JAAS 2024 Autumn CONVENTION Call for Papers

Call for Papers

The 2024 Autumn Convention of the Japan Association for Asian Studies (JAAS) will be held in collaboration with Kagawa University on October 5, 2024. The Conference Organizing Committee(COC) of JAAS welcomes the proposals for individual presentations and organized panels.

  • Individual presentation: Speakers will be given 20 minutes for presentations. All papers must be submitted in advance. The COC will organize sessions with 2-3 speakers on similar or related topics. A chairperson and commentator(s) will be nominated by COC among JAAS members.
  • Organized panel: Application for an organized panel is welcome as well. An organized panel must have a designated chairperson, 2-3 speakers, and 1-2 commentators. Two hours will be allotted to the entire panel.

The deadline for submission of a proposal for the individual presentations and/or the organized panels is July 19, 2024.

Acceptance/Rejection will be notified after August 19, 2024.

An applicant for an Individual Presentation should be a member of, or applying for membership to JAAS by the time of presentation. An applicant for an Organized Panel should be a member of JAAS at the time of application.

Those who wish to submit a proposal must fill in the application form
( https://forms.gle/aPTeEf679mrgBEvW8 ).

Those who made presentations in the conventions in the last one year can apply but may be given low priority in light of promoting equal opportunities for JAAS members.

The following items must be written in the application form:

  • Individual presentations:
    1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant
    2) Author(s) of the paper and title of the presentation
    3) Abstract (within 400 words)
    4) Presentation language (either Japanese or English)

Presenters at the Convention must submit full papers (in PDF format) and abstracts (in the prescribed WORD format). The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Please do not exceed 10,000 words. Papers must be submitted before September 12, 2024. Submission beyond the deadline may result in cancellation of presentation.

Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members. Published papers will not be accepted.

  • Organized panels:
    1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant
    2) Title of the panel
    3) Abstract for panel proposal and presentations (within 400 words)
    4) Panel members (Name and affiliation)
    5) Language for presentation

Presenters of the panels must submit abstracts (within 400 words in the prescribed WORD format) of their presentations before September 12, 2024. They are also recommended, though not required, to submit full papers (in PDF format), which will be posted on JAAS website in the same manner as the papers for individual presentations. The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members.

Conference Organizing Committee of JAAS
Lim, Jaehwan (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Machikita, Tomohiro (Kyoto University)
Mon, Chin (Osaka Sangyo University)
Suzuki, Ayame (Rikkyo University)
Wada, Kazuya (Kanazawa University)
e-mail: jaas-autumn<@>npo-ochanomizu.org (replace with @)

2024 JAAS Spring Convention Program

June 15 (Sat)
10:00-12:00

Individual Papers 1. Politics and Economy of Southeast Asia

Chair: OIZUMI Keiichiro (Asia University)

Presentation1. KONISHI Tetsu (Fukuoka Women’s University)
“Shifting Indonesian State Capitalism in the Era of Covid 19:Pave the Way to Garuda’s Aggrandize”

Presentation 2. Le Nu Trang Nhung (Graduate School, Takushoku University)
“Technology spillover effects from Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam”

Presentation 3. MATSUO Masahiro (J. F. Oberlin University)
“The Alternation of Indochina’s Regional Economic Centers from the Perspective of International Container Logistics”

Discussant: SATO Yuri (Japan Foundation), NGUYEN Thuy (Chiba University of Commerce), ENDO Gen (DaitoBunka University)

Organized Panel 1. Quantitative Text Analysis in Contemporary China Studies: Bridging Past and Present

Chair: LIM Jaehwan (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Presentation 1. LIM Jaehwan (Aoyama Gakuin University)
“Quantitative Text Analysis in Contemporary China Studies: The Development and Challenges of an “Old-but-New” Method”

Presentation 2. MIKIYA Yuki (Graduate School, Keio University)
“Tarnishing the Greener Grass on the Other Side: China’s Propaganda Strategy Prioritizing Legitimacy Over Information Credibility”

Presentation 3. YU Haichun (Hokkaido University)
“Utilization of Social Media in Political Communication in China: A Comparative Analysis of Official Accounts of Party Papers”

Discussant: HISHIDA Masaharu (Hosei University), WATANABE Kohei (Waseda University)

Organized Panel 2. Perspectives and Policies Toward Japan Among Taiwan’s Postwar Leaders: Focus on the Kuomintang

Chair: LI Kotetsu (Institute for Northeast Asian Future)

Presentation 1. DUAN Ruicong (Keio University)
“Eisaku Sato’s Taiwan Visit and Chiang Kai-shek’s Response”

Presentation2. CHEN Boyu (University of Niigata Prefecture)
“Lee Teng-hui’s views on Japan and Asianism”

Presentation 3. FUKAKUSHI Toru (University of Shimane)
“Ma Ying-jeou’s Diplomatic Thought and Foreign Policy towards Japan”

Discussant: MUTO Shutaro (Niigata University), FUKAMACHI Hideo (Chuo University)

12:00-13:30 Lunch Break, Board Meeting
13:30-15:30
Individual Papers 2. Politics and External Policies of China

Chair: AOYAMA Rumi (Waseda University)

Presentation 1. ZHANG Demou (Graduate School, Kyushu University)
“China’s Policy toward the Japan Socialist Party in early Cold War: A Process of Applying the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” to Japan”

Presentation 2. LIU Yihe (Graduate School, Keio University)
“Competition and Bargaining among Bureaucratic Organizations in China’s Policy-Making Process:The Case of the State Environmental Protection Administration and the “Disposable Alliance” Strategy”

Presentation 3. ZHAO Yucheng (Graduage School of Law, Kyoto University)
“The U.S.-China Rivalry and Economic Security: A Case Study on the Process of Formulating Regulations to Restrain Inward Foreign Direct Investment from China”

Discussant: SUGIURA Yasuyuki (National Institute for Defense Studies), WATANABE Naoto (Kumamoto University), SUGINOHARA Masako (Ferris University)

Individual Papers 3. Economy and Society of China

Chair: YAN Shanping (Doshisha University)

Presentation 1. ZHANG Chao (Graduate School, Doshisha University)
“An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Infrastructure Construction on Economic Development in Western China –Based on Spatial Durbin Model”

Presentation 2. GAO Xin (Graduate School, Toyo University)
“An Empirical Study on the Life Satisfaction of Rural Residents in China: Focusing on migration from rural areas to cities”

