Japan on the Record
Tristan Grunow
Subscribe
The podcast where scholars of Japanese studies bring their expertise to bear on issues in the news. Hosted and produced by Tristan R. Grunow, Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Japanese History at Pacific University.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
Oct 20, 2021
Japanese Opposition Politics on the Record with Roméo Marcantuoni (Waseda)
Read Roméo's latest article on Japanese opposition parties in Tokyo Review at: https://www.tokyoreview.net/2021/10/japans-opposition-is-this-the-year/
playlist_add
Aug 31, 2021
Vaccine Hesitancy in Japan on the Record with Dr. Andrew Gordon (Harvard) and Dr. Michael Reich (Harvard)
View Dr. Gordon and Dr. Reich's co-authored article, "The Puzzle of Vaccine Hesitancy in Japan" in the Journal of Japanese Studies here: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/799776.
playlist_add
Aug 24, 2021
Nagasaki Anti-Nuclear Movements and the TPNW on the Record with Dr. Gwyn McClelland (UNE)
In this episode, Dr. Gwyn McClelland (UNE) discusses Japan's refusal to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons despite outspoken criticism from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, before introducing the complex history of anti-nuclear movements in Nagasaki and touching on local responses to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
playlist_add
Aug 10, 2021
Foreign Media and Japan's Postwar Pacifism on the Record with Dr. Tom Le (Pomona)
In this episode, Dr. Tom Le (Pomona) responds to recent news coverage of Japan's security position towards Taiwan, counters media narratives about resurgent Japanese militarism by emphasizing demographic barriers and the postwar peace culture that limit the government and Self Defense Forces, and offers Japan as a new model of international relations focused on human welfare rather than military might.
playlist_add
Aug 3, 2021
Foreign Students and Japan's Border Closures on the Record with Dr. Chelsea Szendi Schieder (Aoyama Gakuin)
In this episode, Dr. Schieder discusses the impacts of Japan's COVID-related border closures on foreign students, scholars, and researchers waiting to enter Japan, introduces actions taken by community members in the form of an open letter, online petition, and press conference to raise awareness of this issue, and cautions what border closures could mean for Japanese attitudes to foreign residents and for universities that rely on foreign students.
playlist_add
Jul 27, 2021
Demon Slayer and the Future of Anime on the Record with Dr. Patrick Galbraith (Senshu)
In this episode, Dr. Patrick Galbraith (Senshu) reacts to the global popularity of Demon Slayer before explaining why it has become so popular so quickly, how Demon Slayer marks a major shift in anime production away from directors like Miyazaki Hayao, and what online distribution platforms mean for the future of anime around the world.
playlist_add
Jul 20, 2021
Tokyo 2020 and the Future of the Olympic Games with Dr. Jules Boykoff (Pacific)
In this episode, Dr. Jules Boykoff (Pacific) outlines the many scandals and health concerns plaguing the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before explaining why organizers went ahead with the Games and gauging how Tokyo 2020 might impact the future of the Olympics.
playlist_add
Jan 22, 2021
Japanese Military Policy on the Record with Dr. Sheila A. Smith (CFR)
In this episode, Dr. Sheila A. Smith (CFR) places recent Japanese arms export deals with East-Asian neighbors into the context of changing security concerns and Japan's larger Indo-Pacific strategies, before discussing how new administrations in both Japan and the United States might impact military policy.
playlist_add
Dec 18, 2020
The Development and Future of the US-JPN Military Alliance on the Record with Dr. Ellis Krauss (UCSD)
In this episode, Dr. Krauss (UCSD) traces the development of the US-Japanese military alliance and Japanese re-militarization under former Prime Ministers Nakasone, Koizumi, and Abe, contrasts Japanese and German pacifism, and discusses how a new US administration might impact the alliance.
playlist_add
Dec 11, 2020
Japan's COVID Economy on the Record with Dr. Gene Park (LMU)
In this episode, Dr. Gene Park (LMU) outlines the state of the Japanese economy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing how former Prime Minister Abe Shinzō was able to reinflate the economy and achieve one of Japan's longest periods of postwar economic growth, and gauging what economic policies Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide will pursue.
