

UW Associate Professor Justin Jesty reports on the recent Butoh workshop and series of performances which he attended this past November. Seattle dance collective DAIPANbutoh held their annual butoh festival, November 19-21 at the Yaw Theater in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. Spanning three nights of performance and two afternoon workshops, the festival was a tour-de-force, featuring

Read the annual newsletter of the UW Japan Studies Program! We are excited to share what our faculty, alumni, and students have been doing over the past year. We wish you a safe and healthy holiday season, and appreciate you being a part of our community.

The Japanese government made the decision this week to close its borders to foreign travelers. This is a set-back of huge proportions for Japan, but travelers — students in particular — as well.  The decision was made out of concern about new COVID-19 variants spreading in other parts of the world and intended to prioritize