Presentation 3. ZHANG Xin Yuan (Yokohama National University)
“The Supply and Demand of Edible Beans in China: An Analysis Using the Food Values”

Discussant: HASHIGUCHI Yoshihiro (Institute of Developing Economies), YAMADA Nanae (Institute of Developing Economies), SUGANUMA Keisuke (Tokyo University of Agriculture)

Individual Papers 4. Political Party and Party Organization

Chair: KAMO Tomoki (Keio University)

Presentation 1. WADA Tomoki (Graduate School, Hokkaido University)
“Departure from the “Party rules the country” system in Nationalist government: Focusing on party-government relations during the fourth ‘bandit suppression’ campaign”

Presentation 2. HASHIMOTO Tomohiro (Kurume University)
“Size and The CCP Regime: Building ‘Community’ under Democratic Centralism”

Presentation 3. IGA Tsukasa (Nagoya University)
“Exploring the Development of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study on Party Organization, 1998-2022”

Discussant: ANAMI Yusuke (Tohoku University), EGUCHI Shingo (Nanzan University), NAKAMURA Masashi (Institute of Developing Economies)

15:45-18:15
Kashiyama Seminar “An Era of Repression and Resistance: Artivism as an Instrument for Change in Asia”(subject to change) (TBA)

June 16 (Sun)
10:00-12:00
Individual Papers 5. Financial Market and Non-performing Loans in China

Chair: KAJITANI Kai (Kobe University)

Presentation 1. MINAMIKAWA Takanori (Sapporo Gakuin University)
“Analyzing China’s financial forbearance policy: who is XI’s principal? ”

Presentation 2. OKAMOTO Itaru (Bunkyo Gakuin University)
“Analyzing China’s financial forbearance policy: who is XI’s principal? ”

Discussant: LIU Yajing (Hiroshima Shudo University), FUKUMOTO Tomoyuki (Osaka University of Economics)

Organized Panel 3. Revolution and the Transformation of Chinese Society: From the Perspective of Everyday Politics

Chair: ZHENG Haolan (Keio University)

Presentation 1. MARUTA Takashi (Hiroshima University)
“Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China and Marriage Issues of Revolutionary Soldiers”

Presentation 2. IZUTANI Yoko (Ferris University)
“The Struggles of Young Women in Mao’s Era: What was Written or not Written in Their Diaries”

Presentation 3. OHAMA Keiko (Kobe Gakuin University)
“Dance and the Creation of Mass Entertainment in the Early Years of the PRC”

Discussant: ZHU Anxin (Nanjing University), ZHENG Cheng (University of Hyogo)

Organized Panel 4. Publication and National Consciousness of the Kurds, “People without a Nation State”

Chair: KUMAKURA Jun (Hosei University)

Presentation 1. NOSE Miki (Institute of Developing Economies)
“Characteristics and Relations of Kurdish Publications in Turkey and Europe: Focusing on the Discourse on Kurdish Identity”

Presentation 2. ABE Tatsuya (Graduate School, Sophia University)
“History of the Madrasah in Kurdistan and its Cultural Influence”

Presentation 3. TERAMOTO Megumi (Tsuda University)
“Kurdish political movement in the Netherlands: Focusing on Dutch-language magazines in the 1980s”

Discussant: KUMAKURA Jun (Hosei University), KASUYA Gen (Nihon University)

12:00-13:00: Lunch Break
13:00-16:00
Plenary Session. The Current Stage of the Asian Maritime Order: Gray Zone Conflicts and the Economies

Chair: OBA Mie (Kanagawa University)

Presentation 1. FURUYA Kentaro (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Keio University, Japan Coast Guard Academy)
“China’s gray zone strategy and response from littoral states”

Presentation 2. SATO Koichi(J.F.Oberlin University)
“China’s Maritime Offensive in the East & South China Seas: An Outline”

Presentation 3. WI Jongjin(Kyushu Sangyo University)
“Stabilization of international maritime transport that contributes to the formation of an international order in Asia”

Presentation 4. MORI Aki(Tsukuba University)
“China’s view on the military presence of the third parties in the Philippines”

Discussant: MASUO Chisako (Kyushu University), KASUGA Haruo (Asia University), OBA Mie (Kanagawa University)

JAAS 2024 Spring CONVENTION Call for Papers :Deadline extended

To encourage more participation, we have extended the deadline for submission of a proposal for the individual presentations and panels to March 8, 2024. For further information, please refer to the following.

The 2024 Spring Convention of the Japanese Association for Asian Studies will be held in collaboration with Kanagawa University on June 15-16, 2024. The convention mode will be face-to-face, but this may change in consideration of the public health situation. The Conference Organizing Committee (COC) of JAAS welcomes the proposals for individual presentations and organized panels.

・Individual presentation: The speaker will be given 20 minutes for presentations. All papers must be submitted in advance. The COC will organize sessions with 2-3 speakers on similar or related topics. A chairperson and commentator(s) will be nominated by COC among JAAS members.

・Organized panel: Application for an organized panel is welcome as well. An organized panel must have a designated chairperson, 2-3 speakers, and 1-2 commentators. Two hours will be allotted to the entire panel.

The deadline for submission of a proposal for the individual presentations and/or the panels is March 8, 2024.

Acceptance/Rejection will be notified after March 25, 2024.

An applicant for an Individual Presentation should be a member of, or applying for membership to JAAS by the time of presentation. An applicant for an Organized Panel should be a member of JAAS at the time of application.

Those who wish to submit a proposal must fill in the application form (https://forms.gle/WTnXyqFRXtGKMN6S7 ).

Those who made presentations in the conventions in the last one year can apply but may be given low priority in light of promoting equal opportunities for JAAS members.

The following items must be written in the application form:

Individual presentations:
1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant
2) Author(s) of the paper and title of the presentation
3) Abstract (within 400 words)
4) Presentation language (either Japanese or English)

Presenters at the Convention must submit full papers (in PDF format) and abstracts (in the prescribed WORD format). The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Please do not exceed 10,000 words. Papers must be submitted before May 23, 2024. Submission beyond the deadline may result in cancellation of presentation.

Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members. Published papers will not be accepted.

Organized panels:
1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant
2) Title of the panel
3) Abstract for panel proposal and presentations (within 400 words)
4) Panel members (Name and affiliation)
5) Language for presentation

Presenters of the panels must submit abstracts (within 400 words in the prescribed WORD format) of their presentations before May 23, 2024. They are also recommended, though not required, to submit full papers (in PDF format), which will be posted on JAAS website in the same manner as the papers for individual presentations. The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Papers must be submitted before May 23, 2024. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members.