playlist_add
Dec 4, 2020
JAXA and Japanese Space Policy on the Record with Dr. Saadia Pekkanen (UW)
In this episode, Dr. Saadia Pekkanen (UW) places the recent launch of JAXA astronaut Noguchi Sōichi aboard the SpaceX Resilience into the longer history of Japanese space exploration and collaborations with NASA and other organizations, and highlights the importance of space policy amidst the emergence of a new space race.
playlist_add
Nov 13, 2020
Naomi Osaka and Women's Sport in Japan on the Record with Dr. Helen Macnaughtan (SOAS)
In this episode, Dr. Helen Macnaughtan (SOAS) places Naomi Osaka's recent accomplishments into the longer historical context of Japanese women's sports champions, including the gold-medal volleyball team at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup champions, pointing out how women's sports shape gender norms in Japan and promote gender equality.
playlist_add
Oct 29, 2020
Political Comedy in Japan on the Record with Shawn De Haven (IUHW)
In this episode, Shawn De Haven (IUHW) explains why the passing of famous comedian Shimura Ken in late March had such a profound impact on Japan, along with discussing the importance of television comedy in Japan and highlighting the recent emergence of political comedians in Japanese society.
playlist_add
Oct 19, 2020
The Rebirth of Japanese Studies on the Record with Dr. Paula R. Curtis (Yale)
In this episode, Dr. Curtis (Yale) discusses the "rebirth" of Japanese Studies in light of recent challenges confronting academia around the world and offers thoughts on how scholars can work together to rebuild a more inclusive academic environment.
playlist_add
Oct 5, 2020
COVID-19 and Japanese "Mindo" in Colonial Korea on the Record with Dr. Michael Kim (Yonsei)
In this episode, Dr. Michael Kim (Yonsei) responds to controversial claims that Japan's higher "mindo" (level of culture) explains its successful response to the coronavirus pandemic, providing historical context about how rhetoric of "mindo" fit into Japanese colonial rule in Korea.
playlist_add
Sep 28, 2020
Japan's Asia-Pacific Trade after Abe on the Record with Dr. Saori Katada (USC)
In this episode, Dr. Katada (USC) discusses how the recent change in Japanese administrations might impact foreign trade in the Asia-Pacific, outlining how Japan has taken advantage of competition between China and the USA to reposition itself over the last two decades into a more active role shaping geoeconomics in the region.
playlist_add
Sep 18, 2020
Constitutional Revision in Post-Abe Japan on the Record with Dr. Helen Hardacre (Harvard)
In this episode, Dr. Helen Hardacre (Harvard) discusses the impacts of Prime Minister Abe's resignation on the future of the constitutional revision debate in Japan, explaining why constitutional revision was such an important policy goal for Abe and why it was always unlikely to succeed.
playlist_add
Sep 11, 2020
Dismantling the Ivory Tower in Asian Studies on the Record with Dr. Christine Yano (Hawaii)
In this episode, AAS President Dr. Christine Yano (Hawaii) talks about how recent developments including COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement have presented an opportunity for scholars to tear down the traditional hierarchies and rigid structures that have propped up the Ivory Tower for so long and to rebuild a new academic environment.
playlist_add
Aug 28, 2020
September School Enrollment in Japan on the Record with Dr. Masako Egawa (Hitotsubashi)
In this episode, Dr. Masako Egawa (Hitotsubashi) discusses her involvement in debates at the University of Tokyo about changing the start of the Japanese school year to September, laying out arguments both for and against adopting the September start date before talking about how COVID-19 has impacted ongoing discussions about September enrollment.
playlist_add
Aug 21, 2020
COVID-19, 3/11, and Media Credibility in Japan on the Record with Dr. Sonja Petrovic (Melbourne)
In this episode, Dr. Sonja Petrovic (Melbourne) details how the 3/11 Tōhoku Triple Disaster in 2011 caused a decline in public trust in media and government information, changed media consumption habits in Japan, and shaped popular reception of the Japanese government response to COVID-19.
playlist_add
Aug 14, 2020
#CovidDivorce and Changing Intimacies in Japan on the Record with Dr. Allison Alexy (Michigan)
In this episode, Dr. Allison Alexy (Michigan) reacts to news coverage of #CovidDivorce in Japan as the latest example of sensationalist media treatments of Japanese intimacies before outlining how intimate relationship in Japan have changed over the last several years even before COVID-19.