Conference Organizing Committee of JAAS
Lim, Jaehwan (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Mon, Chin (Osaka Sangyo University)
Suzuki, Ayame (Doshisha University)
Wada, Kazuya (Kanazawa University)
e-mail: jaas-autumn<at>npo-ochanomizu.org (replace <at> with @)

2023 JAAS Autumn Convention Program

November 25, 2023

10:00-12:00
Organized Panel 1. Cultural Cold War and Knowledge: Area Studies and Modernization Theory

Chair: Yuka Tsuchiya Moriguchi (Kyoto University)

Presentation 1: Masaki Fujioka (Kyoto University)
“Debates on Modernization Theory between the United States and Japan in the 1960s:
Discrepancies in Value Systems and Perspectives on History at the Hakone Conference”

Presentation 2: Somei Kobayashi (Nihon University)
“The Korean West German Diplomacy and the Promotion of Korean Studies from the 1960s to the 1980s”

Discussant: Shin Kawashima (University of Tokyo), Maiko Ichihara (Hitotsubashi University)

Individual Papers 1. Politics of Asia

Chair: Chisako Masuo (Kyushu University)

Presentation 1: Moriki Aita (National Institute for Defense Studies)
“National Defense Construction in the Jiang Zemin Era: Focusing on Air Force Modernization”

Presentation 2: Kento Takashiro (Kyoto University)
“A Study on the Debate of Government Forms in Korea in the Early Period of Syngman Rhee’s Administration: Focusing on the Contents of the Constitutional Amendment in March 1950 and
January 1952 and the Deliberation and Analysis of the National Assembly”

Discussant: Chisako Masuo (Kyushu University), Noriyo Isozaki (Gakushuin University)

Individual Papers 2. Economic and Industrial Policy of China

Chair: Takaaki Kanazawa (Wakayama University)

Presentation 1: Yajing Liu (Hiroshima Shudo University)
“Impact of Government Guidance Funds and Local Financial Environments on Chinese Industrial Enterprises’ Performance”

Presentation 2: Kan Hayata (Graduate School, Keio University)
“Opening-up Policy under the “Revive the Northeast” Program in 2000s: The Policy Process of Opening-up in Liaoning Province”

Discussant: Nariaki Kai (Kansai University), Chuang Men (Osaka Sangyo University)

Individual Papers 3. Finance

Chair: Takuji Kinkyo (Kobe University)

Presentation 1: Hidenobu Okuda (Teikyo University)
“Capital Structure of Cambodian Banking Industry and Its Implications for Prudential Policy”

Presentation 2: Yingying Sun (Graduate School, Osaka Sangyo University)
“A Study About the Financial Activity of ShanXi Piaohao in China’s Inland Market of Late Qing Dynasty:  Focusing on the Economic Network of Rishengchang Piaohao”

Discussant: Jun Saito (Institute of Developing Economies), Manhan Siu (Osaka University of Economics)

13:00-15:00
Organized Panel 2. Phases of Social Security Systems in Asia Differences from the advanced welfare state?

Chair: Keiichiro Oizumi (Asia University)

Presentation 1: Kim Sung Won (University of Tokyo)
“’Post Catch-up Challenges’ in South Korea’s Social Security System”

Presentation 2: Viet Tiep Nguyen (Graduate School, University of Tokyo)
“The Future of Social Security System in Vietnam”

Presentation 3: Yusuke Miyoshi (Former Researcher for Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan in Thailand)
“The Transition and Current Status of the Social Security System in Thailand: Focusing on Ageing in Middle-Income Countries”

Discussant: Hirota Nakanishi (Teikyo University)

Individual Papers 4. Politics of China

Chair: Takashi Suzuki (Daito Bunka University)

Presentation 1: Jun Zhou (Doshisha University)
“Petition and Repression in the Early Years of the People’s Republic of China”

Presentation 2: Bei Jin (University of Tokyo)
“Civil Society Under the Pandemic: A Study on Its Role in Urban China”

Presentation 3: Xuefeng Qiu (Graduate School, Keio University)
“The Construction of the Management System of Intellectuals in the People’s Republic of China: the Political Process Leading up to the Conference on Intellectuals in 1956”

Discussant: Hiroko Naito (Institute of Developing Economies), Huangyan Zheng (University of Tokyo), Kazuyuki Suwa (University of Shizuoka)

Individual Papers 5. Politics and Governance of Southeast Asia

Chair: Fumio Nagai (Osaka Metropolitan University)

Presentation 1: Takuya Hasegawa (Toyo University)
“Diffusion of the Ban on Single-use Plastic Bags among Local Governments in Indonesia”

Presentation 2: Yasuhito Asami (Hosei University) and Tomoko Matsumoto (Tokyo University of Science)
“Regional differences in the Voting Behaviors in Thailand: An Analysis Based on the Polling-station-level Data of the General Election in May 2023”

Discussant: Akiko Morishita (Ritsumeikan University), Yoshifumi Tamada (Open University of Japan)

Individual Papers 6. Private Sector and Economic Growth

Chair: Fumiharu Mieno (Kyoto University)

Presentation 1: Yuri Sato (Japan Foundation)
“Does Suppliers’ Relational Investment Ensure Sustained Growth? Evidence from Motorcycle Industry in Indonesia and Vietnam”
Presentation 2: Yurui Xu (Graduate School, Ritsumeikan University)
“The Development of China’s Manufacturing Platform: A Case Study of Shenyang Machine Group”

Presentation 3: Qian Lu (Graduate School, Josai International University)
“A Study of Pinduoduo’s Marketing Strategy: Focusing on the Potential for Value Creation by Producers, Platform Operators, and Consumers”

Discussant: Takahiro Sato (Kobe University), Ryoji Nakagawa (Ritsumeikan University), Shanping Yan (Doshisha University)

Individual Papers 7. Labor Policy of China

Chair: Kazuya Wada (Kanazawa University)

Presentation 1: Yue Xu (Graduate School, Keio University)
“The Life and Death of the “Dingti” Policy in China”

Presentation 2: Hitomi Madono (Josai University)
“Development of Employment Policy for Persons with Disabilities in China: Efforts and Challenges to Promote Employment of Persons with Disabilities”

Discussant: Yukari Sawada (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies), Minoru Teramoto (Institute of Developing Economies)

15:15-17:45 Globalization and its Reversal: Evidence from the Semiconductor Industry in Asia

Chair: MACHIKITA Tomohiro (CSEAS, Kyoto University)

Speaker: SATO Yukihito (Institute of Developing Economies)
“Taiwan’s Roles: Semiconductor Industry’s Geographical Concentration under Globalization and Decentralization under Deglobalization”

Speaker: YOSHIOKA Hidemi (Kumamoto University)
“Globalization and Korean Semiconductor Industry: Experiences of Corporate Strategy and Industrial Policy”

Speaker: KAJITANI Kai (Kobe University)
“How Should We Evaluate China’s Industrial Policy?”