playlist_add
Aug 7, 2020
The Politics of Public Statues and Monuments in Japan on the Record with Dr. Sven Saaler (Sophia)
In this episode, Dr. Sven Saaler (Sophia) responds to recent controversies over public statues by describing the active role statues and monuments play in shaping popular understandings of history, communicating ideas about society to future generations, and even disrupting Japanese diplomatic relations in East Asia.
playlist_add
Jul 31, 2020
Anpo, Street Protests, and Civil Disobedience in Japan on the Record with Dr. Nick Kapur (Rutgers-Camden)
In this episode, Dr. Nick Kapur (Rutgers-Camden) places recent BLM marches into the context of Japan’s longer history of street protests and civil disobedience, highlighting the violent protests opposing the resigning of the controversial US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, or Anpo Treaty, in 1960.
playlist_add
Jul 24, 2020
Blackface, Whitewashing, and Anti-Black Racism in Japan on the Record with Dr. John G. Russell (Gifu University)
In this episode, Dr. John G. Russell (Gifu) explains the endurance of Blackface performance in Japan, along with discussing how the Whitewashing of prominent Black Japanese and depictions of Black masculinity in Japanese pop culture reveal racist attitudes towards Blackness, Whiteness, and national belonging.
playlist_add
Jul 18, 2020
#BlackInTheIvory in Japan on the Record with Teeka Gray (Indiana), Yasmine Krings (UCLA), Kimberlee Sanders (Harvard), and Dr. Garrett Washington (UMass-Amherst)
Read more about the AAS Petition co-authored Dr. Jolyon Thomas, Dr. Levi McLaughlin, Dr. Michelle Wang and Kimberlee Sanders here.
playlist_add
Jul 10, 2020
The NHK BLM Video and Depictions of Blackness in Japan on the Record with Dr. Reginald Jackson (Michigan)
In this episode, Dr. Reginald Jackson (Michigan) places the recent NHK Black Lives Matter video in the context of historical depictions of Blackness dating back to the 16th century, discussing how the video reveals enduring anti-Black attitudes in Japan shaped by these earlier depictions along with reflecting on the racist roots of Japanese studies in the United States.
playlist_add
Jul 3, 2020
BLM and Black Japanese/Okinawan Matters on the Record with Dr. Mitzi Uehara Carter (FIU)
In this episode, Dr. Mitzi Uehara Carter (FIU) calls attention to the discrimination and racism faced by Black Japanese/Okinawans and biracial communities in Japan, noting the solidarity between Black and Okinawan communities and pointing out how signifiers of Blackness differ in Okinawa and the Japanese mainland.
playlist_add
Jun 26, 2020
Reggae, Racial Difference, and Representations of Blackness in Japan on the Record with Dr. Marvin Sterling (Indiana)
In this episode, Dr. Marvin Sterling (Indiana) discusses the popularity of Reggae music and Black culture in Japan, noting how non-majority Japanese communities embrace Reggae and other representations of Blackness to express their own identities and politics.
playlist_add
Jun 19, 2020
COVID-19 and Anti-Asian Racism in North America on the Record with Dr. Michael Jin (UIC) & Dr. Vivian Shaw (Harvard)
Learn more about the AAPI Covid-19 Project by visiting: https://www.aapicovid19.org/
playlist_add
Jun 12, 2020
8:46 on the Record
News articles:
* Ayana Wise, "Why We're Marching for Black Lives in Japan" Japan Times
* Randiah Camille Green, "Photos from Black Lives Matter March in Osaka with Over 1,000 Protestors" Gaijinpot
* Alexandra Hongo, "What's Wrong With NHK's Black Lives Matter Video and Why We Need to Talk About It" Tokyo Weekender
* Austin Freeman, "Once Upon a Time...in Azabu Juban" Japan Times
Podcast Episodes:
* Kurly in Kansai, "BLM Kansai March & Our Involvement"
* Japan Times Deep Dive, Episode 53: "Why Japan Needs Black Lives Matter"
Check out other great podcast content:
* Kurly In Kansai
* Tokyo Speaks (formerly Raw Urban Mobile Podcast)
playlist_add
Jun 5, 2020
Populism in Japan on the Record with Dr. Axel Klein (Duisburg-Essen)
Read Dr. Klein's article "Is There Left Populism in Japan? The Case of Reiwa Shinsengumi" in The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus.
playlist_add
May 29, 2020
Illegal Drugs in Japan on the Record with Dr. Miriam Kingsberg Kadia (Colorado)
For background stories on recent high-profile drug arrests, see:
- Sawajiri Erika arrest story: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/19/national/crime-legal/actress-erika-sawajiri-allegedly-admits-taking-illegal-drugs-10-years/
- Kan a.k.a. GAMI arrest story: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200507/p2a/00m/0na/004000c
playlist_add
May 22, 2020
Postal Privatization on the Record with Dr. Patricia Maclachlan (Texas)
In this episode, Dr. Patricia Maclachlan (Texas) looks to Japan for lessons on postal privatization, discussing the background of postal privatization in the early 2000s, whether or not it was successful, and how Japan's experiences can be instructive for other countries considering postal reform.
playlist_add
May 15, 2020
Religious Responses to COVID-19 on the Record with Dr. Levi McLaughlin (NC State)
In this episode, Dr. Levi McLaughlin (NC State) surveys how Japanese religious groups have responded to the coronavirus pandemic, questioning sensationalist media coverage of Japanese religious groups, and introducing innovative adaptations religious groups have adopted to stay in contact with followers.
playlist_add
May 8, 2020
Refugee Detention in Tokyo on the Record with Dr. David Slater (Sophia)
Click here to read Dr. Slater's Japan Times article, "If the Virus Gets In, It Will Spread Like Wildfire."
If you would like to learn more about refugee support groups in Japan, click the links for more about the Sophia Refuge Support Group, the UN High Council on Refugees (UNHCR), the Japan Association for Refugees, Ushiku no Kai (Japanese only), and the Provisional Release Association in Japan.
playlist_add
May 1, 2020
The LDP-Kōmeitō Coalition on the Record with Dr. Amy Catalinac (NYU)
In this episode, Dr. Amy Catalinac (NYU) provides background for recent news of conflict within the LDP-Kōmeitō coalition, outlining how the electoral reforms of 1994 set the stage for coalition politics in Japan today and allow the small Kōmeitō to exert outsized political influence on the larger LDP.
playlist_add
Apr 22, 2020
Accessibility in Japan on the Record with Mark Bookman (Penn)
In this episode, Mark Bookman (Penn) reviews the history of disability in Japan to discuss how the Coronavirus pandemic presents new opportunities for able-bodied individuals to reflect on obstacles to accessibility in Japan and to work together to increase accessibility for all.
playlist_add
Apr 15, 2020
The Tokyo Sarin Gas Attack on the Record with Dr. Erica Baffelli (Manchester)
In this episode, Dr. Erica Baffelli (Manchester) calls attention to the 25th anniversary of the 1995 Tokyo Sarin Gas Attack, discussing how Aum Shinrikyō became violent, what role women played in the group, and how media coverage of the 25th anniversary was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
playlist_add
Apr 10, 2020
The Firebombing of Tokyo on the Record with Dr. David Fedman (UC Irvine)
In this episode, Dr. David Fedman (UC Irvine) recalls the history of the firebombing of Tokyo on March 9-10, 1945, discussing media coverage of the recent 75th anniversary, the significance of the bombing within the history of World War II, and ongoing efforts to commemorate the event today.
playlist_add
Apr 3, 2020
COVID-19 and "Wartime Mobilization" on the Record with Dr. Paul Kreitman (Columbia)
In this episode, Dr. Paul Kreitman (Columbia) revisits the history of wartime home front mass mobilization campaigns in Japan, the UK, and the USA, to ask how lessons from this history can be applied to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
playlist_add
Mar 25, 2020
Panic in the Toilet Paper Aisle on the Record with Dr. Eiko Maruko Siniawer (Williams)
In this episode, Dr. Eiko Maruko Siniawer (Williams) contextualizes recent toilet paper panics around the world in response to coronavirus by revisiting the history of Japan's earlier toilet paper panic in the 1970s, discussing why people panic over toilet paper and what such panic buying reveals about Japanese society both in the past and today.
playlist_add
Mar 13, 2020
The "Japanese Secret" of Kakeibo on the Record with Dr. Hillary Maxson (Pacific)
In this episode, Dr. Hillary Maxson (Pacific) de-mystifies the "Japanese secret" of saving money using Kakeibo, tracing the history of Kakeibo in Japan and how Kakeibo reveal not only postwar food consumption habits, but also how women shaped everyday life and cuisine in postwar Japan.