Speaker: SAHASHI Ryo (University of Tokyo)
“US-China Rivalry and Its Impacts on Asian Regionalization and Globalization”

Discussants: SHIMIZU Kazufumi (Kyushu University) , TAKENAKA Chiharu (Rikkyo University)

Application is closed JAAS 2023 Autumn CONVENTION Call for Papers

The 2023 Autumn Convention of the Japanese Association for Asian Studies will be held in collaboration with Kyoto University on November 25, 2023. The convention mode will be face-to-face, but this may change in consideration of the COVID-19 situation. The Conference Organizing Committee (COC) of JAAS welcomes the proposals for individual presentations and organized panels.

  • Individual presentation: The speaker will be given 20 minutes for presentations. All papers must be submitted in advance. The COC will organize sessions with 2-3 speakers on similar or related topics. A chairperson and commentator(s) will be nominated by COC among JAAS members.
  • Organized panel: Application for an organized panel is welcome as well. An organized panel must have a designated chairperson, 2-3 speakers, and 1-2 commentators. Two hours will be allotted to the entire panel.

The deadline for submission of a proposal for the individual presentations and/or the panels is August 24, 2023.

Acceptance/Rejection will be notified after September 25, 2023.

An applicant for an Individual Presentation should be a member of, or applying for membership to JAAS by the time of presentation. An applicant for an Organized Panel should be a member of JAAS at the time of application.

Those who wish to submit a proposal must fill in the application form (https://forms.gle/n32kp6Lvztn4zfUM8) .

Those who made presentations in the conventions in the last one year can apply but may be given low priority in light of promoting equal opportunities for JAAS members.

The following items must be written in the application form:

  • Individual presentations:
    1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant.
    2) Author(s) of the paper and title of the presentation.
    3) Abstract (within 400 words).

    Presenters at the Convention must submit full papers (in PDF format) and abstracts (in the prescribed WORD format). The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Please do not exceed 10,000 words. Papers must be submitted before November 2, 2023. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members. Published papers will not be accepted.

  • Organized panels:
    1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant.
    2) Title of the panel.
    3) Abstract for panel proposal and presentations (within 400 words).
    4) Contents of the panel (Name, affiliation, membership status of the chairperson, presenters, and commentators)

    Presenters of the panels must submit abstracts (within 400 words in the prescribed WORD format) of their presentations before November 2, 2023. They are also recommended, though not required, to submit full papers (in PDF format), which will be posted on JAAS website in the same manner as the papers for individual presentations. The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Papers must be submitted before November 2, 2023. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for a few weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members.

Conference Organizing Committee of JAAS
Lim, Jaehwan (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Suzuki, Ayame (Doshisha University)

e-mail: jaas-autumn<@>npo-ochanomizu.org (replace <at> with @)

What is JAAS?

The Japan Association for Asian Studies (JAAS) is an academic society that aims to promote area studies on Asia and disseminate the outcomes of these studies. JAAS members’ research areas cover East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, or the wider Asian region with a focus on politics, economy, law, history, society, international relations, and other fields of social science. The number of members exceeded 1,000 in the mid-1990s, making it the largest academic society related to Asian studies in Japan.

JAAS was founded on May 5, 1953. It is one of the oldest academic societies on Asia that were established in Japan after World War II. On that day, around 50 people gathered to hold a founder’s meeting at Gakushi Kaikan in Hongo, adjacent to the University of Tokyo, and on June 13, the Founding Prospectus of JAAS was finalized. The first convention was held at Keio University on June 27 and 28. Since then, JAAS has held two or three conventions annually. In 1954, the year following its founding, JAAS published the first issue of its quarterly academic journal, AZIYA KENKYU, or Asian Studies. All issues, from the first to the most recent, are currently available on J-STAGE. In 1994, it began publishing a newsletter for members, and in 2003, it established an academic award for young members, the JAAS Outstanding Paper Award, which has been presented annually. Since 2010, regular seminars have been held three times per year, with the aim of improving the level of young members’ research. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022, JAAS continued to hold conventions and regular seminars in writing or online.

Since its first international symposium in 1989, JAAS has conducted international exchanges in Asian studies by inviting overseas researchers and collaborating with overseas academic societies including the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC), the Korean Association of Asian Studies (KAAS), the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) of USA, the German Association for Asian Studies (DGA), the Asia Economic Community Forum (AECF) of Korea, and the Taiwan Association of Southeast Asian Studies (TASEAS). Since 2016, JAAS has regularly held international symposiums/Kashiyama Seminars, receiving grants from the Kashiyama Scholarship Foundation.

JAAS publications include 39 volumes of Gendai Chugoku Kenkyu Sosho (Contemporary Chinese Study Series), which were published from 1964 to 2001, four volumes of Koza Gendai Azia (Contemporary Asia Series), published by the University of Tokyo Press in 1994 as a commemoration of JAAS’s 40th anniversary, and three volumes of Gendai Azia Kenkyu (Contemporary Asian Studies), published by the Keio University Press in 2008, all of which represent the academic level achieved by Asian studies in Japan at their respective times.

JAAS was registered as an incorporated foundation in 1957 and reorganized into a general incorporated foundation on April 1, 2013, in accordance with the legal reform of public-interest corporations in Japan. It introduced a system for director changes based on biennial members’ votes before the reorganization, and democratic practices evolved after the reorganization. The new articles of incorporation established a Councilor Selection Committee that includes non-members, and stipulates that the Committee selects councilors based on the results of members’ votes; the Board of Councilors then selects directors and auditors based on the results of members’ votes. The Board of Directors, consisting of directors and auditors, takes charge of management as an executive body, while the Board of Councilors oversees the Board of Directors’ activities.

The number of JAAS members increased to approximately 1,300 at the end of the 2000s and has remained around 1,000 in recent years. Building on the achievements of predecessors over the decades, JAAS has continued its efforts toward the further development of Asian studies as an inclusive platform of area studies for researchers working on issues related to Asia.

2023 JAAS Spring Convention Program

June 10, 2023, Saturday
10:00-12:00 Individual Papers
12:00-13:20 Lunch / Board and Board of Trustees Meeting
13:30-15:30 Individual Panel / Individual Papers
15:45-18:15 International Symposium
18:30- General Assembly, JAAS Outstanding Paper Award Ceremony, Affiliate Reception

Jun 11, 2023, Sunday
10:00-12:00 Individual Panel / Individual Papers
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-16:00 Plenary Session

Saturday, June 10, 2023

10:00-12:00
Individual Papers 1. Chinese Economy

Chair: FUJII Daisuke (Osaka University of Economics)

Presentation 1: RUAN Yuling (Fudan University)
“The Spatial Spillover Effect of Open Innovation on Companies’ Technological Diversification: Evidence from Shenzhen, China”

Presentation 2: MIYAJIMA Yoshiaki (Hokkai-Gakuen University):
“A new phase of China’s trade with ASEAN: Focusing on changes since 2015”

Presentation 3: TANIMURA Shin (Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)):
“Recent developments of balance of payments in China from a viewpoint of the “BOP stage” hypothesis”

Discussant: HOSHINO Makoto (Komazawa University); KIMURA Koichiro (IDE-JETRO)

Individual Papers 2. Chinese Politics

Chair: TANG Liang (Waseda University)

Presentation 1: WANG Bing (Hokkaido University)
“The Chinese Communist Party’s Governance Innovation in the Digital Era and ‘the Government Social Media’ ”

Presentation 2: WU Maosong(Keio University)
“Intellectuals and Their Challenges in 20th Century China”

Presentation 3: YUAN Chenxu (Graduate School, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
“Nationallism in Chinese Fandom Culture: Battles on Social Media”

Discussant: ETO Nahoko (Gakushuin University); SUWA Kazuyuki (University of Shizuoka); TANG Liang (Waseda University)

Individual Papers 3. Politics and Society on Religious Identity

Chair: TAKENAKA Chiharu (Rikkyo University)

Presentation 1: YUI Miharu (Kansei Gakuin University)
“The Transformation of Hindutva Politics under the Modi Government in India”

Presentation 2: ULFAH, Elisa (Graduate School, Takushoku University)
“Identity Negotiation and Religious Practices in Japanese-Indonesian Intermarriage”

Discussant: MINATO Kazuki (IDE-JETRO); TAMURA Keiko (The University of Kitakyushu)

12:00-13:20 Lunch / Board and Board of Trustees Meeting

13:30-15:30
Organized Panel 1. The Development and Reform of China’s Financial System: Trajectory and Challenges

Chair: OHARA Atsuji (University of Nagasaki)

Presentation 1: MEN Chuang (Osaka Sangyo University)
“The Rise and Decline of Small Financial Institutes in China: Mass Line in Finance”

Presentation 2: WANG Dongming (Osaka Metropolitan University)
“The Formation Process of Chinese Stock Market: A Transitional Economy Perspective”

Presentation 3: OKAZAKI Kumiko (The Canon Institute for Global Studies)
“The Reform and Transformation of Chinese Commercial Banks”

Discussant: ITO Hiroshi (Toyo Bunko); JINGU Takeshi (Nomura Research Institute)

Individual Papers 4. Development and Welfare

Chair: MASUHARA Ayako (Asia University)

Presentation 1: YONEKURA Hitoshi (Tohoku University)
“Development Problems Faced by a Traditional Matrilineal Society: A Case Study of the Kotapanjang Project in Sumatra”

Presentation 2: SHI Xiaoyu (Yokohama National University)
“How are development plans used in the country’s development process?”

Presentation 3: CHENG Hongbo (Graduate School, Ritsumeikan University)
“Research on the models of Long-Term Care Insurance Benefit Coverage: A case study of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu”

Discussant: NISHIKAWA Kei (Ishinomaki Senshu University); OKABE Yasunobu (Tohoku University) ; SAWADA Yukari (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

Individual Papers 5. Chinese Diplomacy

Chair: OSAWA Takeshi (Fukuoka University)

Presentation 1: XU Weixin (Graduate School, University of Tokyo)
“Self-Promotion in the Early Years of the People’s Republic of China: Propaganda Efforts Surrounding the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Beijing, 1952”

Presentation 2: JING Min (Graduate School, University of Tokyo)
“Rethinking the Local Foreign Communication Activities in the Early Era of the PRC: A Case Study of Visiting Groups, Foreign Trainees, and International Students”

Presentation 3: YOKOYAMA Yuta (Graduate School, University of Tokyo)
“The Negotiation Process of the Sino-Japanese Private Fisheries Agreement in the First Half of 1950s: Focusing on Domestic Politics in Japan”

Discussant: OSAWA Takeshi (Fukuoka University); SUGIURA Yasuyuki (The National Institute for Defense Studies); MATSUMOTO Haruka (IDE-JETRO)

15:45-18:15
International Symposium “The New Political and Economic Dynamisms in Asia: Paradigm Shifts in Academic Approaches” (All titles are tentative)

Introduction and Chair: SATO Hajime (Nanzan University) and GOTO Kenta (Kansai University)

Presentation 1: Shiro Armstrong (Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University)
“Getting the economics right in Asia’s economic security”

Presentation 2: Dae-Oup Chang (Global Korean Studies, Sogang University)
“Asian Labour in the Age of Decaying Neoliberalism – Implications for Asia’s Political Economy of Development”

Presentation 3: Pavida Pananond (Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University)
“In Search of a New Equilibrium? – Asia and Global Value Chains”

Discussant 1: KAJITANI Kai (Kobe University)
Discussant 2: YOSHIMATSU Hidetaka (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific Universtity)

18:10- General Assembly, JAAS Outstanding Paper Award ceremony and Reception

Sunday, June 11, 2023

10:00-12:00
Organized Panel 2. Women’s life in Rural China under the Commune System

Chair: HORIGUCHI Tadashi (Osaka Metropolitan University)

Presentation 1: LI Yaqiao (JSPS International Research)
“Rural Women, Common Ownership of Land and People’s Communes”

Presentation 2: YAO Yi (Osaka Metropolitan University)
“Conception and Practice of Rural Medical Model in Socialist China ―The Case of Barefoot Doctor―”