playlist_add
Feb 27, 2020
The Abe Administration on the Record with Dr. David Leheny (Waseda)
In this episode, Dr. David Leheny (Waseda) takes a long-term view of the administration of Prime Minister Abe Shinzō, discussing how Abe was able to inspire optimism amongst voters and embrace pop culture to cultivate a popular image that has allowed him to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister.
playlist_add
Feb 12, 2020
Shuri Castle on the Record with Dr. Travis Seifman (Tokyo)
In this episode, Dr. Travis Seifman (University of Tokyo) discusses the catastrophic destruction of Shuri Castle in Okinawa and the devastating impact of the loss of hundreds of cultural artifacts, along with plans to reconstruct the castle and the unexpected benefits of restoring and replacing lost traditional Okinawan arts and crafts.
playlist_add
Jan 29, 2020
Tokyo 2020 on the Record with Dr. Robin Kietlinski (LaGuardia)
In this episode, Dr. Robin Kietlinski (LaGuardia CC-CUNY), details how the preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have reshaped Tokyo Bay, outlines the history of landfills in Tokyo Bay, and describes measures the Tokyo government is taking to limit environmental problems.
playlist_add
Jan 15, 2020
Japanese Defense on the Record with Dr. Richard Samuels (MIT)
In this episode, Dr. Richard Samuels (MIT) outlines Japan's current security concerns, touching on the status of the US-Japan alliance, the possibility of a fully nuclear-capable North Korea, and ongoing disputes between Japan and South Korea.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 6 - War Memory
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, two students reflect on depictions of war memory in Japanese pop culture, focusing on manga by Mizuki Shigeru and anime films such as "Grave of the Fireflies."
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 8 - J-Pop Rocks
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a student shares her favorite Japanese rock bands and discusses several types of J-Pop music.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 1 - The Alt-Right & Japan
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a student discuss the American alt-right's fascination with Japan.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 7 - The Self Defense Forces
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a group of students discuss the origins and activities of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, constitutional arguments for and against their deployment, and Japanese defense spending.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 4 - Territorial Disputes in East Asia
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a group of students discuss several current territorial disputes between Japan and its East Asian neighbors, including the Kuril Island dispute with Russia, the Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute with China and Taiwan, and the Japan Sea/East Sea dispute with South Korea.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 2 - Homelessness in Tokyo
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a group of students tackle social issues in Tokyo including homelessness, urban poverty, and social inequality.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 3 - Tokyo Pollution
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a group of students discuss environmental issues in Tokyo, including urban pollution in Tsukiji, Suginami sickness, and the problem of jungle crows.
playlist_add
Apr 27, 2019
Student Podcast Episode 5 - 1950's Nuclear Pop Culture
In the Japan on the Record Student Podcast, UBC students discuss aspects of Japanese culture they research in class. Students share their research findings, thoughts, and passion for Japanese anime, manga, food, music, literature, film, sports, and other facets of Japanese society and popular culture. In this episode, a group of students discuss how fears of nuclear weapons impacted Japanese pop culture during the 1950s, touching on films like Godzilla and I Live in Fear.
playlist_add
Apr 16, 2019
KonMari on the Record with Dr. Jolyon Thomas (Penn)
Read the original Twitter thread on Dr. Thomas's feed (@JolyonBT) or on his website: http://jolyon.thomasresearch.org/.
For more on the history and contemporary practices of Shinto, see:
1) Fabio Rambelli, ed. Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan: The Invisible Empire (Bloomsbury, forthcoming May 2019): https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/spirits-and-animism-in-contemporary-japan-9781350097094/
2) Jolyon Thomas, “Tongue in Cheek, Just in Case” (Sacred Matters): https://sacredmattersmagazine.com/tongue-in-cheek-just-in-case/
3) For background on Shintō, see Dr. Thomas's review: https://networks.h-net.org/node/20904/discussions/837862/review-jolyon-thomas-studies-shinto
playlist_add
Apr 15, 2019
Japanese Whaling on the Record with Dr. Noell Wilson (Mississippi)
Read the NY Times editorial referenced in the episode here. Read the Japanese government’s response here.
For more historical background on Japanese whaling, listen to Meiji at 150 Podcast episode 47 with Dr. Jakobina Arch.
Credit to BBC News and Al Jazeera English for audio clips.
playlist_add