Presentation 3: LI Jing (East China Normal University)
“Fiscal Structure and its Business management Model in the Commune System”

Discussant: MINAMI Yuko (Hitotsubashi University); OHASHI Fumie (Ochanomizu University)

Individual Papers 6. Economy and Security

Chair:ASANO Ryo (Doshisha University)

Presentation 1: PARK Keunho (Shizuoka University)
“The Impact of the U.S. National Security Strategy on Korea’s Export-Oriented Industrialization through the case analysis of “Export Promotion Sub-committee (EPSC)”

Presentation 2: OKAMOTO Itaru (Bunkyo Gakuin University)
“Japan’s Economic Statecraft for Taiwan emergency: goals, tools, and priority”

Presentation 3: XIE Zhihai (Kyoai Gakuen University)
“China’s Energy Diplomacy”

Discussant: MIYAMOTO Satoru (Seigakuin University); ASANO Ryo (Doshisha University); SUZUKI Kazuto (University of Tokyo)

Individual Papers 7. Developmental Aid and Diplomacy

Chair: OKUDA Hidenobu (Teikyo University)

Presentation 1: TANIGUCHI Miyoko (Miyazaki Municipal University)
“The Evolution of Japan’s “Peace Diplomacy” in the Post-Cold War Era: The Case of Japan’s ODA to the Philippines”

Presentation 2: JUNG Hyomin (Kyoto University)
“South Korea’s pathway to a donor: Focusing on the Influences of Japan and DAC”

Presentation 3: DAIMON Takeshi (Waseda University)
“Sino-Japanese Foreign Aid Competition and Possibilities for Cooperation: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Assistance to Asia and African”

Discussant: SHIMOMURA Yasutami (Hosei University); KONDOH Hisahiro (Saitama University)

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00-16:00
Plenary Session: Reflecting Intellectual Heritage of Asian Studies in Japan

Chair: MARUKAWA Tomoo (University of Tokyo), SONODA Shigeto (University of Tokyo)

Presentation 1: TAKAHASHI Nobuo (Keio University)
“ ‘Ambiguous Sphere’ in China’s State-Society Relations: A Historical Retrospect and the Applicability to Contemporary China”

Presentation 2: KAWAKAMI Momoko (IDE-JETRO)
“Studying ‘Industries’: A Critical Analysis of Studies on Asian Economies in Japan”

Presentation 3: GOTO Kenta (Kansai University)
“Post-war Asian Economic Development in the Context of Globalization and the Evolving
Research Trends on the Southeast Asian Economy in Japan”

Presentation 4: ESHO Hideki (Hosei University)
“Looking Back the History of Contemporary Indian Economic Studies in Post War Japan”

Discussant: MUTO Shutaro (University of Niigata), MARUKAWA Tomoo (University of Tokyo), SONODA Shigeto (University of Tokyo)

The Statute of the General Incorporated Foundation

  • The Statute (PDF in Japanese)
    As a result of the change of the legal status to the general incorporated foundation, the Articles of the Association have been reapproved as a Statute. After obtaining an approval of the board of directors, and approved by relevant authorities, this Statute came into effect on April 1, 2013, the date of registration as the general incorporated foundation.
  • Previous articles of the association (Articles of Endowment)
    Previous articles of the Association (Articles of Endowment) valid prior to March 31, 2013, are uploaded here for your reference.

Introduction to and History of the Japan Association for Asian Studies

1. Research Fields of Members
The Japan Association for Asian Studies (JAAS) was established in 1953 for the purpose of conducting and publishing results of theoretical and empirical research centering on politics and economy in Asia. It was registered as an incorporated foundation (zaidan hojin) in 1957, and in 2013 became a general incorporated foundation (ippan zaidan hojin) in conjunction with the enforcement of new legislation pertaining to foundations. By now, the JAAS is the largest academic society specializing in Asian studies with having more than 1,300 members as of August 2012.

East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia are the three major regions that the JAAS academically covers. Currently 762 members focus on East Asia, 398 on Southeast Asia, and 117 on South Asia, with the rest focusing either on Asia in general, the Asia-Pacific region or other regions. As such, the JAAS can be said to more or less centers on studies on the East Asian region. However, there has been a rise in the number of members studying Southeast Asia and South Asia in recent years. The JAAS website has also been actively building links with counterparts in Southeast and South Asia along with those in East Asia.

2.Activities
Main activities of the JAAS include the 1) annual national convention, 2) annual regional conferences, 3) quarterly publication of the peer-reviewed journal Aziya Kenkyu (Asian Studies), 4) publication of newsletter (currently semiannual), and 5) holding occasional international symposia.

Having an annual national convention has been the major activity for the JAAS (semiannually until 1959). It has held occasional international symposia with inviting international guest speakers. Since 1988 the JAAS has added two annual regional conferences – the Eastern Japan Conference and the Western Japan Conference. Our national conventions and regional conferences have dealt with contemporary and historical issues in social scientific ways. This academic orientation has become the tradition and culture of the JAAS.

Publishing academic journals and books have composed the main activity of the JAAS. Its journal, Azia Kenkyu, is known as an established peer-reviewed journal in the field of Asian studies in Japan.

The JAAS published two edited series of Asian studies. The first series was published when it marked its 40th anniversary in 1993. It has four volumes entitled Koza Gendai Ajiya (Lectures on Contemporary Asia) . It consists of Vol. 1 Nashonarizumu to kokumin kokka (Nationalism and Nation State, edited by Kenji Tsuchiya), Vol. 2 Kindaika to kozo henka (Modernization and Structural Transformation, edited by Katsuji Nakagane), Vol. 3 Minshuka to keizai hatten (Democratization and Economic Development, edited by Yoshiyuki Hagiwara), and Vol. 4 Chiiki shisutemu to kokusai kankei (Regional Systems and International Relations, edited by Kenichiro Hirano). The second series was published in 2008 when the JAAS reached its 55th anniversary. It has the three-volume Gendai Ajiya kenkyu (Contemporary Asian Studies), consisting of Vol. 1 Ekkyo (Transborder, edited by Akio Takahara, Keiko T. Tamura and Yukihito Sato), Vol. 2 Shimin shakai (Civil Society, edited by Chiharu Takenaka, Nobuo Takahashi and Nobuto Yamamoto), and Vol. 3 Seisaku (Policy, edited by Yasuhiro Takeda, Tomoo Marukawa and Yan Shanping). As the choice of the topics explicitly shows, the JAAS has paid close attentions to both contemporary and historical issues and changing academic fashions.

3.Organization
Trustees (18 persons)
Directors (24 persons)
Auditors (2 persons)
Vice President (1 person)
President

JAAS Journal & Publications

AZIYA KENKYU (Asian Studies)

Meetings and International Events

Selection Rules for JAAS Outstanding Paper Award

The JAAS Outstanding Paper Award is awarded to outstanding articles published by young JAAS members during the past year (from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the present year). Eligible articles, establishment of a selection committee and selection process are defined as follows:

  • Eligible articles are those published in Aziya Kenkyu (Asian Studies) or recommended by JAAS members.
  • As a rule, articles recommended by JAAS members are only eligible if they are published in a refereed (peer-reviewed) journal.
  • The board of directors will appoint a number of JAAS members as members and chairperson of the JAAS Outstanding Paper Award selection committee, which will make recommendations of candidate articles.
  • Based on the recommendation of the selection committee, the board of directors will deliberate and decide the winner.

List of Awardees

20th

Yue XUYue XU
2022 Volume 68 Issue 4 Pages 1-18
The Rise and Reform of China’s Unemployment Insurance System: Political Dynamics of Social Security System

19th

Tamiki HARATamiki HARA
2021 Volume 67 Issue 2 Pages 1-20
Aquino’s Reformist Politics and the Competition Act: Understanding the Vision of “Inclusive Growth” through the Legislation of the Comprehensive Competition Law

18th

Kazushige NAGANOKazushige NAGANO
2020 Volume 66 Issue 3 Pages 1-19
International Relations of India and Pakistan in Kutch-Sindh Border Problem: A Case Study of the Rann of Kutch Dispute and its Border Demarcation Process

Takayuki IGARASHITakayuki IGARASHI
2020 Volume 66 Issue 4 Pages 1-19
ROC’s National Defense Development during Chiang Ching-kuo’s Tenure as Premier, 1972–1978: Posture for “Retaking the Mainland” and “Defending Taiwan” based on Strategy of the “Unity of Offensive and Defensive”

17th

Soheon LEESoheon LEE
2019 Volume 65 Issue 1 Pages 1-20
Comparative Analysis of the Two FX Liquidity Crises in South Korea after Capital Account Liberalization

Sachiko IMAMURASachiko IMAMURA
2019 Volume 65 Issue 3 Pages 20-36
Rule and Machination: “Mysterious Shootings” in Suharto’s Indonesia

16th

Satoshi ARASatoshi ARA
2018 Volume 64 Issue 3 Pages 33-59
Forgotten Wartime Violence among the Masses in Periphery during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines: With Special Reference to the Paramilitary Groups Collaborating with the Japanese in Leyte Island

15th

Masayoshi OKABEMasayoshi OKABE
2017 Volume 63 Issue 1 Pages 1-26
Empirical Analysis of the Continuity of Sequential Demands for Education in a Rural Philippines: Gender and Parent–Child Relations

14th No award granted

13th

Fuminori MATSUMURAFuminori MATSUMURA
2015 Volume 61 Issue 1 Pages 38-54
The Immature System of Sino-Soviet Burden-Sharing in Asian Revolutionary Movements: Re-considering the Asia-Pacific Bureau of the World Federation of Trade Unions

12th

Eijiro HAZAMAEijiro HAZAMA
2012 Volume 58 Issue 4 Pages 37-49/
Nationalism and Sexuality: Rethinking Gandhi’s Last Experiment with Brahmacarya
2014 Volume 59 Issue 1.2 Pages 54-55
Nationalism and Sexuality: Rethinking Gandhi’s Last Experiment with Brahmacarya (cont.)

11th

Tetsuo MOUTetsuo MOU
2012 Volume 58 Issue 3 Pages 21-51
The Factors Contributing to Income Inequality in Rural China: Analysis Using the Existing Public Data and Household Survey Data in Sichuan Province

10th

ari NAKAOKAMari NAKAOKA
2011 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 1-18
‘Democratization’ and Limits in Local People’s Congress Elections in China: Independent Candidates and Chinese Communist Party Control

9th

Xin Yuan ZHANGXin Yuan ZHANG
2010 Volume 56 Issue 4 Pages 18-34
The Role of Middlemen in China’s Corn Market: A Case Study of Jilin Province

8th No award granted

7th

Yuichiro HIRANOYuichiro HIRANO
2008 Volume 54 Issue 3 Pages 71-87
Political Leader’s Views towards Forests in the People’s Republic of China

6th

Wataru KUSAKAWataru KUSAKA
2007 Volume 53 Issue 4 Pages 20-36
The Agency and Dilemma of the Urban Poor: Struggle for Order Making with the Issue of Street Vendors in Metropolitan Manila

5th

Hiroyuki HOSHIROHiroyuki HOSHIRO
2007 Volume 53 Issue 1 Pages 1-19
“An Asian Community” in 1962: The Proposal for the OAEC and Japan

4th

Kazuko KOJIMAKazuko KOJIMA
2006 Volume 52 Issue 1 Pages 1-18
The Controversy over the Reform of Chinese Trade Unions under Marketization

3rd

Tsuyoshi KINAKATsuyoshi KINAKA
2005 Volume 51 Issue 1 Pages 1-17
From Leninism to Fascism: Chiang Kai-shek and the Dictatorship Model

2nd

Toru KurataKurata
2003 Volume 49 Issue 4 Pages 26-43
China-Hong Kong Relations Under the “One Country, Two Systems” Formula

1st

Chisako T. Masuo
2002 Volume 48 Issue 3 Pages 77-101
China’s Relations with the Korean Peninsula in the Deng Xiaoping Period: The “Westphalianization” of Chinese Diplomacy
Cheng-ta Chen
2002 Volume 48 Issue 3 Pages 32-57
The Formation Process of the Taiwan Petrochemical Industry and Development Mechanism: Focusing on the First Naphtha Resolution Factory Construction

Contact

How to become a member of JAAS

Please print out the Membership Application Form below, complete it and send to the Office using the following address.

Ochanomizu Academic Association NPO
Japan Association for Asian Studies
〒112-8610 Tokyo-to Bunkyo-ku Otsuka 2-1-1
Ochanomizu University Faculty of Science Bld.No.3 Room 204
E-mail: jaas-info<@>npo-ochanomizu.org(replace with @)

Recommendations by 2 members of JAAC are required.
(Please receive seals or signatures of 2 members)

Annual membership fee is 10,000 Japanese yen for regular members, and 6,000 Japanese yen for graduate students or privileged members.
(The membership fee is due to be paid later. Please only select the membership fee amount).

After the submission of the application, it becomes a subject to a provisional approval by the managing directors meeting. Afterwards, the final approval is granted by the meeting of the board of directors. Since both meetings are held several times a year, sending of the publications and information might be delayed. We highly appreciate your consideration.

Membership Application Form(PDF)
(Application for the Membership Fee Reduction(PDF)

Inquiry

Please inform the society secretariat of the inquiry except the above than “an inquiry form” after checking the FAQ of the homepage.

Ochanomizu Academic Association NPO
Japan Association for Asian Studies
〒112-8610 Tokyo-to Bunkyo-ku Otsuka 2-1-1
Ochanomizu University Faculty of Science Bld.No.3 Room 204
E-mail: jaas-info<@>npo-ochanomizu.org(replace with @)

JAAS 2023 Spring CONVENTION

Call for Papers

The 2023 Spring Convention of the Japanese Association for Asian Studies will be held in collaboration with University of Tokyo on June10, 11 2023. The convention mode will be face-to-face, but this may change in consideration of the COVID-19 situation. The Conference Organizing Committee (COC) of JAAS welcomes the proposals for individual presentations and organized panels.

Individual presentation: The speaker will be given 20 minutes for presentations. All papers must be submitted in advance. The COC will organize sessions with 2-3 speakers on similar or related topics. A chairperson and commentator(s) will be nominated by COC among JAAS members.

Organized panel: Application for an organized panel is welcome as well. An organized panel must have a designated chairperson, 2-3 speakers, and 1-2 commentators. Two hours will be allotted to the entire panel.

The deadline for submission of a proposal for the individual presentations and/or the panels is February 22, 2023.

Acceptance/Rejection will be notified after March 28, 2023.

An applicant for an Individual Presentation should be a member of, or applying for membership to JAAS by the time of presentation. An applicant for an Organized Panel should be a member of JAAS at the time of application.

Those who wish to submit a proposal must fill in the application form
(https://forms.gle/wiyxeom93PADvW9S8 ).

Those who made presentations in the conventions in the last one year can apply but may be given low priority in light of promoting equal opportunities for JAAS members.

The following items must be written in the application form:

Individual presentations:
1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant.
2) Title of the presentation.
3) Abstract (within 400 words).

Presenters at the Convention must submit full papers (in PDF format) and abstracts (in the prescribed WORD format). The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, foot notes, tables, and figures. Please do not exceed 10,000 words. Papers must be submitted before May 18, 2023. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for several weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members.

Organized panels:
1) Name, affiliation, contact address, phone number, and membership status of the applicant.
2) Title of the panel.
3) Abstract (within 400 words).
4) Contents of the panel. (Name, affiliation, membership status of the chairperson, presenters, and commentators.)

Presenters of the panels must submit abstracts (within 400 words in the prescribed WORD format) of their presentations before May 18, 2023. They are also recommended, though not required, to submit full papers (in PDF format), which will be posted on JAAS website in the same manner as the papers for individual presentations. The length of the paper should be around 6,000 words including references, footnotes, tables, and figures. Papers must be submitted before May 18, 2023. Papers will be posted on JAAS website for several weeks before and after the Conference, and will be made downloadable only by JAAS members.

Conference Organizing Committee of JAAS
Yusuke Anami (Tohoku University)
Kazuya Nakamizo (Kyoto University)
Toyomi Asano (Waseda University)
Takahiro Sato (Kobe University)
Ayako Masuhara (Asia University)

e-mail: jaas-spring<@>npo-ochanomizu.org (replace <at> with @)

Call for Papers Extension : JAAS 2023 Spring CONVENTION

Greetings from the President

Yuri SATO
27th President of JAAS 2021-23

I am honored to assume the post of President of the Japan Association for Asian Studies (JAAS) from June 2021. I look forward to fulfilling my responsibilities over the next two years.

JAAS promotes academic research related to Asia and offers a platform for presenting those results to stimulate research exchange. The strengths of this Association are its wide spatial scope that covers Asia as a whole, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, and its inclusiveness that embraces a range of disciplines in the social science, including politics, economy, society, law and history, as well as diverse approaches, both theoretical and empirical. I hope to apply these strengths toward further stimulating JAAS activities that are viewed as beneficial to all our members.

JAAS was founded in 1953 out of a strong desire among its founding members during the early post-war period to create a platform that was distanced from politics and that allowed members to freely engage in Asian studies as academic and empirical research. That was nearly 70 years ago. The first 30 years were an establishment period as an association, during which membership grew from the original 50 members to over 500 members in line with the growing interest in Asian studies in post-War Japan. The next 30 years were a growth period: the Association journal introduced a peer review system, conferences and study meetings were institutionalized, the JAAS website was launched, international exchange began, and the JAAS Annual Award for the Best Article was established. Although the Association lost government funding and corporate membership revenues, it successfully shifted to a self-sufficient structure where membership fees covered operating expenses, with its membership exceeding 1,300. In the Association’s 60th year, JAAS filed its Articles of Incorporation to become a General Incorporated Foundation, the structure that governs the organization today. I want to express my heartfelt respect for my predecessors and all JAAS members for their tireless efforts over the years toward unceasing reforms.

From that 60th year, however, this Association appears to have entered into a maturity period. JAAS membership has turned to decline at a pace that mirrors a decrease in the number of graduate students in Japan, which began in the 2010s, particularly in the social science. Recognizing the need to shift its focus from quantitative expansion to qualitative progress, JAAS took various steps, such as consistently having panel sessions at conferences and international symposiums funded by the Kashiyama Scholarship Foundation.

Moving forward, in what I believe is an extension of those efforts, I want to further promote qualitative progress for JAAS activities by engaging in the following three initiatives. The first is to make conference programs attractive by effectively leveraging the strengths of the Association. The second is to develop collaborations with other domestic or overseas associations to expand the scope of discussion. The third is to proactively promote a hop-step-jump approach among younger members by encouraging them to present their papers at regular study meetings, then at a conference, and finally to submit an article to the Association journal. And on the 70th anniversary in 2023, I want to create an opportunity for JAAS to show an international standard of contemporary Asian studies through which we can review Asia’s past and search its future.

I hope all members will take an active part in JAAS activities and present their research results, while submitting their ideas and proposals aimed at further vitalizing the Association.

FAQ